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Andrew Murray

I know it's not game, maybe you could harvest some direct from the ground?

The benefits of fermented foods are well known for gut health, new research is showing they also have cardiovascular health benefits too!

Sauerkraut is easy to make and a great tang for your burgers, hotdogs, or anywhere a bit of a sour flavour goes well.

Plus homemade sauerkraut is much better than store bought stuff!!

Needed:
Cabbage
Salt
Container to hold it to ferment (needs to be able to be covered, though not necessarily sealed)
Smaller jar of water to act as weight (may be required)
Caraway seeds (optional)


1. Get yourself a head of cabbage (purple looks great once processed)

2. Save some of the larger outer leaves for later.

3. Chop it up roughly, but not too large, you want a kind of shredded appearance to it.

4. Once chopped, sprinkle roughly 1-2tbsp of salt over it in a larger mixing bowl.

5. Mix with hands or a potato masher for a good 10mins.

6. Transfer the lot (leaves and juice) to a container large enough to hold it all. The container needs to be covered (to prevent contamination during ferment).

7. If you do not have enough juice from the cabbage to cover the entire lot (it needs to be underwater) add some water until all cabbage is covered. You can also add 1-2 tea spoons of caraway seeds at this point for flavour.

8. Get a smaller jar and fill it with water. Use one of your saved cabbage leaves and place it over the top of the chopped cabbage. Use the jar of water to hold it down. This will ensure all your cabbage stays under water.

9. Let it sit. If you container seals then "burp" your cabbage daily to expel carbon dioxide from the ferment. It should take about 7-10 days depending on temperature

10. Put it in the fridge and seal properly

11. Enjoy!


TIPS:

A tall container is ideal, though you may want to experiment with less cabbage rather than bigger containers.

You may notice bubbles forming, this is normal and good. If the bubbles cannot escape above the water level they may force your cabbage to rise and expose it to air. If this happens gently shake the container to let them rise.