LITHUANIAN SAUERKRAUT Ingredients
Directions
- 5 Lbs. of Shredded cabbage
- 3 Tbsp salt [use pure salt, kosher salt is good].
Joe's Tips
- Slice/shred cabbage
- Mix/toss ALL the other ingredients in by hand.
By adding salt, you immediately begin to draw the juice out of the cabbage to ensure equal distribution of spices. When you pack your cabbage into a crock, make sure to leave 3-4 inches of headspace.
I use a plastic bucket type of a container and prepare 50 lbs. of sauerkraut for an 8 gal crock. After my kraut is packed down into the crock, I cover the cabbage with saran wrap, tucking in between the cabbage and the sides of the crock. That way, the wrap is directly over the cabbage not over the top of the crock. I fill a couple of large ziplock bags with brine (1Tbs salt to 1 quart of water) and place these over the cabbage to seal out the air. I use brine vs plain water in case any leaks occur. Then I cover whole thing with a clean towel and a pizza stone and let it sit. I do check it every day or so for scum. Remove the scum as it forms.
After about 3 weeks you can start to taste it. Yummy.
Recipe by Joe Ames
