Basic Sauerkraut

Name: Basic Sauerkraut
Yield: About 2 quarts
Ingredients: 5 pounds green cabbage (about 2 medium heads), cored and cut into small wedges; 3 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more as needed

Oktoberfest German Healthy Vegan Vegetarian Sauerkraut DIY Easy Pork Sausage Cabbage Side Dish Salt

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About 2 quarts Easy

(4) Total: 15 mins, plus 1 to 4 weeks fermentation time

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Ingredients (2)

5 pounds green cabbage (about 2 medium heads), cored and cut into small wedges
3 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more as needed

Nutritional Information

Calories114
Fat0.45g
Saturated fat0.15g
Trans fat0g
Carbs26.33g
Fiber11.35g
Sugar14.53g
Protein5.81g
Cholesterol0g
Sodium1055.77mg
Nutritional Analysis per serving (4 servings) Powered by

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How to Freeze Pork

Pork fares best in the freezer if packaged with freezer-friendly materials like waxed paper, aluminum foil, or heavy-duty plastic bags. Wrap any meat tightly so that air does not escape and freeze at 0°F. Generally, fresh cuts of pork can last up to six months, while ground pork can last up to three.

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How to Thaw Pork

Pork is easiest to thaw when placed in the refrigerator in its original wrapping. Small roasts will take three to five hours per pound, while larger roasts can take up to seven hours per pound. Thawing ground pork depends entirely on the thickness of its packaging.

It is safe to cook frozen or partially-frozen pork, but its cooking time may take 50 percent longer. Frozen pork should not be cooked in a slow cooker.

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How to Store Pork

Sealed pork products can typically last in the fridge for two to four days, with ground pork having a slightly shorter shelf life at one to three. Ham or other smoked pork products like bacon can be stored for up to a week, though this only applies to products that aren’t vacuum sealed or prepared with preservatives. The latter can obviously last a lot longer.

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How to Store Fresh Sausage

Fresh sausage must be consumed or frozen within one to two days of purchase. They can be stored in their original packaging, but refrain from opening the package until you’re ready to cook. The easiest way to tell if a sausage has gone bad is its smell. Discard of anything that smells foul.

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How to Freeze Fresh Sausage

Sausage can be kept in its original packaging, but re-wrapped in aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or freezer paper to prevent freezer burn. A frozen fresh sausage’s optimal flavor will last one to two months beyond its initial freeze date, though properly packaged sausage can last significantly longer.

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How to Cook Fresh Sausage

To cook sausage in its traditional form (whole and with casing), spray a skillet with cooking spray and set the heat to medium-high. Add the sausages and allow their sides to brown. Continuously flip the sausages with tongs until they are browned evenly. Lower heat to medium-low and carefully had half a cup of water to the skillet. Cover the sausages and allow to simmer in the water for 12 minutes or until the they are cooked through.

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Sauerkraut is a probiotic superstar, and a great beginner fermentation project that you can do without any special equipment. We based our method for this distinctively sour fermented cabbage dish on that of fermentation guru Sandor Ellix Katz, author of Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods. Sauerkraut is pleasantly crunchy and tangy, and the science-project aspect of fermenting it yourself is hard to resist. Use it to top sausages and hot dogs, stuff it into a Reuben sandwich, or braise it with spices like juniper and bay leaves for a hearty side dish.

by Roxanne Webber

Instructions

1Using a food processor fitted with a grating disk and working in batches, finely shred the cabbage. Place in a large bowl, sprinkling some of the measured salt on the cabbage between batches. When all of the cabbage is shredded, add any remaining salt and toss to combine thoroughly.
2Pack the cabbage and any juices it has released into a 1-gallon ceramic crock or plastic food-safe bucket a little at a time, pressing the cabbage down tightly with your fist as you go. Make sure to leave at least 5 inches of clearance between the cabbage and the rim of the crock or bucket to allow for foaming and bubbling during fermentation.
3Place a clean plate over the cabbage (it should fit snugly within the opening of the crock or bucket). Place a clean, sealed, 5-pound container of water on the plate to weight down the cabbage (a large Mason jar works well, but do not use metal or any unsanitary weight, as it will contaminate the cabbage). Drape a clean towel over the top of the crock or bucket to keep out any dust, and let it sit in a spot with a temperature around 70°F—no cooler than 65°F or hotter than 75°F.
4Check back frequently during the first day to be sure the cabbage is releasing enough juices (the salt will pull water from the cabbage to create a brine). Press on the plate and weight if necessary, and add more weight if the liquid doesn’t start to cover the top of the cabbage. After about 6 to 8 hours, there should be at least an inch of brine above the plate. (If there isn’t, you can top off your cabbage with a brine composed of 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt dissolved in 1 quart of water.)
5Check the cabbage every few days, removing the weight and plate to skim away any scum from the top. (The fermentation will cause natural bubbles and foam.) Rinse off the plate and weight thoroughly each time before replacing them. Keep an eye on the brine level; you may have to add more if it’s evaporating (see step 4 for proportions). Keep the plate submerged in at least 1 1/2 inches of brine as the fermentation proceeds.
6Start tasting the cabbage after about a week, and ferment it to the level of tanginess that you like, anywhere from 1 to 4 weeks. Some people prefer the milder cabbage-y taste of young kraut, while others like a more assertive fermented flavor.
7When the cabbage is fermented to your liking, transfer it and its brine to clean jars, leaving about a half inch of headspace, and refrigerate. The sauerkraut will last up to 3 months refrigerated and submerged in brine.