Sweet on Sauerkraut

By: Katie Kadue | May 13 2010
Posted in San Francisco Bay Area - Cook It - San Francisco

Fermentation has served mankind well: it preserves perishable produce, supplies beneficial bacteria, and sometimes gets us good and drunk. And while a plethora of probiotic products, from kimchi to kombucha, line supermarket shelves, chances are you’ve never thought to ferment for yourself. Brewing your own beer may be a bit daunting, but making your own fermented foods is easy and economical – and if the bubbling crock-pot in the kitchen corner causes your housemates alarm, that just adds to the fun.

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Start with something simple and seasonal: old-fashioned sauerkraut. Shred a head of cabbage (in season at the farmers market) in a large non-reactive bowl or crock, toss with 1 ½ tablespoons kosher or sea salt, and let sit for a bit. Then, using the brute strength of your fist, pack the cabbage down to draw its water out (the salt is actually doing most of the work here, but take credit where you can). Place a large ziploc bag filled with salt solution (1 ½ tablespoons salt per quart of water) on top as a weight, and cover with a dishtowel to keep out dust.

Check your concoction daily to make sure the crucifers stay submerged below brine-level (if the cabbage is exposed to air, it may start to rot; not the kind of magical molecular transformation we’re going for). Start tasting after a few days; it should start to sour by day three or four, but you can let it go to your taste’s content. Then bottle up with bay leaves, garlic cloves, chiles, or slivers of ginger for flavor, and store in the fridge till your next craving for salty lactobacilli strikes.