Sauerkraut is essentially finely shredded cabbage that has been allowed to ferment with naturally occurring lactic acid ‘friendly’ bacteria. I say ‘cabbage’ although you can include other veggies in this process too.

The sauerkraut is actually achieved by a natural and healthy process of pickling called lactic acid fermentation. The friendly bacteria are already present on raw cabbage – we are simply nurturing it and giving them optimal conditions to thrive and develop. When raw cabbage is introduced to a salty, oxygen-free environment, the process then allows the friendly bacteria to proliferate, whilst keeping harmful bacteria at bay.

In this session, we are going to look at the technique of dry salting to make sauerkraut. This is a method of fermentation that relies on a saline (salt) environment and an anaerobic (i.e. no oxygen) environment to create this pro-biotic friendly food.

In the olden days, people used to ferment foods like cabbage as a means to preserve veggies over the cold harsh winters when little food was available. These days it tends to be used as an incredible health food as a source of super-healthy friendly bacteria that supports our gut and overall health.

When it is fully cured, sauerkraut keeps for several months if stored at 15C (60F) or below, in an airtight container. Ideally use glass or a ceramic/porcelain crockpot (avoid plastic or metal, so that you don’t get leaching).

Sauerkraut is jam-packed full of vitamins and minerals. It has also been said that the fermentation process is somewhat like having your food pre-digested for you. This, in turn, increases the bioavailability of nutrients making sauerkraut even more nutritious than the original cabbage (and easier to digest).