Sauerkraut, Kimchi, and More

How to make fermented foods part of your life without much fuss.

SHORT AND LONG-TERM SEASONAL PICKLING

Mary McCabe marysveggiecooking.com

SAUERKRAUT

Ingredients

The standard proportion for cabbage to salt:

5 lbs. cabbage and other crisp vegetables to 3 Tbsp. sea salt or Himalayan salt

Brine - 1 qt water to 1 ½ Tbsp. Sea salt

Math can be confusing since most of us don’t make 5 lbs. at a time.

I made 2 ½ lbs. Cabbage to keep it simple, with 1 ½ Tbsp. sea salt

It is essential to use a digital scale to weigh the vegetables to know the correct amount of salt.

A salinity ratio of 1.5% to 2.5% ensures a safe and delicious fermentation.

Method

1. Shred the cabbage thinly and evenly. Put in a non-metal, food-grade container.

Add the sea salt and mix lightly with clean hands. Set aside for 20 to 30 minutes.

2. Begin to “massage” cabbage and sea salt with clean, well-rinsed hands, with no soap

residue. Continue to rub the cabbage mixture until a good amount of liquid is released,

about 10 minutes.

3. Place a portion of cabbage in a sterilized jar or crock. Use a tool

such as a kraut pounder, wooden spoon, or smasher to push down the cabbage, so