Sunday, December 11, 2011

Making Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut has amazing health benefits. A little of sauerkraut adds zest to a meal and is part of a Happy-Healthy Diet!  My favorite way to serve it is raw, room temperature, under some thinly sliced pieces of grilled chicken or steak.

The fermentation process in sauerkraut produces good bacteria called probiotics which in turn produces beneficial enzymes. They aid digestion and promote a healthy flora in the digestive tract. But one has to be aware of the fact that the sauerkraut sold in the markets is pasteurized and several good bacteria might have been killed. In order to gain the health benefits of fermentation, traditionally prepared sauerkraut has to be diligently purchased or homemade.  Recent research says that sauerkraut when eaten by women during pregnancy can prevent babies from developing certain types of childhood cancer. Earlier studies have indicated that sauerkraut is effective in preventing cancer of the breast. Sauerkraut is fat and cholesterol free and is a great source of fiber as it contains plenty of vitamins C and K, manganese and vitamin B6 and folate. This helps in treating peptic ulcers as well.

*Risks with cruciferous vegetables

The main disadvantage of cruciferous vegetables is that they contain high levels of goitrogens. Goitrogens are substances that prevent the uptake of iodine by the thyroid gland, and iodine uptake in the rest of the body. Their primary effect is suppressed thyroid function. Our exposure to numerous goitrogens in the environment and in our food is much higher than 50 or more years ago.
Fermenting does not reduce the level of goitrogens that cruciferous vegetables contain.
Cooking destroys most of the goitrogens in cruciferous vegetables. For example, steaming reduces the goitrogens in cabbage by about two thirds, and boiling cabbage for 30 minutes reduces the goitrogens by nearly 90%. However, you must use RAW INGREDIENTS to make sauerkraut.
Fermented foods such as sauerkraut are wonderful in that they provide probiotics and bio-available nutrients. However, consuming large amounts of sauerkraut could actually be harmful to the function of your thyroid, especially if your thyroid is already compromised. I would advise you to monitor how you feel on a diet high in crucifer vegetables. For most people, moderation is the key. It is best to consume fermented cruciferous vegetables as condiments, not as a large part of your diet.
Sauerkraut is a wonderful, healthy food when consumed in moderation. To counteract the goitrogens in the cabbage, I add iodine-rich *seaweed to my sauerkraut. I also include dill and juniper berries in my sauerkraut as they add a perfect complimentary flavour to the finished product.


Making Sauerkraut
Basic Recipe for Sauerkraut
  • Glass jar with plastic lid or spring lid
  • 1 Cabbage Medium sized (1kg)
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt
  • 4 tablespoons of  whey. GO HERE FOR DETAILS ON THE EASY WAY TO MAKE WHEY! ( If whey is not available, use  lemon juice, or apple-cider vinegar. White supermarket vinegar is a poor alternative. The clear liquid whey that forms as kefir or yogurt sours as it ages is by far the best starter, and will make a reliable and delicious sauerkraut by introducing plenty of lactic acid bacteria.)
  • 1 Tbs juniper berries (optional)
  • 1 Tbs seaweed such as wakame, kelp or dulse (optional) *see above
  • 1 Tbs of carraway seeds or fresh chopped dill. ( optional )

Slice the cabbage or grate cabbage with a hand grater or process in a food processor. Pound down with wood mallet to bruise the cell walls.


 Mix in a large bowl with the other ingredients. Continue to pound with a meat mallot or wooden pounder of some kind.  Pound until the juices cause suction when you pull the pounder out of the mix.
Press the mixture into a clean glass jar using a wooden spoon. Press firmly until the juice rises to the top and covers the mixture, which it will do when it is pounded enough. Leave at least one inch or more of space at the top of the jar to allow for expansion. Add water if needed to cover. (Lacto-fermentation is an anaerobic process, which means that it won’t work in the presence of oxygen. The cabbage should be packed down and completely submerged in brine to ensure that no oxygen can get to it.)
Cover the kraut and store the jar in a cupboard for 3-5 days (depending on the ambient temperature) before transferring to the refrigerator. The sauerkraut may be consumed after a couple of weeks, though if you allow the fermentation process to continue for a month or so in the refrigerator you will be well rewarded with a most delicious flavour. I love sauerkraut at 4 months old.

Yeasts and moulds

Kahm yeast. Sometimes a white, velvety or powdery looking yeast or scum develops on the surface. It is not harmful, but does not improve the flavour. If it develops, skim it off the surface of the liquid. Discard any solid matter that has it. As usual, your senses are the test - if it smells and tastes OK, it probably is.
Kahm yeast is likely to develop if:
  • your brew is insufficiently acid, especially when you start it
  • there is not enough salt
  • it is too warm
  • over exposure to the air
  • from poor hygiene
If black or blue mould forms, throw the brew away. It usually smells horrible, and you wouldn't want to eat it anyway. Mould forms for the above reasons, and also because there was not enough liquid - the solid matter is left exposed to the air and light, especially during the first few days before sufficient acidity builds up.
As with all fermenting, follow your nose. If it smells putrid or you have any doubts about the quality, then discard the sauerkraut and start again.
  • Tightly packed sauerkraut can be safely kept in the refrigerator for six months or more.

Benefits of Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut provides a high-density source of a wide range of beneficial live lactic acid bacteria which assist in the digestive process, produce a variety of vitamins and other nutrients, and keep harmful micro-organisms at bay. A single serving of genuine raw sauerkraut gives your body a bigger health boost than any of the expensive probiotic drinks and supplements sold in stores.
Cabbage provides a rich source of antioxidants. Studies have shown that the cruciferous vegetables can help lower cholesterol levels; have anti-inflammatory properties; and help prevent and combat many cancers.
A phytonutrient in these vegetables named glucosinolate significantly enhances your liver's detoxification ability. According to one study (1), eating these foods every day will halve your risk of getting cancer.

Sauerkraut must be raw
Most sauerkraut sold in supermarkets and shops is pasteurised. The beneficial bacteria and other organisms have been destroyed so that it has a long shelf life, and there is no risk of the jar exploding from pressure build-up. To gain the most benefits from sauerkraut, it MUST be made the traditional way and consumed raw - best to learn how to make your own.


For more information about Lacto-Fermented Foods Go Here:                                                 Weston Price Foundation





Sauerkraut recipes

Sauerkraut is best eaten raw. There are many ways to enjoy adding sauerkraut to your meals: 

1. Serve on top of your fried eggs in the morning.
2. Add to your lunch sandwich or roll up.
3. Toss on top of your salad.
4. Raw Sauerkraut makes a wonderful side dish to almost any dish.
5. Sauerkraut seasoned with oil and paprika is served in cold salads.
6.  Kraut juice which is a regional beverage in the US contains the liquid in which sauerkraut is cured.

However, sauerkraut is most commonly served hot. Some ingredients in cooked sauerkraut dishes are bacon, caraway and apples. Sauerkraut is also used in chicken and pork stews.


Recipe for Sauerkraut soup

Ingredients: 1 cup of sauerkraut well drained, ½ cup chopped onions, ¼ cup of chopped celery, butter, ¼ cup flour, 3 cups beef stock, 1 cup shredded beef, 12 oz cheese.

Cook onion and celery in butter in a large saucepan until tender. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in beef stock and bring to boil. Simmer uncovered for about five minutes. Add shredded beef, kraut and one cup cheese. Cook for about thirty minutes until slightly thickened. Stir frequently. Ladle into oven proof bowls. Top each with  ½ cup cheese. Broil till the cheese melts. Serve hot.


Recipes with sauerkraut

Sauerkraut with pork

Ingredients: 1 pound fresh sauerkraut, 1 diced onion, 1 can stewed organic tomatoes, ½ cup coconut sugar, 3 lbs pork ribs, celery seed to sprinkle.

Layer all the above mentioned ingredients in a slow cooker beginning with sauerkraut. Cover and cook on low for eight to ten hours. 


Sauerkraut with chicken

Ingredients: chicken cutlets, 2 beaten eggs, 1 cup sprouted bread crumbs, 2 cups of sauerkraut, 15 oz tomato sauce, oil to add, 1 ½ cup mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese. Pound the chicken until thin and combine with herbs and bread crumbs. Dip chicken into eggs and then into breadcrumbs. Bake in 400 degree oven. Pour sauce on top of chicken and cover with sauerkraut. Sprinkle parmesan cheese and bake in 350 degree heat oven. Top with mozzarella and bake about five minutes.


Sauerkraut with fish

Ingredients: 2 cups of sauerkraut, 1 cup diced tomatoes, 1 cup bread crumbs, 1 chopped onion, 4 medium orange roughy fillets, 4 teaspoons butter, 8 table spoon Mayonnaise, squares of foil.

Place a fillet in the center of each foil and on top of fillet place 2 table spoon mayonnaise. On top of this place ¼ cups of onion, sauerkraut and tomatoes. Finish off with breadcrumbs and a pat of butter. Fold the corners of the foil and place the pouches on a cooking sheet. Cook for about ten minutes and then rotate. Continue to cook for another ten more minutes.


Sauerkraut and potato

Ingredients: 2 cups sauerkraut, 1 can condensed cream of celery soup, 1/3 cup of coconut sugar, 1 ½ cup of sausage, 4 medium potatoes peeled and cubed, 1 cup chopped onion and 1 cup shredded mild cheddar or jack cheese.

In crock-pot, combine the soup, sugar and sauerkraut. Stir in sausage, potato and onion. Cover and cook on low heat for about 8 hours. Skim off excess fat. Add shredded cheese on top.


Bratwurst Sauerkraut Recipe 1

Ingredients: 2 pounds bratwurst, 1 quart sauerkraut, ½ cup coconut sugar, ground pepper and hot mustard to taste.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Layer sauerkraut in a baking dish and sprinkle evenly with brown sugar. Score the bratwurst and place on the sauerkraut. Bake for an hour. Serve with mashed potatoes and a dollop of hot mustard.


Bratwurst Sauerkraut Recipe 2

Ingredients: 2 pounds fresh bratwurst, 2 table spoon oil, 2 onions chopped, 2 garlic cloves minced, 2 cups chicken, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 table spoon caraway seed, 4 cups of drained sauerkraut, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill and 1 baguette.

In a large pan, heat oil over high heat. Brown bratwurst in oil and reduce heat to medium. Add onions and garlic and cook light. Add stock, paprika, caraway seeds and sauerkraut and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in fresh dill. Serve on baguette.



Benefits of Lacto-Fermentation

What is Lacto-Fermentation?

Lacto-fermentation happens when the starches and sugars in vegetables and fruit convert to lactic acid by a friendly lactic-acid producing bacteria.
This produces not only a tangy, delicious product (like the sauerkraut pictured above), but it also preserves it….. and does so much more than that!

Health Benefits
The daily use of living, fermented, acidic foods prolong life and are a secret to ongoing good health. Fermented vegetables and milk are rich in lactic acid, which inhibits the bacteria that cause putrefaction. Along with many other organic acids, lactic acid also greatly assists people with weak digestive systems (ie most people who are over 40).
Sauerkraut combines the health benefits of cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables with the probiotic advantages of the fermentation process. Cabbage and other vegetables turn into a superfood when pickled.
Humans have been eating pickled vegetables for thousands of years. As people first moved into the higher latitudes they needed to store food for the sparse, snow-covered winter months. Sauerkraut was a means of preserving cabbage and other vegetables for easy consumption throughout the winter. Historical evidence suggests that workers on the Great Wall of China ate a version of pickled cabbage 2,000 years ago.
Lacto-fermented vegetables (sauerkraut, kimchee) store virtually all the benefits of fresh vegetables for long periods. Captain James Cook always took a store of sauerkraut on his sea voyages, since experience had taught him it prevented scurvy among his crew.
It is important to get healthy, good bacteria from numerous sources, including lacto-fermented vegetables and cultured drinks every day. Today, instead we bombard our bodies with chlorine (not just in the water we drink but we also absorb it from our showers and baths) and antibiotics (in our milk, meat, and what we take ourselves).
I would encourage you to give this a try. It is fairly simple, frugal and makes the most of your hard-earned real food. You can use whey as a starter culture in your brine, which Sally Fallon recommends in Nourishing Traditions. Go here to get information on THE EASY WAY TO MAKE WHEY. 
I have included below a number of recipes to help get you started on enjoying these Happy-Healthy Foods!  Let me know how it goes!  

Cortido

from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon Recipe Notes: I sometimes leave out the carrots and halve the amount of onions. Be sure all vegetables are below the liquid or this can cause mold. 
  • 1 large cabbage, cored and shredded
  • 1 cup carrots, grated
  • 2 medium onions, quartered lengthwise and very finely sliced
  • 1 tablesoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt
  • 4 tablespoons whey (if not available, use an additional 1 tablespoon salt)
  1. In a large bowl mix cabbage with carrots, onions, oregano, red chile flakes, sea salt and whey.
  2. Pound with a wooden pounder or a meat hammer for abou 10 minutes to release juices.
  3. Place in 2 quart-sized, wide mouth mason jars and press down firmly with a pounder or meat hammer until juices come to the top of the cabbage. The top of the cabbage mixture should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jars.
  4. Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for about 3 days before transferring to cold storage.

Pickled Cucumbers

from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon Recipe Notes: For pickle slices simply cut cucumbers into 1/4 inch slice and cut back the fermentation time to 2 days instead of 3. 
  • 4-5 pickling cucumbers or 15-20 gherkins
  • 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill, snipped
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt
  • 4 tablespoons whey (if not available, use an additional 1 tablespoon salt)
  • 1 cup filtered water
  1. Wash cucumbers well and place in a quart-sized wide mouth jar.
  2. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over cucumbers, adding more water if necessary to cover the cucumbers. The top of the liquid should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar.
  3. Cover tightly and keep and keep at room temperature for about 3 days before transferring to cold storage.
  4. TIP: To make pickles keep their crunch a bit more – add grape leaves. It is the tannins in the grape leaves that are said to perform the delicious act.

Apple Chutney

Makes 1/2 gallon or 2 quarts.

  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup whey
  • 1 cup water
  • 6 cups coarsely chopped (cored) organic apples
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or other nuts **I don’t believe the nuts need to be soaked ahead of time,     as the fermentation should neutralize enzyme inhibitors.
  • 1 cup chopped raisins
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 4 TBSP 5 Spice Blend **You’ll find 5-spice in nice herb/spice departments, or you can easily make it yourself by mixing together equal parts of (all ground) anise, white pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and fennel. Try using  it instead of cinnamon in oatmeal during the winter. People say that 5-spice is wonderful in marinades and rubs for meat. Delish!
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Transfer to clean 1/2 gallon jar or 2 quart jars. Pack down so all ingredients are covered by liquid at least 1/2 inch below the rim of container. Add more water if needed to submerge. Cover tightly. Let sit out at room temperature for 2-3 days. Check for mold daily and skim off. Repack. Taste for desired texture. If weather is hot it may only take a day or so. Burp the jar if necessary to prevent pressure build up. When you are happy with taste and texture transfer to cold storage and it will keep for a few weeks.  
      Serving Suggestions: 
Enjoy mixed with kefir or yogurt. 
Serve on top of oat meal. 
Spread on toast or pancakes.
Eat alongside of chicken or turkey.


link for: Home Made SAUERKRAUT