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I love sauerkraut and fancy having a go at making my own this year. I have found a number of recipes which vary from 10 days to 6 weeks.
Does anyone have their own recipe to recommend?
Does anyone have their own recipe to recommend?
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Tx -
hotezenwald
Hi Tootles: Before you get excited you really need an 'Original Harsch-Gaertopf'. This is a stoneware jar with a special stoneware lid which creates a seal with water and inside stoneware weights to hold the mass down. You will find a web page explaining the pot and then you will be able to find a stockist in England. They cost around £20 but last for ever. You can imporovise but the liquid will probably go mouldy on top and might even ferment then you have to throw the whole lot away.
Recipe for a 10 ltr jar.
. 5-8kg white or pale green cabbage (the pointy type is best or just a coleslaw type)
. 5-8g salt per 1 kg shredded cabbage
. small pack of caraway seeds (optional but worth it)
. half a ltr of shredded cooking apple
. glass of DRY white wine
Remove 4 outer damaged leaves of cabbage, these will go on top of mass under the weight, and cut out the stalk, then finely shred the cabbage. Place a 2" layer of cabbage in pot, sprinkle a little of the salt, a small amount of apple, a teaspoonful of caraway seeds on top. Now beat the whole lot with wooden basher until a small amount of liquid starts to appear. Layer as before, when pot is about half full start adding a little wine until all ingredients are used up and beating down well each layer. Lay the 4 leaves to cover the top of the mass and place weights on top, they should be covered by the liquid (if not you need to remove the leaves and beat down again). If you have the right pot, you now place the lid on top and pour water into the lip. This makes the pot airtight. Place in a cool room for min. 6 weeks. Check tim is always full of water. When you want to use it, open up and with a fork remove a large screwtop jarful and replace the leaves, stone and lid. The screw top jarful can now be stored in the fridge for a couple of weeks and the potfull remains in its home til it is empty (up to 2 yrs).To cook, add a little water and simmer for 20-30 mins then season to taste. To make your own in England is probably a luxury but it is delicious and you can swap jars of the finished product with someone who has something you want.
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Thank you Hotezenwald, I'm not in England though! I am, however, off to Konstanz in the next few weeks - so maybe I can pick up something suitable then?? Is the salt just normal table salt? I have seen a lot of references to pickling salt - tricky to get hold of here in France. Does it have a special German name?? (other than salz!)
Many thanks,TxComment
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