Issue 26Apple Caraway Sauerkraut

COLUMNIST: JANICE CLYNE

Make Sauerkraut with An Apple HarvestAutumn is the perfect time of year to make this absolutely delicious apple and caraway sauerkraut.
It saddens me to see so many eating apples rotting on the ground, this is such a waste considering that apples are consistently on the dirty dozen list. It makes more sense financially and health wise, to use apples we grow ourselves, or we know are grown without pesticides and chemicals, and are often given away for free from folk with apple trees who end up with a glut.
SauerkrautSauerkraut is one of my absolute favourite things to eat, in all its many guises and flavours. There are almost limitless possibilities to making sauerkraut using seasonal ingredients, herbs, and spices.
The base to this sauerkraut is white cabbage, the round hard type, available all year round in Scotland.
A wee note not to use cooking apples for this sauerkraut, the natural sweetness of eating apples balances the sour and salty flavour from the cabbage. The caraway seeds give a distinctive taste and boost our digestive health too!
The method is always the same, finely chop and weigh the cabbage, add it to a large bowl, then add 2% fine salt.
Follow the rules: make sure your jar is clean, and massage until you have enough brine to completely cover the kraut. Remember ‘Under the brine and all is fine’. Keep the lid closed shut and only open it to try it, after the suggested fermentation time.
What you need (for a 1 litre jar):

1 white cabbage, around 1kg in weight

2 eating apples, preferably organic, grated

1 tbsp caraway seeds

around 20g fine natural salt

What to do:

Remove one of the outer leaves of the cabbage and put aside to use as a lid.

Shred the cabbage as finely and evenly as you can. Add to a large mixing bowl and weigh it.

Add 2% of the weight of the cabbage in salt, so for 1kg add 20g salt

Start to squeeze and massage the cabbage until brine is dripping from it when you pick up a handful.

Add the caraway seeds and grated apple and give it another good mix.

Start to pack the kraut into the jar, a handful at a time, pushing it down to remove any air pockets. Continue filling the jar, leaving a few centimetres at the top.

Trim the reserved cabbage leaf to fit the top of the jar. Push it on top of the kraut making sure it is jammed under the rim of the jar and holding down the kraut under the brine. Add any extra brine to completely cover the cabbage leaf.

Add a weight to keep the leaf submerged, a glass fermenting weight or a ziplock bag scrunched on the top of the leaf will work.

Clip the jar shut, put a bowl underneath, and leave at room temperature for 3 to 4 weeks to ferment.

Finally transfer to smaller jars and store in the fridge to enjoy!

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Trellis ProfileAs a qualified food scientist, gut health guru, supporter of plant-based locally sourced seasonal food, a fermentista, and foraging fanatic, Janice Clyne is passionate about inspiring, informing, and motivating change in health and eating habits - delivering vibrant good health, through her Wellness Hub and 'Nourished by Nature' skills, expertise, and experience.Curious about eating weeds and how good they are for gut health, listen in to Janice's wisdom on the Scotland Grows Show.Scotland Grows 26NavigationContentsEditor's WelcomeNational Trust for Scotland ROOTSWhat's Gorgeous in the GardenScotland Grows Show PodcastAwesome Autumn GardensWhat's On In ScotlandMake Fallen Leaves Your Garden FriendsClayton's BookPumpkin Picking Patches Across ScotlandReduce Pumpkin WasteMake a Hydrangea WreathPutting the Cutting Garden to BedOverwintering DahliasOverwintering Bell PeppersDaffodils for DecemberScotland Grows Reader FeedbackBringing Back the RosesFeature Your GardenTanker IrrigationGrow Your BusinessGarden Boosting BulbsGreenbank GardenTulip Planting Time3 Moisture Loving BulbsReaders Garden PicturesScotland's Apple Heritage PodcastApple Caraway SauerkrautPumpkin PowerSoothing SoupWhat is Green Manure?Bringing Back Local Seed VarietiesHydroponic GrowingCome and Chat About PlantsWinter Gathering 2024SGF ConferenceGrow a CareerScotland Grows websiteOne Garden ThingGo Gothic with HouseplantsGardening NewsAsian HornetGarden Jobs AheadScotland Grows SubscriptionA Goldmine of LeafmouldNext Issue advertArchives