If you have been following Sunshine Seedling Services in social media you will have noticed that cabbage is the craze this week. The aim is to highlight a specific vegetable or forestry seedling and clone for farmers and consumers alike.
The content will include planting information and tips, nutritional value and then some recipes to make those vegetables come to life on your plate.
RECIPE FOR CABBAGE:
SAURKRAUT
INGREDIENTS
- 9-12 grams salt per 450 grams of cabbage
- very fresh green cabbage (The fresher the cabbage the more juice it will have to make a sufficient amount of brine. The finished sauerkraut will also have a much better texture.)
INSTRUCTIONS
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Prepare the Cabbage:
Remove any bruised or damaged exterior leaves from the cabbage, then cut the cabbage in half and remove the core. Slice the cabbage very thinly.
Place the sliced cabbage in a large bowl and toss in the salt. Let it sit for about 20 minutes until the cabbage has begun to wilt and releases some of its juices. Using your hands massage and crush the cabbage until it is wilted and has released a lot of liquid. This will takes several minutes.Pack the Cabbage in a Crock or Jar:
Transfer the cabbage and all the juices to a glass jar bit at a time and mash it down with a tamper. Fill the jar to about 2/3 full (the cabbage will bubble as it ferments and could overflow if the jar is too full).
Continue to mash the cabbage with the tamper, releasing more juice, until the cabbage is completely submerged under the brine and any air pockets have been removed (important for preventing mold growth).
If you’ve mashed all you can mash and you still don’t have enough brine to cover the cabbage you’ll need to make some supplemental liquid that is consistent with the salinity of the cabbage brine: Dissolve 1 teaspoon salt in 1 cup water (a 2% solution of salt water) and add that to the jar until the cabbage is completely submerged under the liquid.
It is very important that the cabbage remain submerged under the brine during fermentation, otherwise mold will form
Screw on the lids to fingertip tightness (this is important to prevent exploding jars!).
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Ferment Your Sauerkraut:
Place the jars in a dark place that is between 18-20 degrees celius, the ideal temperature for fermenting.
At a the ideal temperature range of 18-20 degrees the cabbage should ferment for at least 2 weeks (recommend longer) but follow your own taste.
After 4 days of fermenting start tasting the cabbage daily until it reaches the desired texture and level of tanginess. Don’t be alarmed if the brine becomes fizzy, this is completely normal and a positive sign of microbial activity.
Note: If you’re not using an airlock lid be sure to open the lid of your jar/crock every day to release the pressure and prevent your jar from exploding.
The color of the cabbage will change from green to a pale yellowish beige.
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Store Your Sauerkraut:
Once your sauerkraut has reached the level of tanginess that you want, it’s time to screw the lid on tight
Store the sauerkraut in the fridge or a cold cellar
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Fermentation won’t stop but it will be greatly slowed down.
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