Making A Good Sauerkraut Recipe

Hello friends,

This is an interesting article about making sauerkraut. The photo looks like they are an Amish community who make sauerkraut.

I respect their culture because they live in harmony with the Earth and they have preserved their culture through many centuries. An important part of a healthy culture is their cultured foods, as Sally Fallon mentioned in my previous article.



The weird thing about this article is that they recommend eating sauerkraut with a sausage pizza. While I admire sausage making people, I don't think sauerkraut would taste good with pizza!

Another thing is that my health coach said not to eat sauerkraut with starchy foods like bread, pasta, and rice. I am not sure on the science behind this but I think it has something to do with the beneficial bacteria in the sauerkraut. If the bacteria eats the starches they will poop out a toxin that poisons our digestive tract. Also, eating too many starches leads to an overgrowth of the bad bacteria Candida.

Here is an excerpt from the article Quiet Valley reveals secrets to good sauerkraut

The sauerkraut preparation method "was an important part of life on old-time Pennsylvania German farms. Cabbage is brimming with vitamin C. Sauerkraut is nothing more than fermented cabbage. Since kraut is not cooked, it is an excellent source of vitamin C. Sauerkraut was the only vegetable available during winter in the 19th century. Without it, pioneers suffered scurvy. For the same reason, it was commonly found on ship voyages.

As the cabbage was sliced, it fell through the board into the crock. Every two heads, he stopped slicing and sprinkled salt over the layer. None of the cabbage is wasted. The cabbage heart is set on the table as a snack.

"The real test of a farm boy is how many cabbage hearts you can eat," Kenneth MaCaulay, Farm Manager said. Too much of the surprisingly sweet stuff could cause a bellyache. Once the crock is full, a hunk of wood with a branch handle is used to pound the cabbage down. The compression and salt release juices from the cabbage.

Although many people think vinegar or water is part of the recipe, only salt and cabbage are used. After tamping down the mix, full outer leaves from the cabbage are placed on top. Followed by a cloth, crock lid and a rock or board for further squishing power. There is a good chance that the family farm enjoyed coleslaw for dinner on sauerkraut day. The scraps would not be wasted.

Once the crock is prepared, fermentation takes up to two weeks depending on the temperature. The pungent scent from the sauerkraut crock is not easily forgotten by those who experience it. Debbie DiPasquale, Assistant Program and Education manager says Germans often paired sauerkraut with pork. She suggests sauerkraut and sausage pizza."

Neat article! If you would like to make homemade sauerkraut, the Harsch pickling crock is the best tool available.

Until next time...

Mike