Sauces, conserves & preserves
Red Cabbage, Beetroot & Apple Sauerkraut
Fermentation can seem a bit intimidating, but it's all about making sure that you get the ratio of salt right; enough to prohibit harmful bacteria, while giving the lactic acid room to thrive and impart its distinctive savoury taste. We’ve added some beetroot for its earthy flavour and complementary colour, and some apples for a little sweetness. The spicing has a Scandi feel, with echoes of the festive season ahead.
Cook's notes
Make sure your jars are properly clean before you use them. Lots of hot, soapy water and a good rinse followed by drying out in a low oven (140°C/Gas 1) for 10-15 mins, or a trip through a very hot dishwasher cycle.
Ingredients
- 1 red cabbage
- 1 small red onion or shallot – finely sliced
- 1 beetroot – peeled and grated
- 1 apple - grated
- 2cm piece of ginger, finely grated
- 1 tsp juniper berries, lightly crushed
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- fine sea salt (approx. 20g)
- 2 x ½-litre clean clip-top jars
Method
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Step 1
Weigh your mixing bowl and note the weight - you’ll need it for a calculation in step 3.
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Step 2
Remove 2 of the large outer leaves from the cabbage and keep them to one side. Halve the cabbage and cut away any tough central core with V-shaped cuts. Shred the cabbage as finely as you can and put it in the mixing bowl along with everything else apart from the salt.
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Step 3
Now weigh the bowl and subtract the weight of the bowl from the total, to give you the true weight of the mixture. You need to add 2% salt, or 2g for every 100g of mix. The easiest way to do this is to take the weight in grams and divide by 100. Now times that by 2 to give the amount of salt you need.
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Step 4
Add the correct amount of salt to the bowl. Get your clean hands in and give it a good mix and massage for a few mins, working the salt into the cabbage as best you can (see tips). Leave to sit for 20 mins to give the salt time to draw liquid from the mix.
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Step 5
Now pack the mixture tightly into the clip-top jars, along with any liquid in the bowl. Place a cabbage leaf on top to help keep the mix submerged. The liquid should cover the mix completely. If there isn't enough liquid, make a 2% brine (2g salt mixed into every 100g/ml of water) and add enough to cover.
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Step 6
Keep at room temperature in a dark corner for a week. You’ll need to unclip the jars once a day to 'burp', i.e. release any pressure building up inside. A pop as you open the lid is a clear indication of fermentation, alongside a sour/pickled smell. You may see discolouration on the cabbage leaves, but excessive mould or an unpleasant smell indicate that things haven’t gone well, and the batch should be discarded. It's a good idea to keep the jars on a tray or in a tub to catch any liquid that escapes during fermentation.
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Step 7
After a week, they should have a distinct pickled taste and be ready to transfer to the fridge. Remove and discard the cabbage leaves once ready. The sauerkraut will store and be usable for a month or so, and may need the occasional burp. You can decant them into smaller sterile jars if you want to share your achievements.