"I just received the two kraut pounders that I ordered. I used one to make 2 bottles of sauerkraut and it is wonderful to work with!!!"
- Roberta, NJ

"My new favorite tool! This is perfect for making your fermented foods. I recently bought this lovely tool and wish I had done so years ago."
- Jessica

"last summer my sister found your kraut pounder and gave me one. It is a great tool."
- Jane, VT

"I really appreciate all the good work and efforts you and your chapter do. We're all excited about pounding us some kraut!"
- Don, Portland, OR

"I also really liked how useful it was for pressing the vegetables down into the jar – it was more efficient and did a better job at packing than anything else in my kitchen."
- Wardeh, Eugene, OR

Basic Sauerkraut

Makes 2 quarts

  • 1 medium to large head cabbage
  • 1 TBS caraway seeds
  • 1/4 cup whey (liquid strained from live yogurt) – Optional
  • 1 TBS unrefined salt

Directions: Follow General Directions below.

Kimchi

Makes 2 quarts

  • 1 medium head cabbage (green, napa, or combination)
  • 4 green onions
  • 1 jalepeno pepper
  • 1 ripe bell pepper (red, orange or yellow)
  • 1 TBS fresh ginger (grated)
  • 1 tsp fresh garlic (grated)
  • 1 tsp powdered paprika
  • 1/4 cup whey (liquid strained from live yogurt) – Optional
  • 1 TBS unrefined salt

Directions: Follow General Directions below.

Original recipe by Lisa.

Ginger Veggies

Makes 2 quarts

  • about 3 lbs mixed veggies, such as:
    • 8-12 carrots (grated)
    • 4-6 ribs celery (diced)
    • 1/2 turnip, rutabaga, or several radishes (or mixture of all – diced)
    • 1 handful chopped onion (green, white or yellow)
  • 1 TBS grated fresh ginger
  • 1/4 cup whey (liquid strained from live yogurt) – Optional
  • 1 TBS unrefined salt
  • 1-2 TBS dried sea vegetable (such as arame, dulse, nori, etc.)

Directions: Follow General Directions below.

Original recipe by Lisa.

Pink Powerkraut

Here is a recipe for a beautiful pink mixed vegetable ferment. It is flavorful with ginger and garlic.

Makes 2 quarts

  • 1 medium head green cabbage
  • 2 turnips (Scarlet variety if available or substitute red radishes)
  • 1/2 cup grated dikon radish
  • 1 cup grated beet root
  • 1 TBS grated fresh ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup whey (liquid strained from yogurt) – Optional
  • 1 TBS unrefined salt

Directions: Follow General Directions below.

Original recipe by Lisa.  (First posted in the Eugene Chapter Newsletter, August 2007)

General Directions

Directions: Grate, chop or dice veggies. Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Let sit for about 15 minutes to allow the salt to soften the vegetables. Pound with Kraut Pounder until vegetables have released their juices.  We recommend using a container with straight sides, such as a stock pot, crock pot or deep bowl.  When pounding in wide bowls with sloping sides the vegetables tend to shoot up and out the sides!  When the veggies are dripping with released juices they are ready to pack into a jar.

Pack into 2 quart (1/2 gallon or 500ml) jar, and press down with Kraut Pounder until vegetables are below level of juices. Leave at least 1″ headroom above the liquid.  The Kraut Pounder may be reversed (handle end down) to work in smaller mouthed jars.  Cap with lid.  Label and date jar (masking tape on the lid works great).

Fermentation: Let sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks.  After about 1-3 days the ferments will begin producing a lot of excess gases, and you may need to “burp” the jar.  When the lid starts to feel tight or slightly domed, gently loosen the lid to allow gasses to escape.  Open the lid slowly!

Keep the lid snug, but not tight.  In warm weather this may need to be done frequently.  In cooler weather fermentation may take longer. Place jar in bowl or pie pan to contain juices if they escape.  “Burp” jar more frequently if this occurs.

After about 1 week fermentation will slow down, taste after this time and  ferment longer if needed.  Some ferments may be ready to eat after only 3-4 days.  It is fine to taste them after the initial fermentation has subsided.

Storage: Store in refrigerator, root cellar or other cool location. At warmer temperatures the microorganisms will continue to be active, and may cause the veggies to become mushy.  Fermented foods will last for several months or longer in cold storage and often improve with age.  Serve a small amount with anything you like.  Fermented veggies go well served as a side with a cooked meat dish.

Start Slowly:  These are live active foods, full of healthy probiotics.  If you are new to eating live fermented foods, we recommend you start with a small amount each day, as you gradually build up the probiotics in your system.

For More Information: See our Recommended Reading or purchase “Taking the Fear Out of Fermentation” DVD, a presentation from the Portland Regional Wise Traditions Conference.  To order, call Fleetwood Onsite Recordings at: 800-353-1830

Whey

Q: What is “Whey”?
In our recipes, the whey we refer to is the liquid strained from live yogurt.  Not whey protein powder and not whey from cheese making (these types have been heated and are not live sources of probiotic cultures).

Q: Why do you use whey?
A: The method we recommend is based on recipes in the book Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.  Whey provides an extra boost of probiotic culture to insure that your vegetables will ferment successfully.  We recommend this technique for people new to fermenting.  There are other methods that do not use whey.  We recommend reading some books from our Recommended Reading list for more techniques.

Q: Where do I get whey?
A: The easiest way to obtain whey is to buy a small carton of unflavored live yogurt.  Strain the yogurt through a filter (such as cheese cloth, coffee filter, jelly bag, etc.).  The yellowish liquid that drains out is the whey.  It is full of live active probiotic bacteria.  Add herbs and salt to the remaining thickened yogurt, it makes a yummy dip!

Q: Do I have to use whey?
A: No, vegetables, and particularly cabbage, ferment easily.  Natural “wild” fermentation has been the traditional method in most cultures around the world.  Alternatives to whey include:

  • Salt and “wild fermentation”
    • Wild yeasts and bacteria are naturally present on organic vegetables (and in the air, on your skin, etc.)
  • probiotic supplement – capsules or powder
  • commercial sauerkraut starter culture
  • liquid from previous successful fermentation

Q: Which method is best?
A: They all work! Whichever  method works best for you is the best method to use.

Alternative Cultures

By Kelly Holderby

An alternative to making fermented vegetables with whey and salt is to use a starter culture. The brand I like is from Body Ecology and can be purchased from their site (www.BodyEcology.com).

An advantage to using a starter culture is that it contains a wide variety of probiotic strains. One in particular, L. Plantarum, is very beneficial in healing gut dysbiosis. A starter culture also ensures consistent results. The texture is crispier, and it is not necessary to pound it as much since you are adding liquid that is already teaming with probiotic activity. However, it’s not necessary to use a starter culture. You will still have a very nutrient dense product using whey and salt.

Using the starter packet can be as simple as dissolving it in a cup of water, adding a tsp. or less of honey or palm sugar to help activate it and then mix it into your prepared veggies before packing it into jars.

For additional flavor and a stronger ferment, you can make a brine using the starter culture. Using a blender, put in a chopped up Granny Smith apple, some chopped lemon (leave the peel on if it is organic) – half or a whole lemon is fine depending on how much “zing” you like. Add a small piece of ginger, about one inch. Blend this with enough water to make a thick, slurry like brine.

Add in the dissolved starter culture and then add this brine to your prepared veggies. Mix well and pack into jars.

Seven days is a good amount of time to ferment, but you can do less or more to your taste. The apple, lemon and ginger brine adds wonderful health benefits in addition to great flavor. The apple acts as a prebiotic which feeds the probiotics and gets the fermentation process started quickly.

Lemon and apple contain flavanoids which act as immune boosters in the body; helping with allergies, assisting the liver in detoxification and some say even in the prevention of cancer. Ginger is a fabulous digestive aid and anti-inflammatory. An even easier way to make a brine would be to take a few cups of the shredded veggies and blend them with water and the starter culture.