Sauer Kraut, To Pickle

Ingredients

• the finest and hardest white cabbages
• A good handful of salt
• a few juniper-berries
• a few caraway-seeds

Method

1. 1

   Choose the finest white cabbages and allow them to sit for several days.

2. 2

   Cut the cabbages into narrow strips, discarding the outer leaves and stalks.

3. 3

   Place clean cabbage leaves at the bottom of a pickling vessel, layer in the cut cabbage, sprinkling salt as you go.

4. 4

   Stamp down the cabbage, cover with more cabbage leaves and a cloth, then place a wooden lid and a heavy stone on top.

5. 5

   Keep in a warm place until fermentation begins, indicated by white globules forming.

6. 6

   Wash the cloth weekly.

7. 7

   It will be ready in 2-3 weeks.

As published

This recipe was extracted from Cassell's dictionary of cookery (1892) by Cassell & Company, page 1721. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

Sauer Kraut, To Pickle —The fol- lowing interesting particulars as to the German practice in regard to the preparation of sauer Ivraut are drawn from the " German National Cookery." The finest and hardest white cab- bages must be chosen, and the colour will be improved if they are allowed to lie heaped together in a cool corner for several days before being used. The cutting is usually done with an instrument called a kohlhobcl (cabbage- plane). Instead of this a large knife will do. Throw away the outer leaves of the cabbages, and halve and quarter them. Cut out the stalks and larger ribs of the leaves. Begin at the top of the head to cut them across in very narrow strips. Have ready a well-seasoned oak-barrel, or pickling-tub, or an earthen bread-pan would do. Cover the bottom of the vessel with clean cabbage-leaves, throw in the cabbage as it is cut, sprinkle it with salt, equally dispersed as it is thrown in. Many scatter in a few juniper-berries or caraway- seeds. As the shred cabbage is put into the tub it should bo stamped down hard with a club. AYhen all is packed close, strew a little salt over the top, cover it with a few cabbage- leaves, and then with a clean linen cloth. Put on it a wooden lid that -n-ill fit inside the vessel, | and lay on this a heavy stone. Do not put the 1 56 ' ' kraut-stand " in too cool a place till fei-menta- tion has begun ; this may be known by small white globules forming on the brine, which ought to appear above the kraut after a day or two. If this is not the case, boil salt and water, let it get cold, and then pour it over. This latter must not be a strong brine. A good handful of salt

Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.