Beet and Cabbage Sauerkraut

By JimMac

Ingredients

• Other optional ingredients:
• 3 Cups cabbage- finely sliced
• 1 Cup grated beet- (or leave it out and add an extra cup of cabbage, or grated carrot)
• 1/8-1/4 C up sliced onion - optional
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1 garlic clove grated
• 1-2 teaspoon grated ginger

Details

Adapted from thefoodchannel.com

Preparation

Step 1

Finely slice and grate cabbage and beets.
You need about 4 cups total. I add a ⅛ to ¼ cup sliced onion. This is optional.

Place in a bowl and massage with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Let sit on the counter, mixing occasionally for 1-2 hours, until cabbage has wilted and released a little water.

Place cabbage beet mixture and all the juices in a very clean mason jar, pack it down with a muddler, or the end of a wooden spoon. Cover with a cabbage leaf. Pack it down once more. Cover it with a cloth, or the lid with a little opening - you want it to able to breath a bit.
Let it sit on the counter for 24 hours, lightly covered, occasionally pressing down on the cabbage, compressing.

After 24 hours, if there is not enough liquid to cover the cabbage, mix 1 teaspoon salt with 1 cup water, and ONLY add enough of this brine to bring the water level to top of the cabbage. ( you may not need to use the whole cup of salt water).

Then leave on the counter for 3-4 days, occasionally pressing down on the cabbage and please don't let the smell scare you.

Close with a lid and place it in the fridge. Once its chilled the smell will surprisingly mellow out and it will actually seem edible.

So let it chill overnight, then give it a taste.