Adding turmeric gives a sunny hue to sauerkraut. This golden spice also contains the powerful anti-oxidant curcumin, which research has shown is good for the liver and also calms inflammation, especially when combined with ginger.
Organic, high-quality spices can be found at www.spicely.com.
Ingredients:
Directions:
1. Place the shredded cabbage, green onion, and ginger in a large glass, stainless steel, or ceramic bowl, and sprinkle the salt in.
2. Massage the cabbage with your hands for about 5 minutes. Add in the spices and mix well.
3. Pack the cabbage mixture into a quart-size, wide-mouth mason jar until it reaches the shoulder. If you have time, let the mixture stand for 24 hours to help build up more liquid (See Note). This will help prevent overflow later.
4. Place Kraut Source onto the jar. Allow to ferment for 10 - 12 days in a cool spot, away from direct sunlight. Check every few days that there is water in the moat, and top off as needed.
5. Replace Kraut Source with the standard mason jar lid and ring. Transfer to the refrigerator.
Note: Depending on the quality of your cabbage, you may or may not get a lot of liquid. Add more brine* to cover the vegetables by 1 inch (2.5 cm), if needed.
*Brine ratio = 1 teaspoon (5 ml) sea salt dissolved in 1 cup (240 ml) hot filtered water. Allow to cool before using.
When you say let it sit for 24 hours if you have the time, do I cover it? What conditions should I let it sit in for those 24 hours?
@Jonathan C: Can you please clarify what do you mean by ‘not fermenting?’ Are you looking for a specific taste or visual reaction? If you’ve followed the basic instructions of Kraut Source assembly and this recipe, your ferment should be fine in 10-12 days. As far as we know, turmeric does not inhibit lacto-fermentation.
Is anyone having issues with this fermenting? I have made lots of krauts and just made an almost identical recipe to this, but for some reason it’s not fermenting after almost two weeks? I made some other jars of kraut at the same time and they fermented just fine. Is there something in turmeric that is an inhibitor to lacto-fermentation?
@Adam: 2% is good salinity level. Good luck!
Hi there, is 2% a good starting salinity % for carrots? Or should I go as high as 5%? Thanks!
@Edward Melinn: Yes you can.
Can you save unused brine?
@Deborah: You can leave the brine in or pour it out; it’s up to you.
Best,
Kraut Source
Just tried my first spoonful of Golden Sauerkraut. Absolutely delicious!! I’m not a fan of fennel so I left that seed out. Now that the first 12 days fermentation are done and it goes in the fridge, do I pour off most of the extra brine or just leave the kraut in it? There’s probably a cup of brine above the cabbage.
I absolutely love this recipe. I add it to homemade sourdough toast with salt and pepper to make my favorite meal. Add any additions you want because it goes with everything. Enjoy!
@JONATHAN: We’re sorry to hear that you were disappointed with your Golden Sauerkraut. If your ferment turned out to be too salty, you can try rinsing it under water, or mixing it other foods like grains or soup.
Our recipes are suggestions and can be customized according to personal tastes. Also, how your ferment tastes depend a lot on the variety and quality of your ingredients. Hope this helps.
Thank you!
Kraut Source
I followed this recipe exactly. The result is so salty it’s nearly inedible. The aroma is like darkroom chemicals, after fermenting 7 days at 65F. The flavor is sour, gingery, funky. Disappointed.
@KK: the 1 tsp salt to 1 cup water ratio is so that you’ll achieve an adequate level of salinity in your brine for fermentation to proceed; this does not mean that you’ll be using a full cup all the time. Sometimes your cabbage releases enough liquid on its own that you don’t need to add any brine. If you think you’ll only need a 1/2 or 1/4 cup, adjust the salt accordingly.
The salt that is added to the cabbage is to break down the cellulose and draw out the moisture. You can add less of this salt if you find that your batches consistently come out too salty. And even with salty cabbage, you can 1) rinse with water; 2) mix it with other foods like rice or eat it with other vegetables.
I hope this helps. Thank you!
Kraut Source
Hi- this will be my first time making kraut and I am confused about the salt. You salted the cabbage and then added the brine which also had salt. How do I factor in the salt amount that I use initially into the amount to be used in the brine? Do I sprinkle the cabbage with 1 tsp and then use less in the brine water, lets say 2 cups of water to 1 tsp of salt (instead of two tsp) so that it would be a total of two tsp to one cup of water? The salt amount, as you can see, is very confusing because of when it is applied. Can you clarify this for me? I don’t want the kraut to be too salty. Thanks, KK
@CATHY: You can substitute Savory cabbage in this recipe. We wouldn’t recommend kale. Thanks!
This looks so easy! Couple of questions: might I substitute another vegetable for the cabbage, say Savoy or Kale and get similar results? AND! No starter culture needed? Wow!
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Kraut Source
January 26, 2022
@Alicia Tinker: You can cover your bowl if you don’t want any dust to fall in. You can just leave it on your kitchen counter.