As a gardener I swore off growing cabbage over three decades before now. I had tried every organic way I read or hear about to control the infamous cabbage worms – with no success. Finding creepy worms in the cabbage we wanted to make into sauerkraut took the joy out of an entire season of growing. I’ll admit I’m squeamish, I don’t like worms – even the good kind. I don’t like bugs other than lady bugs and bees (and those only from a distance). I can’t handle slugs and snails. The list goes on. So why do I garden? Yeah, that’s sometimes a mystery even to me.
But we loved cabbage, and I kept thinking I was missing something critical. I continued searching for solutions and trying every organic trick I heard of – full of promises but never delivering. Finally one day, I gave up. I had given it my best shot, but decided it couldn’t be done without chemicals I had chosen not to use in our garden. “No more cruciferous vegetables in our garden!” It was a liberating feeling, free from disappointment, and I stuck to my guns for years. Until now … …
Thirty years later, my new friend Kim Ross convinced me to try again – using her hoop and netting system – organically. No bugs, no cabbage worms, no chemicals, . . . . hmmm. I thought I’d heard it all, but I hadn’t tried THIS. I had trusted her in the past – she steered me right in the No-Til approach to gardening. If I was ever going to believe anyone about cabbage – it was going to be her, because she had repeated success with it.
left: view from outside the netting, right side: view from the inside – images from Kim Ross’s garden
In 2025, I started cabbage plants by seed in March, and ordered some netting from her. Dan and I set out the plants and immediately covered them with the netting. The sun and rain came through the netting as promised, not a single fly or moth could find an opening. The cabbage grew big and beautiful. I was SOLD! I even had a couple broccoli plants in there. Equally beautiful. 100% pest free.
A whole new world opened up to me.
About five years before, I had made an exception to my rule for kale. I kept them separated, in different quadrants of the garden, prepared to dispose of any that became infested with some nameless pest. I didn’t care what the bug was – the plant would go into the garbage can in the alley the very minute I discovered the problem. My thinking was that by doing that, I’d protect any other kale plant from suffering the same fate. It worked for me the trial year, so I did it again. Kale are now a standard in my garden. I grow a few interspersed throughout the vegetable and flower gardens, always ready to sacrifice one or two as needed.
Tatsoi
Okay I confess, I was weakening – soon, I also allowed some Asian greens to join my party: Tatsoi and Bokchoi. And we were getting along just fine, but I drew the line at cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower. Those ugly worm memories were too strong to get rid of.
I had observed other gardeners use various ‘hacks’, including covering cabbages, and I watched with interest as the seasons progressed, but too often the end was disappointing, and I felt vindicated. Until Kim Ross bragged about her specific netting that is. I finally caved. Thankfully. And now I am the proud ‘grower of cabbage’.
This is good news for me, because cruciferous vegetables are low in calories and rich in vitamins and fiber. They’re delicious and nutritious. Cabbage is known for its dense heads that come in green, red or white, (I’ve only ever grown green), and is used fresh in salads and cooked dishes like cabbage rolls. In our house its often the base of stir fried vegetables as well as vegetable soup. And it is what makes sauerkraut – SAUERKRAUT. I simply wouldn’t want to do without cabbage.
Cabbage is a cold weather vegetable – so it can be planted earlier than most others. In our area, you can usually plant them mid April – getting a full month jump on most other vegetables. I’m not going to tell you about its usual enemies – because its a subject I care nothing about. I will forever more plant my cabbages in rows under the protective netting Kim Ross advocates, and because of that, I expect to never again meet cabbage moths, flies or caterpillars in any of my cruciferous plants. I am content to be the ridiculous, finicky, easily disgusted, “city person” that you can make fun of behind my back. In my mind that’s far more preferable to worms.
Planting and Soil
WHAT Try different types of cabbage seeds till you find your favourite. I don’t have a favourite yet. I liked what I grew last year, but I’m still gonna try others since I’m such a novice.
WHERE Selecting the best spot: Cabbage prefers well-drained, loamy soil, rich in compost or aged manure. And it need SUN. Full sun implies a minimum of 6-8 hours daily. You can’t fake the sun so this is very important. Choose a nice sunny spot. I am told that in southern climes you can plant cabbages in more shady areas to protect them from hot unyielding sun (remember they’re a cold weather crop), but I don’t live in a southern climate and where I live, full unfiltered sun is still important for cabbages to grow.
WHEN Start seeds indoors in late winter (February or March), for spring planting outdoors, or simply buy your plants from a garden center. No judging here. As soon as the days start warming up enough that the ground has thawed and dried enough to work in, set your plants out.
Don’t hesitate to plant a few different varieties of cabbage – paying attention to the length of time each is expected to take. This could help you harvest consecutively for several weeks. Some will have a suggested growing at 80 days. Some more, some less.
HOW I practise no-til gardening with a very deep layer of straw as mulch. Deep as in 6-8 inches of straw or more. Because mine is an urban garden, space is always an issue so we mow our straw to break it up a little. There are mixed reviews on this practise, some prefer to leave the long stalks, personally I find them more manageable in my smaller garden if we’ve lightly chopped them up with the lawn mower. My entire row is covered with straw – LOTS of it. In my paths I have a deep layer of wood chips, also for mulch but this mulch takes longer to break down than the straw, perfect for the pathways.
The straw and wood chip mulches (not mixed) allow the rain to go through, while reducing evaporation. This makes best use of our water.
It also prevents the sun from getting through to the ground which eliminates many of the weed seeds from being able to sprout and thrive.
The straw also begins decomposing where it touches the soil, and over the course of the season – that composting of the bottom layer will add to the richness of the soil.
Mark your row and decide exactly where you want each plant. (If you’ve got more seedlings than you can use, give some away.) Space out your stakes for the hoops, in even spaces from each other. Hammer them into the ground to keep them solid.
Allow plenty of room for all the outer cabbage leaves that accompany the actual cabbage – a minimum of 12 inches on either side of the cabbage itself, more depending on the type you’re growing. Pay attention to the recommended space written on the seed package. These outer leaves take up a lotta room but they’re important. They’re busy all season gathering sun, rain and nutrients for your plants.
netted row of cruciferous vegetables in our community garden 2025 2nd picture is my friend Sandi hold up three magnificent from her community garden plot. No bugs,
to PLANT Gently move the straw over and add plenty of nice, rich compost to the row. Set the small cabbage plants into the prepared ground and water well. Gently firm all the soil around the plant with your hands, and give them a nice thirst quenching drink of water.
Cabbages are heavy feeders, so make sure you add a generous amount of compost to the area reaching out at least a foot around the sealing.
When all done planting, tuck the straw around the plants, being careful NOT to allow the straw to touch them – you want air and a little space between the plant and the straw. Once the plants get strong and happy in their new neighbourhood, you can tuck the straw in closer.
Putting the netting on Attach the rubber hose / hoops to one stake and then pull the hose to the stake directly across from it. Once all stakes with hoops are attached, take your netting and gently pull it across all stakes, going down your entire row. Be sure to leave enough fabric to fasten down both ends, as well as fasten down the sides to give it a nice snug fit – like putting a bottom sheet on your bed.
That’s it. It really is that easy. You’re good to go.
WATER The straw mulch will restrict the need of LOTS of water being required all season long. Water generously in the beginning few weeks to help get roots established. Then water as needed throughout the rest of the season.
*Hint: whether water or rain, it will go through the netting just fine and will go through the straw mulch. As the season goes on, reduce the amount of watering you’re giving each plant. Once the cabbage head starts to form, too much moisture may cause the head to split. This doesn’t affect the taste or nutrition but it can look quite unsightly, and will affect the long term shelf life, as well as preventing you from using this particular cabbage from being cabbage rolls.
The big outer leaves gather the rain from which the plant drinks. In most cases, the rain will be sufficient IF you have a deep enough protective straw layer around your vegetables. You should rarely have to water your garden if using enough straw.
I hope you’ll give cabbage an honest try in your garden if you haven’t already, or haven’t for a long time. Prepare to be pleased.
*hint: if you EVER hear of Kim Ross speaking in your part of the world – attend. You’ll thank yourself many times over for having done so.
In preparing to write this article – and at the same time, preparing to teach a workshop in our community garden – on Homemade Borscht, I asked a lotta friends to tell me about their Borsch. Every lover of borsch has “their” variation. There are so many different variations that its hard to know what someone else is talking about when they use the word, and how they can all be called the same name! Some people insist on a brothy soup, some people prefer a thicker version. Some use meat broth, some feel that an authentic borsch must be meatless. Some use a cream at the end to cut the acid. Some do not.
Food is part of culture and identity – whether it be in a family, a community, a region, a religious group, or an entire country. Food can be shared and can unite people in the sharing. While there may be regional differences, people from all over eastern Europe are familiar with “Borsch” or “Borscht”. Ukrainian, Polish, German, Romanian, Croatian, Georgian, Russian and others all have their ‘authentic’ versions, but the general consensus is that the dish originated in Ukraine.
People move, and food travels with them. Food moves more easily as long as it moves horizontally (east-west) where climates remain similar. Food is an important part of tradition and memories, and being able to keep favourite dishes a part of one’s life is valuable in adjusting to the many changes that come with a new life in a new country. One cannot over estimate the importance of the food people have been raised with, and families can be quite rigid about not messing with ‘gramma’s recipe’.
In the last part of the 19th century a general exodus from Eastern Europe into western Europe, Australia and North American began in earnest for those seeking a better life. Dan’s family came from Germany, some spending a generation in Poland before coming to Canada. My ancestors came from Denmark, Sweden, England, Wales, Scotland and France. It is always difficult to move to another part of the world, but the travails of immigrants in those days were intense, including breaking land and homesteading. There was much hardship. Both Dan and I feel a deep debt of gratitude for their sacrifices – which made it possible for us to be born here, in this land of plenty and relative safety. And yes, there are still a residue of favourite family dishes among them which have lasted long enough to be part of our family’s heritage.
Let’s get the spelling out of the way first. Borsch or Borscht? The ‘T’ comes from the Yiddish transliteration into English since it seems that the dish was introduced to the west by Jewish refugees fleeing Eastern Europe. So both spellings are equally correct, and no wonder there are so many recipe versions of it. Jewish refugees to the US. Ukrainian refugees to western Canada. Polish, German and Russian refugees throughout the western world. They had one thing in common – the food they all grew in their home countries: root crops, cabbage and dill. These vegetables grew equally well in North American soil and climate (especially in the northern parts) so it was natural that the dish would be reproduced here. Every part of it was something the average farm in the northern hemisphere could produce at home. The ingredients were cheap, plentiful and dependable. The soup was hearty, nutritious and satisfying. How could it lose?
Does Borsch had to be red? In a word – ‘no’. I’ve seen ‘green borsch’, but that’s blasphemous so I’m not gonna talk about that other than to say it is generally a spinach soup – so where it gets off referring to itself as ‘borsch’ is a mystery. Borst IS red. In my mind, beets make borsch RED. If you don’t like beets, don’t make borsch. If you make borsch without beets, you made soup. Might be a good soup, but find a new name, because “borsch” is red. There. Glad we got that settled.
So what is IN borsch? Keep in mind that traditionally borsch is a peasant soup. A good ol’ downhome, country folk hearty beet soup. So that means it had the foods that were easy to come by. Potatoes. Onions and garlic. Carrots. Cabbage. Maybe celery for some. Maybe kale for some. In later years, as it traveled west – peppers and tomatoes; a hundred years ago, tomatoes were not so plentiful in north eastern Europe among farm folk. BEETS. Vinegar. Dill. Sometimes meat, sometimes not – depending on availability. Sometimes sour cream.
So how do you find out which type of borsch you prefer? Well, there are no shortcuts. You have to try a few to narrow it down. Personally, I like a borsch with lots in it. I’m okay with a more brothy base, but I rarely make it that way, because Dan prefers a thicker soup. So I make my brothy soup, then when its nearly ready, I take about 1/4 of it and puree it in the blender. Adding the pureed portion back to the pot makes it thicker and more substantial, and my family prefers it that way. You do you. Make it a few different ways – but keep the basics in place.
What are the basics? BEETS. Added near the end to keep the colour beautiful. Onions and garlic. Other root vegetables like potatoes and carrots. Don’t hesitate to add parsnips if you have them. Cabbage. Of course. Some sort of acid – lemon juice of vinegar. In the spirit of authenticity I do not use lemon juice because I am pretty sure no Ukrainian Baba had lemons in her kitchen. The acid is said to keep the red vibrant, and who am I to question wisdom of the ages? Maybe it does, but I like the flavour enhancement anyway. Its not the same without it. Broth. The kind is completely up to you. Beef broth, chicken broth, vegetable broth, water. Whatever you have on hand. I generally use chicken broth or chicken bouillon – simply because it’s light and flavourful. Tomatoes or tomato paste. A relatively ‘new’ (but welcome) addition as Ukrainians wouldn’t have had access to tomatoes on the prairies a hundred years ago. Dill. Other than the onions and garlic, dill is the primary seasoning. Don’t add it too soon though because its a delicate flavour and you might lose some of it’s beauty.
How to make it
1. precook your beets There are many ways to precook your beets, but the easiest is to clean them then place in a covered roasting pan or wrap them in tin foil, and roast in a 400 degree oven for about an hour. Test for tenderness every 15 minutes after 45 minutes. The timing is going to completely depend on how big your beets are – could be an hour, could be more. When you can insert a fork easily, they’re done. Remove from heat and when slightly cooled, peel.
2. Chop your onions and garlic and sauté in oil of your choice over medium heat till translucent. Stir frequently to prevent scorching, while dicing fresh potatoes. *hint: yes, you can add your onions and garlic to the broth mix at the same time as everything else. I prefer to saute mine first as I think it adds to the flavour and I like a more caramelized texture, also it glazes the pot – adding a roasted taste.
IF, you’re going to add meat, either precook it or add it to your onions at this point to brown.
3. Add potatoes to pot and sauté with the onions for a few minutes. Add salt and pepper at this point. Add broth or water, stir well and bring to a boil while you’re chopping cabbage and carrots.
4. Add chopped or sliced cabbage – it seems people have strong opinions on which is best. You do you. (Personally I prefer chunks to slices in a soup.) Stir and add carrots. Bring back to a boil, then reduce heat and gently simmer till all is tender. At this point, add additional Iate-summer vegetables as desired: parsnips or kale perhaps.
5. Add vinegar. Start with 1/2 cup, then add more later if you want. Easier to put more in than it is to remove so start with less and adjust as desired. You can use plain white vinegar. I like to use a flavoured vinegar, perhaps a basil or chive blossom vinegar.
6. Continue to add broth as needed to keep the soup gently simmering. Add tomatoes if desired. Adding tomatoes, tomato paste or tomato powder adds that familiar light acidy taste of tomatoes while improving the texture and colour. I never buy tomato paste – preferring tomato powder so that I have more control on how much I want to use with no waste. In this case however, I generally have a lot of fresh tomatoes in the late summer early fall – so I’ll choose my ripest tomatoes. Continue to cook until tomatoes are fully incorporated and lost their shapes.
7. When your vegetables are tender, add your peeled and chopped cooked beets. Stir well to incorporate colour and let sit for a few minutes. You could be done at this point, ready to add your dill and serve up a nice brothy soup. Or you could take one more step to thicken your soup as I do.
8. Ladle out two cups of soup into a blender, and puree. Pour back into your pot and stir well. If desired, ladle out two more cups and do the same thing, stirring back into the soup. This step is completely subjective. You’re looking for a texture, colour and consistency that you prefer. Remove from heat.
9. Add fresh, chopped dill weed (the green part) and stir well to incorporate. Lots of dill. What does that mean? How do I know? How much do you like dill? Maybe a cup? Maybe more or less. I add at least a cup, but easier to add more later than remove, so start slowly and taste along the way. . Adjust salt and pepper as desired and remove from heat. At this point you can add some sour cream to the pot, or save that for individuals to add to their own bowls.
10. I always save the sour cream to be added to individual bowls at the table with additional fresh dill, because I like sour cream and Dan prefers without.
So much of what your borsch is going to look like will depend on individual tastes. There’s no point in making it a specific way if your family prefers something different. For instance, I know people who add caraway seed to their soup at the simmering stage. Caraway is the one spice that I do not like, so that’s never been a consideration of mine. But its worth trying different things from time to time – you never know how it might add to your over all dish.
Serve with fresh bread or buns. Some nice fresh sourdough served alongside is amazing. Or some nice dark rye bread.
I’ll provide a sample recipe with suggested amounts below for beginners to have some ideas of where to start.
Borsch is a meal in itself, especially served with bread. But serving it alongside a plate of perogies, cabbage rolls and kubasa would be the perfect winter meal.
recipe for 6-8 servings 1- 2 medium onion diced 2-3 cloves garlic minced 1 large potato diced 3-4 cups chopped fresh cabbage 6 cups broth or water ¾ tsp salt and ¾ tsp pepper 4 carrots peeled and chopped into nice big pieces *nice big handful of fresh kale chopped – if you’ve got it on hand 1/2 cup – 1 cup chopped fresh dill (reserve some to use at the table) fresh sour cream for directions, refer to numbered instructions above
Pour remaining soup into jars to refrigerate or to give away. That’s a wonderful thing about soup, its a great gift for someone who could use a meal tonight, or its easy for them to pull out of the fridge tomorrow.
Sauerkraut – literally translated, means “sour cabbage”, and that is exactly what it is. I’ve heard some refer to it as ‘pickled’ cabbage, but to be clear – it is fermented, not pickled. What’s the difference? Well, I’ll admit they may be similar in taste and features perhaps, but it is in the process by which that sour taste is achieved, that we find the difference. Pickling for example, is a method of preserving foods in acidic liquid like vinegar. One type of fermentation is the process of using naturally occurring good bacteria to produce lactic acid, which in turn breaks down the sugars or starches in a food turning them into acid. This is the fermentation used in common foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt and even sour dough bread.
sitting on the counter to ferment
Why do we care? Fermentation produces PRObiotics, which support the body in building and maintaining healthy bacteria and other helpful organisms in the intestinal tract. This beneficial bacteria promotes a healthy gut and good digestion, which ensures we get the best from the foods we consume. PREbiotics are a source of food for your gut’s healthy bacteria. Both are necessary for good health. It starts to get very complicated but the process of making sauerkraut is super easy, and since the benefit of eating fermented foods is good health, we really should try to add more of them to our diet.
Although one most often thinks of sauerkraut with eastern European foods like Ukrainian, Russian or German, the process of fermentation actually originated in Asia with something very similar. It is believed the Mongols brought the preservation process with them to eastern Europe during the conquest of the 13th and 14th centuries. As a cold weather crop, cabbage does well in northern climates, and fermenting it is a brilliant food preservation technique. It was readily adapted by those eastern European countries we associate it with.
When we (in my house), first made sauerkraut many years ago, we followed a process of layering finely shredded cabbage with pickling salt and pushing it down to produce liquid which the salt drew from the fresh cabbage. I have since learned that a little bit of patience mixed with the same ingredients, allows the salt to do its thing with a lot less manpower. And when we first made sauerkraut we did a big batch – like we did everything in those days. When you have a big family, big batches of everything becomes the habit. But as life went on and family dynamics have changed, I’ve fallen in love with small batch preserving when its to my benefit. Since cabbage is in season from late summer through early winter, it is easy to make up a single quart here and there. The key is ‘patience’. The #1 rule with sour dough is “don’t try to rush the sourdough“. And the same principle applies to fermentation of any type. Don’t try to rush it. Don’t forget about it, but don’t rush it.
Health Benefits
Fermentation multiplies nutrition and health benefits far beyond those of fresh cabbage. Cabbage is already a good source of vitamins C and K, but the fermentation which transforms it into sauerkraut increases the bioavailability of nutrients, making it even more nutritious than the original cabbage. Fermentation is a process during which microorganisms on the cabbage digest its natural sugars, converting them into carbon dioxide and organic acids. It starts when yeast and bacteria that are naturally present in the air, the cabbage itself, and even your clean hands, come into contact with the sugars in the cabbage. Sauerkraut fermentation creates conditions that promotes the growth of probiotics (good bacteria). This helps make foods more digestible, increasing your gut’s ability to absorb vitamins and minerals.
Maintaining a healthy gut helps prevent the growth of harmful bacteria, improving our immune system. Its a natural way of putting your body in the best position possible to fight disease.
It is a good source of Vitamin C, calcium and magnesium and an excellent source of dietary fiber, folate, iron, potassium, copper and manganese.
Top reasons to eat Sauerkraut 1 – improves digestion by introducing healthy bacteria important to proper gut function 2- excellent source of vitamins and minerals including fragile ones like Vitamin C 3 – low in calories 4 – high in soluble fibre 5 – it tastes great and is very versatile to incorporate into meals
How to Store Sauerkraut: Although you can preserve it in a hot water canner, the heat damages the vitamin C and naturally occurring enzymes as well as the live lactobacilli. Since it will last months in the fridge – it is my preference to simply refrigerate it and use it throughout the winter.
Store bought vs homemade: Now don’t get me wrong. I appreciate having healthy foods available commercially. And certainly, store bought versions are often the only way many people will get them. But, as with most things, store bought sauerkraut is considered to be less nutritious compared to homemade sauerkraut – mostly due to the necessary processing. Store bought sauerkraut has to be preserved somehow of course, and so must undergo a pasteurization during canning. This eliminates live probiotic content – which is one of its main benefits.
Store bought benefits: availability, shelf stable, still low calorie, still a good source of soluble fibre and non water soluble vitamins and minerals. Tastes good. Homemade benefits: easy to make, will last in fridge for a long time, still low calorie, still a good source of soluble fibre and ALL original vitamins and minerals (including VC). Rich in antioxidants and live enzyme probiotics. Tastes better.
Having said all that, I was in the Maritimes recently – in a grocery store, and saw some ‘fresh’ sauerkraut in the refrigerated part of the produce department. Did my heart good. If you’re gonna buy sauerkraut, look for this HIGHLY better option.
history
Eating sauerkraut played an important role in preventing scurvy in the early days of sea travel. Scurvy – the scourge of the seas in its day, resulted from an absence of vitamin C in the diet. Symptoms begin after a month, and the only prevention and cure for it is Vitamin C. It was the primary cause of deaths between 1500 and 1800 — on sailing ships around the world. It was so common, that a 50% death rate on every voyage from scurvy was assumed and planned for.
Long before it was understood ‘why’, it was discovered that sauerkraut prevented scurvy. Scottish naval surgeon James Lind noticed that scurvy was linked to a diet which was severely limited. He began testing various foods and noted that citrus fruits provided the quickest and most effective cure for the disease. However, citrus fruits were not readily available in Europe, and it was impossible to keep fresh fruit on a sailing ship for months at a time.
Experiments using different types of food on sailing expeditions began in earnest, and famed Captain James Cook drew the lucky straw with sauerkraut in 1768. He was outfitted with almost 8000 pounds of the fermented cabbage, each man being rationed two pounds a week, and at the end of his three years’ journey, returned without a single death attributed to scurvy. An incredulous first! It literally changed the world! The number of lives that were saved with this discovery is unimaginable. A century later, during the American Civil War, physician John Jay Terrell began using sauerkraut to treat the same disease. In times when Vitamin C – the “fresh fruit vitamin”, is not so easy to come by, sauerkraut is a practical and healthful solution.
Let me just stop here for a moment and bask in the wonder of all this. It is amazing to me that ancient people could figure out how to harness the fermentation process and make it work for them. Without the knowledge of vitamins, bacteria or gut health, they came across a food that quite literally not only preserved their lives in winter times of no fresh fruits or vegetables, but preserved their health, enabling them to better digest foods, increasing their body’s ability to absorb important nutrients. And this, in a common farm house of illiterate people. If you are a believing person as I am, this is nothing short of a miracle – Evidence that a loving Father in Heaven cares intently about the affairs of his children.
making it
Making sauerkraut is embarrassingly easy, and I’m convinced when you discover just HOW easy it is, you’ll be making it frequently. It requires no special equipment. Yes, there are things traditionally used, like a crock and a wooden pounder, but you can also make it in a bowl with a potato masher, and stuff it into a glass jar with a lid. And yes, you can use a food processor, but I do not. I prefer to use a large knife and slice it thinly myself. And yes, if you make a lot, you might want to can it, but if you make less, you can still store it for months in your fridge, so I prefer not to can mine – but to take advantage of the full nutritional benefit of raw. Its another example of how eating seasonally is best.
Equipment: Okay I lied, you do need some things. Get a large, sharp knife for slicing the cabbage. A cutting board on which to cut it. A large enough bowl to hold the shredded cabbage while you toss it. A container to store it in: wide mouth glass jar or a crock of some sort . . . . I prefer glass or pottery. EVERYTHING SHOULD BE VERY CLEAN OF COURSE. I do not sterilize everything I use, but it is very clean, and cleaned continually as needed, throughout the process.
1. necessary: cutting board, sharp knife, container to store – jar, corning are with lid, crock … 2. necessary: large bowl or tub to mix the cabbage with salt 3. optional but handy: some kind of tool to push cabbage down with, scraper to help transfer it from board to bowl, canning funnel to help put cabbage into jar
Ingredients: cabbage and salt. That’s it! Really. That’s it. For a large head of cabbage – (approximately 5 pounds), you’ll use 3 heaping tablespoons of salt. NOT table salt which contains iodine, but pickling salt, or sea salt. I prefer coarse salt.
The SALT has a very important job – it draws the moisture out of the cabbage, helping to form the BRINE, it causes the cabbage to release fermentable sugars. Salt is also a natural preservative, inhibiting the growth of undesirable yeasts, molds, and bacteria. Through the miracle of nature, the bacteria needed for safe fermentation tolerates high concentrations of salt. Submerged in this brine for a week or more, the cabbage slowly ferments into the crunchy, delightfully sour – sauerkraut.
Some people add dill seed or caraway seed or even use purple cabbage. I think these are great ideas, and one day I might try a single jar of purple cabbage or even dill seed. But I hate caraway seed so that’s never gonna happen.
What causes this transformation called lacto-fermentation? There is beneficial bacteria naturally present on the surface of all fruits and vegetables. Lactobacillus is one of those bacteria, which bytheway, is the same bacteria found in yogurt. When submerged in a brine, the bacteria begins to convert sugars in the cabbage into lactic acid; this is a natural preservative that inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria.
Since this process is anaerobic – which means ‘without out oxygen‘, the cabbage must remain completely submerged in its liquid during fermentation. This is accomplished by packing it down firmly, and then placing some kind of weight on top. I have used a heavy rock (cleaned and in a plastic bag), plates, smaller glass jars . . . be creative. Find something that you can sufficiently clean, to set on top of your sauerkraut to keep it submerged. The cabbage near the surface wants to float, so I find it useful to place a large outer leaf of the cabbage over the surface to hold it down. Of course you want to ensure the jar or crock is covered at all times with a clean cloth. This allows airflow, and protects the surface.
the glass jars allow you to see the three layers beneath the weight: 1. tightly packed cabbage mixture on bottom 2. folded cabbage leaf to cover cabbage and prevent any from floating to surface 3. natural brine which is produced from pushing cabbage salt mixture 4. weight of some kind to keep everything safely below the surface 5. cover to protect from evaporation and contaminants, but not completely airtight
How long does it take?
It could take days or weeks – depends on you, your personal preference, and the temperature of the room you’re storing it in. The cooler the room, the longer the time. I suggest tasting it anytime after the first week. I expect my sauerkraut to be ready in about a month, but testing it weekly will let you know. When you like it, simply put it into the fridge. It will continue to ferment in the fridge too, but at a much slower rate.
In a glass jar, you may see bubbles, foam, or white scum on the surface of the sauerkraut. You won’t see them in a crock, but they’ll be there. All signs of normal, healthy fermentation. The white scum on top can be skimmed off as you see it, in both glass jar or crock. It’s possible that the brine might bubble over during the fermentation process, so best not to pack your containers too full, and have them sitting on a cloth to absorb excess moisture, or a plate to catch it. You should be checking the progress every couple of days anyway. This helps you trouble shoot. If you see white scum, remove it. Taste it frequently with a clean fork to test for doneness. NEVER RETURN THE FORK TO THE SAUERKRAUT ONCE YOU’VE PUT IT IN YOUR MOUTH. GET A CLEAN ONE. Ensure the cabbage continues to be covered by the brine.
image on left: 5 gallon crock free from cracks, filled 2/3 – 3/4 with tightly packed cabbage (approx 3 1/2 cabbages). Covered loosely with plastic wrap to reduce evaporation and clean cloth. image on the right: large stone in plastic bag weighing down plate. Beneath plate is cabbage leaves protecting the sauerkraut and preventing any from escaping to the surface.
Troubleshooting
Mould: We have in the past found mold growing on the surface of the sauerkraut. Don’t panic. This is not rare, as mold typically forms when the cabbage isn’t fully submerged. Simply remove the offending pieces and re-ensure the rest is submerged. The sauerkraut is still fine being preserved by the lactic acid. Be smart though. Yes, a little mold that you can easily remove is not bad news, but a lotta mold that is affecting an inch or more into your sauerkraut IS bad news. That would only happen if you’ve run out of brine. Perhaps your container was too full and the bubble-over, took away too much of the liquid to keep the cabbage completely covered. Or perhaps it evaporated. Be proactive, if you’re running out of liquid you need to address it sooner than later. Better to remove some cabbage to allow the remaining cabbage be fully submerged. You can always eat the mild sauerkraut you’ve removed. Better that, than to risk harm to the batch with reduced liquid.
Adding more liquid: If you must add more liquid DO NOT add vinegar. I know its tempting because it seems to make sense, but don’t. The sour flavour of fermented sauerkraut comes from lactic acid produced by the bacteria, not from vinegar. NOT the same thing. Vinegar will kill the beneficial bacteria needed for fermentation. On the other hand, a salt water brine will maintain it.
The cabbage will produce its own liquid when salt is massaged into it. As it releases liquid it becomes more limp and able to be compacted down into the jar – squeezing more liquid out of it. You want the cabbage submerged, ideally by at least 2 inches of brine (5 cm). In time, some liquid may evaporate. You cannot allow the cabbage to become dry on top or it will begin to mould. I don’t recommend using plain tap water, but if that’s all you’ve got, boil it ten minutes first, then cool it. I prefer to use distilled water. Whichever you use, dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of water to keep from diluting your salty brine. Add enough to re-submerge the cabbage, but don’t use more water than necessary.
Recipe:
1) Remove the ugly outer leaves and discard into the compost. Remove another leaf or two and set aside to use later. I begin by cutting the cabbage in half, then in half again. Remove the core from each quarter, and slice. Slice thinly as you would for coleslaw. Scoop all the sliced cabbage into a large bowl or kitchen tub.
1. choose a beautiful cabbage 2. chop it up 3. sprinkle pickling salt over top 4. toss to coat completely, then set aside
2) Salt: 3 Tablespoons for a large cabbage. Adjust as needed for smaller cabbage. Its not an exact science so don’t stress about it. Sprinkle salt over top and gently toss to fully incorporate. I use my hands, its just easier. Massage the cabbage for about five minutes.
It seems like it won’t be enough salt, but trust me, it is. As you toss the cabbage, you’ll see within the first minute that moisture is already beginning to be drawn out of the cabbage. Gently squeeze handfuls of cabbage as you’re massaging it.
pushing the shredded cabbage down with a pounder is very effective. You can watch the liquid rise.
3) At this point, you can cover the cabbage loosely with a cloth and set aside for an hour or more. This gives the salt time to work. When you come back, gently toss it by hand and again, and you’ll be surprised by how much liquid you’ll see. You can even do this the night before if you want. Don’t wast a drop of that liquid, you’ll need it all.
4) Begin packing the cabbage into your jar (or other container) by the handful. I use a canning funnel to make this less messy. If you’re using a jar, this is when you’ll be glad you chose a wide mouth jar, because you may want to put your hand in to tamp down the cabbage with your fist. Pour whatever liquid was produced into the jar with the cabbage. If you have a wooden pounder (isn’t that a descriptive name?) it will come in handy now to pack the cabbage in easier. Don’t take the name literally and go pounding it – you’ll damage the cabbage. Treat it as gently with the wooden pounder as you would using your own hand. You’ll see more liquid start to form throughout this process. Keep it up till you’ve got at least two inches covering the cabbage. Don’t fill your jar too full. Give it plenty of space to bubble-up in the next couple days.
If you’re using a large crock, allow a good three inches of brine on top, and allow some headspace for the inevitable ‘bubble-up’. If you haven’t allowed room, the liquid will spill over the sides of your container – wasting it. Whatever you choose will probably not be enough, but then you’ll learn for next time, right?
5) Take one of the outer leaves you’ve set aside, fold to fit into the jar, and place on top of the sauerkraut. This will help keep small pieces from floating to the surface and causing your grief later.
placing a tiny jar inside the wide mouth of your sauerkraut jar helps to keep the cabbage cover down, and cabbage submerged in brine
6) Put your weight on top. For a glass jar, consider using a rock (in a plastic bag) or marbles (in a plastic bag), or a small empty jar. For a crock, use a plate with a rock on top (in a plastic bag of course). In a large crock, we filled a plastic bag with water and placed on top to keep everything down. It worked well.
7) Cover with cloth to protect, and allow airflow. Secure.
It is important to keep everything clean throughout the process. Taste frequently over the next few days for a couple of weeks. Never return a used utensil back into the sauerkraut. When you decide its as sour as you want it, simply refrigerate. It should keep fine for three or four months in the fridge, ESPECIALLY as you ensure it stays clean. Never put a fork into your mouth and then back into the jar.
Kimchi Recipe
1 head nappa cabbage 2 Tbsp grated ginger (peeled) 5 cloves garlic minced 2 Tbsp salt 1 Tbsp sugar 1 – 2 tsp red pepper flakes – you choose 2 Tbsp paprika 1 medium carrot julienned 2-3 sliced green onions
smaller amount for 1 quart 1 pound cabbage 1 Tbsp fresh ginger 2 cloves garlic 1 Tbsp coarse salt 1/2 Tbsp sugar 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes 1 Tbsp paprika 1-2 sliced green onions 1 medium carrot julienned
Combine everything in bowl and begin tossing to coat the cabbage well. Add a little distilled water if it doesn’t create enough brine on it own. Scoop into jar and compress, covering with brine. Add a weight to keep vegetables submerged. Fermentation of kimchi can vary from a few days to several weeks. You’re the boss of when it tastes right to you. I generally let it sit for at least two weeks before it is fermented enough for me. It’s all about personal taste and preference (and the warmth of your kitchen).
Sauerkraut Soup
Sharp and flavourful, comforting. Can be ready in an hour, or simmer longer if you choose. With meat or without – your choice. If using meat, you can gently simmer stewing beef or pork ribs (your choice(, for an hour. Or you can use prepared broth and later add precooked (leftover ground beef or shredded pork or … again your choice) meat in bite sized pieces.
1 large onion chopped 3 large cloves garlic minced 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil (your choice) 2 large carrots chopped 4 large potatoes chopped 1 teaspoon black pepper 3 bay leaves 10-12 cups beef or vegetable broth – either from cooking meat, or separate 3 cups sauerkraut fresh sour cream and fresh dill for serving.
Sauté onions and garlic in oil till onions are translucent. Add carrots, potatoes, and black pepper. and toss till coated in oil and lightly toasted. Add 10 cups of broth (with meat if meat was cooked in it) and 3 bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and lightly simmer till vegetables are tender. If using precooked meat, add while vegetables are simmering. When all is tender, remove from heat and add sauerkraut. Stir in. You can simmer with sauerkraut in it for about 10 minutes if you want; I prefer not to cook sauerkraut because heat will hurt much of the nutrition. Regardless of whether you cook it or not, let the soup sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.
If desired, serve with dollop of sour cream and a tablespoon of fresh dill in each bowl. Fresh bread on the side.
Enjoy.
I’d love to hear your sauerkraut experiences, and ways you use it.
