Beet Kraut | Sweet And Sour For Beginners | #fermentedfebruary2024 | Fermented Homestead

caraway seeds

🥗Healthier: fennel seeds

💰Cheaper: cumin seeds

Fennel seeds provide a similar anise flavor.

salt

🥗Healthier: sea salt

💰Cheaper: kosher salt

Sea salt offers a different texture but similar flavor.

Welcome to the Fermented Homestead, today we're making Beet Kraut.

Use red beets and green cabbage, you can substitute with yellow beets or red cabbage if desired.

Cut off the tops of the beets and remove the outer two or three leaves of the cabbage, saving them.

Cut the cabbage into quarters and remove the core before weighing it.

Scrub the beets lightly with water and a scrub brush, avoiding soap.

Do not peel the beets, but remove any tough brown bits from the top.

Cut the beets into pieces that fit in the food processor and grate them using the grating blade attachment.

Cut the cabbage with a knife into thick chunks, or use the slicing blade attachment if preferred.

Combine the grated beets and chopped cabbage and weigh them to determine the correct amount of salt needed.

Calculate 2% of the total weight (1,554 grams) to find the amount of salt needed, which is 31 grams.

Sprinkle the salt over the mixture and mix it in, massaging it with your hands to extract the liquid from the vegetables.

Add 1 teaspoon of ground ginger and 2 teaspoons of caraway seeds to the mixture, mixing well.

Cover the mixture with a cloth and let it sit for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop.

Prepare your fermentation vessel, which can be a mason jar or fermentation crock, and consider using a canning funnel for ease.

Pack the mixture tightly into the jar, eliminating all pockets of oxygen as you go, leaving at least 1.5 inches of headspace.

As you pack it in, you'll notice brine forming on top, which is a good sign.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary