I have made sauerkraut all of three times now. The first was delicious. With an alluringly pudding like name of blueberry pie sauerkraut, it was as good as any place to start in the art of kraut making. I had no idea how to go about making kraut, how much salt, how much liquid to expect to create, how much to pound, how small to cut the veggies, how long to ferment…It was very much a mystery. But Shannon Herrick’s instructions in the Taproot Issue 7: Gather, removed the veil of secrecy and provided a comfortable formula to follow. I had faith. The kraut born from that attempt was delicious, albeit a little too salty (especially when the bag filled with brine that I used to weigh the contents down, split, emptying it’s contents over a half jar full of kraut), but nice. My second attempt was one followed from Cynthia Lair and her creative ensemble’s video recipes at Cookus Interruptus, elegantly titled Pink Lady Sauerkraut. This kraut is equally gorgeous, not too salty (careful as I was not to apply the brine bag weight method!), but I am over half way through and using at a rate of knots. My third batch is a second attempt at the blueberry pie sauerkraut. This time I checked the salt, pounded and squeezed with confidence, and have created two gleaming quart mason jars of future yumminess. I am chuffed that my confidence with kraut making has grown so much in just 3 attempts, and I am thoroughly addicted to their subtle tang and distinct flavour.
If you haven’t been so inclined to, or perhaps even a little intimidated by making kraut, I urge you to give it a crack – I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.
simple living 