SAUERKRAUT
Sauerkraut
Chef Stefano Coppola, Morse Block Deli
Ingredients
1 head Red Cabbage (about 3 pounds), trimmed, cored, and shredded 28g Kosher Salt, plus more as needed
1 crisp variety of Apple, cored and shredded 1 tsp toasted Caraway Seed
Directions
1. Put shredded cabbage & apple in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle with measured salt and caraway. Mix well, then knead and squeeze cabbage for a few minutes to begin to release its liquid.
2. Knead occasionally and let sit for up to 12 hours.
3. Sanitize Mason jars and pack with cabbage mixture, leaving some room to breathe, about ¼”. Make sure liquid is covering the cabbage. If not make a 2% brine and add. (You can make this by dissolving 2 grams of salt in 100 grams of water; 1 cup of water would require about 1 heaping teaspoon of kosher salt.)
4. Seal fermentation crock or Ball jar with airlock lid following manufacturer's instructions. Put in a cool, dark place; 65 to 70°F (18 to 21°C) is ideal. After a day or two (or three), the fermentation process should kick off more actively and the cabbage should be bubbling away. If the vessel is quite full, it's best to put a rimmed baking sheet under it to catch any overflowing fluids.
5. After the first week, feel free to open the vessel and push cabbage back down below brine level (it's very important that the cabbage always remain below the liquid level), and taste cabbage to monitor its progress. Make sure any hands/tools used to touch inside the container are sanitized. If brine gets low, top it up with more 2% brine. Keep in mind that the more often you open the vessel, the greater the chance of mold growing on the surface. *If mold does grow on the surface, it's ok! Simply scrape it off and continue to ferment the kraut.
6. The Sauerkraut is ready when it is quite sour and a little funky, which can take anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks, depending on your preference. Throw out the sauerkraut if it becomes discolored, slimy, or really stinky. (Some sulfurous smell is natural, but anything truly offensive is a bad sign.) Refrigerate in sealed containers almost indefinitely.
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