Beet and Cabbage Sauerkraut
A simple easy, small batch recipe for Beet and Cabbage Sauerkraut that anyone can make using a mason jar. Full of good healthy bacteria!
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 3 cups
- Category: sauerkraut
- Method: fermented
- Cuisine: Preserving
Ingredients
- 3 cups cabbage- finely sliced (leave one leaf whole, for the top)
- 1 cup grated raw beet- do not peel.
- ⅛–¼ Cup sliced red onion – optional
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Other optional ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1 garlic clove, sliced
- 1–2 teaspoons grated ginger
Instructions
- Finely slice and grate cabbage and beets and place in a bowl. ( 4 cups total)
- Add garlic, onion and or ginger if using.
- Massage with 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt. Let sit on the counter, mixing occasionally for 1-2 hours, until cabbage has wilted and released a little water.
- Place cabbage beet mixture and all the juices in a CLEAN 4 cup mason jar and pack it down with a muddler, or the end of a wooden spoon.
- If there is not enough liquid to cover, mix one teaspoon sea salt with 1 cup of filtered water, and add just enough of this brine so cabbage -beet mixture is submerged- leaving at least an inch of space at the top of jar. Top with a whole cabbage leaf ( or fermentation weight) and press it down once more. Cover with loosely with a lid and place on a pan ( to catch any liquid).
- Place in a cool dark place ( ideally 65 -72 degrees F ) for 3-5 days. It may take longer to ferment if it is colder. I often place mine in the cooler part of my kitchen, covered with a big dishcloth. You can check it daily to make sure cabbage is under the brine.
- After 3-4 days, check for activity. When you tap the jar, tiny bubbles should rise to the top, indicating it’s fermenting. Once fermented to the desired amount, add the caraway seeds and place it in the fridge. The longer it ferments the sourer it will taste.
- Once it’s chilled the smell will surprisingly mellow out and it will actually seem edible! So let it chill overnight, discard the cabbage leaf, then give it a taste!
Notes
Do not use pre-shredded cabbage. You need the natural bacteria from a whole cabbage. Farmers market cabbage works especially well.
If you are finding you need to add quite a bit of water to get the cabbage to be submerged, make a brine first. A basic fermentation ratio is 1 heaping teaspoon sea salt to every cup of water.
You can use fermentation weight to keep the kraut submerged, or use a small ziplock bag, filled with a little water, to as a weight, placed over the cabbage in the jar.
Any cabbage that is exposed to air, will likely get moldy. Feel free to remove the mold if it is just on one area, you likely can salvage the rest.
Nutrition
- Calories: 45
Keywords: how to make sauerkraut, beet sauerkraut, sauerkraut recipe, easy sauerkraut, easy sauerkraut recipe, cabbage sauerkraut
Find it online: https://www.feastingathome.com/beet-and-cabbage-kraut/