Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut – acid cabbage – results from a curing process in which many bacteria appear on the cut edges of cabbage.  The added salt draws out the natural sugar stored in the vegetable.  Some of the present bacteria act upon the sugar, changing it to acids, thus resulting in a mellowing of the cabbage.

Use 1½ teaspoons of salt to each pound of cabbage.

1. Choose large, firm, well ripened cabbage.  Allow heads to stand at room temperature for about 24 hours to wild.  (Causes the leaves to become less brittle, therefore less likely to break when cutting.
2. Trim away the tough outer leaves and wash the heads:  Cut into quarters or halves.  Remove the core.  Shred cabbage, or thinly slice cabbage with a very sharp knife.  The shredded cabbage should be about the thickness of a dime.
3. Weigh the shredded cabbage, and add salt at the rate of 1½ teaspoons per pound.  Let the cabbage and salt rest in a stainless steel or an enameled pot for 5 – 10 minutes.
4. You will see a bit of water in the pot.  Take about 2 pounds of the salted cabbage, put it in a stainless steel pot and beat down, don’t beat the crap out of it, but kind of smash it so that it is tenderized and liquid escapes.  Transfer to a crock and repeat the process until all the cabbage is done.  The Brine will continue to form for about 24 hours.
5. Place a piece of Plastic wrap or  clean white, thin cloth (triple layer of Cheesecloth) over the top of the cabbage and tuck it in.  Take a Plastic trash bag, filled with water on top of the cheesecloth or plastic wrap.  This will keep the cabbage submerged in the brine.
6. Let stand at room temperature for about two weeks.  If the temperature is very cool, the process may take as long as five to six weeks.  Remove the scum from the surface daily, replace the cheesecloth or plastic and  put the weighed bag of water back on top.
7. Sauerkraut is ready when the bubbles stop rising to the surface, although fermentation will continue. Taste to check the flavor.  When it is the way you like it, remove it from the crock, Heat till simmering and pack in hot, sterilized jars.  Leave 1/2  inch head space
8. Seal and process in boiling-water bath.  Allow 20 minutes for quarts, 15 minutes for pints.

Note: A three gallon crock holds about 24 pounds of cabbage. That will also render about twelve quarts of Sauerkraut.  If you eat a quart a month, that will still be enough to last you a year.  If you do pints, you will have 24 pints.  If you eat a pint a month it will last you 2 years.