Simple Sauerkraut

I am German and I have loved sauerkraut my whole life. My Grandmother’s Recipe is just salt and cabbage. For gut healing, I love the added caraway seed and carrots. I have included Abel James Sauerkraut Recipe for a healthy fermented food option, enjoy.

Prep time:
20 mins
Total time:
20 mins

A Simple Recipe to Reverse Leaky Gut, Lose Weight, and Boost Your Immune Function
Author: Abel James
Serves: 8

Ingredients
1 organic head of green cabbage (2 to 3 pounds)
1 to 2 tablespoons sea salt
1 large organic carrot, shredded
1 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)

1. Instructions:
   Thoroughly clean a wide-mouth mason jar, chopping knife, cutting board, large bowl, and your hands.
2. Rinse the cabbage and carefully peel off the two outer layers.
3. Lay the two cabbage leaves on top of your jar like a “lid.” Use a knife or clean scissors to cut the cabbage leaves about an inch wider than the jar all around. You’ll use these cabbage leaf rounds to hold the sauerkraut below the brining liquid in a later step.
4. Quarter the head of cabbage and chop out the thick core from each quarter. Slice each cabbage quarter lengthwise into thin ribbons.
5. Put each handful of cabbage you cut into a large bowl and sprinkle it with salt. Add salt as you go to help keep the cabbage crisp. In the end, you want to have added between 1 and 2 tablespoons of salt.
6. Use your hands to massage the cabbage with the salt for 5 to 10 minutes, until it becomes watery and limp.
7. Add the shredded carrot and caraway seeds to the cabbage and mix with your hands to combine.
8. Take handfuls of the cabbage mixture and press them into the bottom of the mason jar, packing them tight with each handful so the liquid (created by salting and massaging in step 5) rises to the top over the cabbage.
9. Take the cabbage rounds you cut in step 3) and press them into the jar so they hold the cabbage under the liquid.
10. Wipe the jar mouth clean and cover it with a cloth, cheesecloth, or paper towel and secure it in place with a rubber band or twine. This allows air into the jar but prevents insects from getting in.
11. Over the next 24 hours, press down on the cabbage leaves to keep the cabbage packed under the liquid as it ferments and rises. If needed, you can add more brining liquid by mixing filtered water with a bit of salt (1 teaspoon salt dissolved in 1 cup filtered water).
    Allow the sauerkraut to ferment at room temperature out of direct sunlight for 3 to 10 days, checking daily to make sure the cabbage is not floating above the liquid. Taste every few days until the desired taste is achieved.

The sauerkraut will keep in the sealed jar in the refrigerator for at least 2 months.