Red Sauerkraut Food

HOW TO MAKE SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Thoroughly wash a large tub or bowl (we used on the size of a small washing-up bowl), then rinse with boiling water from the kettle. Make sure that your hands, and everything else coming into contact with the cabbage, are very clean. It's wise to use a container that will comfortably fit the softened cabbage, allowing several inches of room at the top to avoid overflow.
• Shred the cabbage thinly - a food processor makes light work of this. Layer the cabbage and the salt in the tub or bowl. Massage the salt into the cabbage for 5 mins, wait 5 mins, then repeat. You should end up with a much-reduced volume of cabbage sitting in its own brine. Mix in the caraway seeds and the peppercorns.
• Cover the surface of the cabbage entirely with a sheet of cling film, then press out all the air bubbles from below. Weigh the cabbage down using a couple of heavy plates, or other weights that fit your bowl, and cover as much of the cabbage as possible. The level of the brine will rise to cover the cabbage a little. Cover the tub and leave in a dark place at a cool room temperature (about 18-20C) for at least five days. It will be ready to eat after five days, but for maximum flavour leave the cabbage to ferment for anywhere between 2-6 weeks (or until the bubbling subsides).
• Check the cabbage every day or so, releasing any gases that have built up as it ferments, giving it a stir to release the bubbles. If any scum forms, remove it, rinse the weights in boiling water and replace the cling film. You should see bubbles appearing within the cabbage, and possibly some foam on the top of the brine. It's important to keep it at an even, cool room temperature - too cool and the ferment will take longer than you'd like, too warm and the sauerkraut may become mouldy or ferment too quickly, leading to a less than perfect result.
• The cabbage will become increasingly sour the longer it's fermented, so taste it now and again. When you like the flavour, transfer it to smaller sterilised jars. Will keep in the fridge for up to six months.

RED SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Brown bacon in a heavy dutch oven.
• Add rest of ingredients and simmer slowly for 1 hour.
• Stir often.

RED SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Brown bacon
• Add onion.
• Add sauerkraut, tomato sauce and brown sugar.
• Simmer 45 minutes.

RED CABBAGE SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Make a brine of 6 cups water to 3 Tbsp sea salt and stir to dissolve.
• Peel off outer leaves of cabbage, cut in half, remove core and thinly slice or shred. You can use a food processor to shred if you like.
• Place 1/2 tbsp peppercorns and 1 tsp caraway seeds in the bottom of each quart jar. Add shredded cabbage on top of spices and pack it in as evenly as possible, leaving slightly more than an inch of headspace at top of jar.
• Pour brine over red cabbage, leaving 1 inch of headspace (you may have some brine leftover). Top with fermenting weight to keep shredded veggies submerged. It is important to keep your cabbage submerged.
• Close jar with airlock or pickle pipe and fasten gently with jar ring. If you don't have the special lids, put regular canning jar lids on and undo it once or twice a day to release gases (burping the jar) or use a coffee filter secured on top. Leave to ferment at room temperature 5-10 days. These will likely turn cloudy as it starts fermenting and small bubbles will occasionally be rising. This is normal.
• Once the initial fermentation period is over (it is over when you decide you like how it tastes), it is ready to enjoy. Typically this will take 7-10 days. Once finished to your taste, top with a regular canning lid and move jar to cold storage or refrigerator.
• Kept in the fridge, this will keep easily for 3 months or longer. In cold storage, you should plan to use within 3 months. Usually this won't actually go "bad" but will lose the crispness and bright color if left longer. ***If you end up with mold or a horrible smell that is not like vinegar and cabbage, toss it out and start again with fresh sterilized jars.