Sauerkraut recipe

Learn how to make Sauerkraut at home with this easy Sauerkraut recipe. Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage eaten a lot in Germany, Poland and the Alsace region of France, usually served warm with sausages and pork. It is simply shredded cabbage, salt and apples flavoured with juniper berries and a few caraway seeds which is left to ferment for about a month then packed into jars. It will keep for about 6 months. You can make a fresh sauerkraut which isn't fermented but cooked more like a sweet and sour spiced red cabbage dish. It can't be stored in jars but will keep in the freezer for 2 months. This recipe serves 8-10 people and takes only 20 mins to prepare and cook.

Ingredients

• 1kg firm white cabbage, thinly sliced or shredded in a food processor
• 1 1/2tbsp salt
• 2 small apples, peeled, cored and chopped or shredded
• 5 juniper berries, lightly crushed
• 2tsp caraway seeds

Method

1. Place all the ingredients in a large plastic container or non-tallic bowl. Mix well, cover with a plate that fits snuggly inside the container and weight it down with a heavy food can or plastic bag filled with water.
2. Leave somewhere that is ideally about 16°C for 1 month to ferment. Check it every other day and skim off any scum that appears on the surface.
3. Tip the mixture into a pan, bring to the boil then ladle in clean sterilized jars. Seal and store in a cool place.