Sauerkraut for summer

With a bed full of cabbages, we are constantly trying to find new ways of preparing them for meals.

We always enjoy sauerkraut with smoked eisbein and pork sausages. With this in mind, I decided to make a batch of sauerkraut using the organic cabbages from the garden. The snails have helped themselves to large parts of the cabbages. But we easily managed to get enough for a bucket-full of cabbage and salt.

After reading of the health benefits of sauerkraut, we had another incentive for making some. It is known that sauerkraut has the ability to improve your digestive health. In addition, it is claimed to boost your blood circulation, protect your heart health, stimulate your immune system, strengthen your bones, reduce your overall cholesterol levels, and even offer protection against certain cancers.

After four weeks of fermentation, the sauerkraut was ready for bottling. We bottled seven jars of homemade sauerkraut. These will provide for an enjoyable accompaniment to some local free range pork cuts and sausages over the coming months.

I used a recipe from the South African cookbook 'Lekker vir Later' by Anette Human.

'Sauerkraut

Chop the cabbages in fine slivers and weigh off. Rinse a straight- sided earthenware or other suitable container with boiling water. Immerse circular board or ceramic plate that snugly fits the container in boiling water. Cover the bottom of the container with a couple of clean whole cabbage leaves. For each 5Kg of cabbage slivers use 150g of course non-iodised salt. Pack the cabbage slivers in tight layers each 2,5cm thick in the container, sprinkling some of the salt over each layer. A couple of bay leaves and peppercorns may be added. End with a sprinkling of salt. The container should be two-thirds full on completion. Add only enough water to cover the cabbage. Place the board or ceramic plate on the cabbage and weigh down with a non-porous object such as a suitable stone. The weight must also be pre-sterilised in boiling water and should have no metal components. Cover with a double layer of cheese-cloth.

Allow the cabbage 3-4 weeks of fermentation in a cool environment. In the first phase of fermentation a surface layer of scum will form. This should be skimmed off regularly. The cabbage should at all times be covered with the pickle water. Should the level drop, it can be supplemented by adding brine. Additional brine can be made by boiling 30g of salt per litre of water. The supplementary brine must be allowed to cool off completely before adding.

Sauerkraut keeps indefinitely at 3^oC. To serve as a hot dish, rinse the required serving off in cold water and proceed with cooking as one would for fresh cabbage. Adding some chopped bacon will make for a delicious serving.'