Gut healing sauerkraut

Making sauerkraut at home is an ancient practice: one that our ancestors relied on for both food preservation and optimal health. Packed with probiotics, enzymes, and bioavailable nutrients, this kraut is a simple yet powerful way to nourish your microbiome naturally.

This is the ferment we always come back to.  The warm spice of caraway, and the aniseed-like fennel perfectly balance the natural bitterness of cabbage. It’s fresh, vibrant, and a beautiful way to introduce fermented foods into your daily meals.

Makes a 1.5 litre jar

Ingredients

• 1 large white cabbage - roughly 1kg 150g - any outer leaves and core removed
• 2 garlic clove - crushed
• 1 1/2 tbsp caraway seeds
• 30g sea salt 

Method

1. Wash the cabbage well before slicing it really finely. For ease and speed, I would recommend using a mandolin.
2. Add the cabbage to a large bowl and mix through the salt. Massage the salt vigorously into the cabbage for roughly 5 minutes.
3. Try to squeeze out as much water as possible from your veg. If you are concerned about your cabbage not releasing enough juice, just keep massaging. This stage can usually take anything between 8-10 minutes.
4. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let it sit for 1 hour.
5. Add the caraway seeds and garlic. Massage everything again for another 5 minutes. At this point the volume of the veg should have reduced dramatically and you should have a lot of liquid at the bottom of the bowl.
6. Transfer the kraut into a jar and pack it in very tight using your knuckles to push it down. Make sure you leave about 2 inches of space at the top, then pour in the liquid. 
7. Once the cabbage is fully submerged under the brine, close the lid of the jar and leave it to ferment in a cool dark place for 14 days or longer. You can easily let it ferment for up to a month.
8. During the fermentation process some of the liquid might spill out so I would recommend placing a bowl or a plate underneath the kraut jar. Once you open the jar store in the fridge and eat it within 2 weeks.