Polish-style homemade Sauerkraut
This is only a miniature version of what making of sauerkraut was in my home. We’d diligently scrub the bathtub and using my carpenter-dad’s rig for shredding whole heads of cabbage, go through a roomful of heads to fill a 240 liter (60 gallon) barrel. Stored in our cool basement for the next year, it will become bigos (hunter’s stew), filling for pierogi, kapuśniak (sauerkraut soup) or sauerkraut salad. There has not been a time when our home went without it.
Sadly, I can’t make 240 liters of kraut, so I’m going to scale it down to a normal household size.
The dish (4 quart) I’m using fits about 5 heads of cabbage and leaves just enough room for the liquid to form without pouring out of the dish. You can scale it to where you need it to fit your dish. If you’re worried you maybe making too much, don’t be. Sauerkraut will keep in the fridge for ever.
Polish-style home-made Sauerkraut
-style home-made Sauerkraut
Polish-style Homemade Sauerkraut
Ingredients
- A glass, ceramic or plastic pickling dish
- Shredded cabbage
- Shredded carrots (one carrot per 2 lbs / 1 kg of shredded cabbage)
- 1 tbsp / 20 g of rock or sea salt for every 2.2 lbs / 1 kg of shredded veggies (use non-iodized salt only!)
Instructions
Sanitize the pickling dish with boiling water.
Thinly slice the cabbage or shred on a mandoline. Grate the carrots on the largest side of a box grater. At this point, I like to weigh my vegetables and measure out all of the salt I will need for the entirety of the dish.
Place shredded cabbage and carrots (about 1 kg / 2 lbs at a time) in a large mixing bowl / bucket and sprinkle with a bit of salt (1 tablespoon at a time). Mix and massage the cabbage until it produces some juice.
Place in a clean pickling dish and push down with force to make sure cabbage is covered with brine. Continue until you use up all of the shredded cabbage and carrots.
If you have a pressing stone, use it; if not, place
a small plate on top of the cabbage mixture and top with a heavy sanitized dish or a jar full of water. Cover the top of the dish with a clean kitchen towel. Place on the kitchen counter for 10 days.After 3 days, with the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes in the cabbage to release gas. If there is excess water forming on top, remove it. There needs to be enough just to cover the cabbage. Reserve brine and use to replenish, if needed. Cabbage will be ready when it becomes translucent. It should be deliciously tangy and crunchy.
Notes
TO STORE: place sauerkraut into sanitized jars and keep in the fridge for up to 6 months.
TO PASTEURIZE: place sauerkraut in sanitized jars, making sure there is enough brine to cover (to make more brine, dissolve 1 tablespoon of salt in 1 quart of water and top up each jar). Place jars in a large pot, add water to just below the lid. Bring water to boil and simmer on low for 25 - 30 minutes. Remove and cool. Jars can now be stored unrefrigerated.
Who’s brave enough to make this at home. I challenge you! Please send pictures if you do!
Smacznego!!
Have you made/tasted this before? What did you think? Leave a comment below.
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