One Step Sauerkraut

1 head of cabbage finely shredded cabbage, mix 2

teaspoons of salt to cabbage and let set for at least 10
minutes. *Select organic ingredients for optimal nutrition.

Sterilze wide mouth jar and lid. Pack mixture into jar.

Press mixture down into Mason jar, making sure you get all
air pockets out. Using 1 teaspoon of salt to one cup of
filtered water, fill to just under rim of jar...if needed, then
screw lid on, loosely. Place jar in a bowl as the whey seeps
out.

The salt will continue to extract moisture from the cabbage

for about 24 hours. If after this time you dont have enough
juice to cover all of the shredded cabbage, you will have to
make a brine sloution to completely cover it. Make brine by
dissolving 1 teaspoon salt in 1 cup water (1 1/2 Tablespoons
of salt in a quart of water for large batch). Pour the brine
over the cabbage until it's completely covered.

Fermentation will usually be visible within a day or so after

starting. The warmer the air in the room, the faster the
fermentation will start, and the sooner it will be done. You
can tell that your sauerkraut is fermenting when bubbles
start coming up. Fermentation usually takes about 6-7 days
for the quart jar (between 4 and 6 weeks for large crock pot)
depending on temperature.

After a few days you may start to see a "bloom" of bacteria

or mold forming on top of the juice. This is normal, so don't
get upset. Remove and discard what you can with a spoon or
spatula every few days. It really does no harm, it just looks
"gross". Make sure water is covering the cabbage (add a
little water and sprinkle of salt if necessary).

When fermentation is nearly complete, bubbling will slow to

nearly nothing. When this happens, the sauerkraut is ready
to eat or can. Make sure to taste some of the fresh kraut, as
well as the pickled hearts before you cook or can. I think it
tastes the best, straight out of the crock.

Fresh uncooked sauerkraut has health benefits similar to

yogurt. Since it has live lactobacillus (Lactobacillus
acidophilus) cultures it is beneficial as a probiotic food.
Probiotics can help restore "good" bacteria cultures to your
digestive system. To receive the benefits of the live
lactobacillus bacteria, consume the sauerkraut as soon as
possible. After a short period of time the bacteria will die out.
That's why I make mine fresh weekly

Because this process doesn’t use vinegar like commercial

products, the flavor is not as pungent. This process can be
used with other vegetables like beets and turnips.

Health Benefits: Sauerkraut's benefits are two-fold. First, it's

made of cabbage, which is known to fight cancer, treat
peptic ulcers and provides vitamin C, fiber, manganese,
vitamin B6 and folate. However, because sauerkraut is
fermented, it has added benefits over regular cabbage.

Fermenting produces good bacteria known as probiotics,

which produce beneficial enzymes, aid digestion and
promote healthy flora in the digestive tract. Fermentation
also produces isothiocyanates, compounds that have been
shown to prevent cancer growth in test tubes and animals.

However, not all sauerkraut, particularly in the United States,

will give you these benefits. Most sauerkraut sold in
supermarkets is pasteurized, which means all of the good
bacteria have been killed. In order to get the health benefits
of fermentation you need traditionally prepared sauerkraut,
which you can find in some health food stores (in the
refrigerated section), in delis that make their own
(sometimes sold in barrels) or by making it yourself.

Nutrition: 1 Cup...approx. 27 calories, 1.4 g protein, 6 g

carbohydrates, 3.5 g sugar, 3 g fiber, 145 IU vitamin A, .34
mg niacin, .16 mg pantothenic acid, .11 mg vitamin B-6, 65
mcg folate, 50 mg vitamin C, 55 mg calcium, .64 mg iron, 17
mg magnesium, .18 mg manganese, 26 mg phosphorus, 280
mg potassium, 1.02 mcg selenium, 870 mg sodium, .20 mg
zinc