Immune Boosting Fire Kraut

*Easy to make and great for immunity, the kraut mixture before fermentation.*

This time of year is one of my favorites! The changing leaves, scary movies and I can finally turn on my stove and get back into the kitchen. I’m all about cozy meals, longer recipes and sharing the season with family and friends.

This transition into cooler weather is also an important time to focus on immunity. This is when the body can have a difficult time adjusting to the big fluctuations in weather and a lot of people get sick. So why not make a few things to boost immunity and avoid cold or fever before they hit!

Coincidentally, this is also the best time for fermenting things at home. The not too hot, not too cold type weather that lends itself to a slow and stable ferment. I decided to combine these two opportunities and make my rendition of a fire cider/kraut concoction that turned out better than I imagined.

A fire kraut takes many of the immune boosting foods you find in a traditional fire cider and ferments them into a simple and and spicy sauerkraut that can easily be added to salads, toasts, grain bowls or just eaten straight from the jar.

This recipe takes about 25 minutes to come together and about 3-5 days to fully ferment. I have found ferments to be a bit intimidating in the past but this one is pretty easy and adaptable.

*This kraut makes a great addition to toasts, salads and grain bowls like this spicy salmon bowl featured above.*

Fire Kraut

Makes 1 quart of sauerkraut

You will need a few materials before you get started

A large bowl for mixing
Mandolin or sharp knife for slicing your materials finely
A weight, heavy plate or stone to weigh down your materials
A large wide mouthed mason jar or a fermenting crock *You want to make sure the jars or vessels you are using are clean and dry before you get started to avoid any bacteria overgrowth.

Ingredients

1 medium to large green cabbage *When choosing a cabbage make sure it’s firm and feels heavy for its size.

1-2 medium carrots

1.5 Tablespoons of sea salt

1 inch piece of fresh turmeric,grated

2 inch piece of ginger, grated

½ small jalapeno sliced or 1 tsp of chili flakes

1 tsp of cracked black peppercorns

Directions

Start by peeling and reserving a few of the outer leaves of cabbage, you will use these later on to seal the kraut. Make sure they are clean and try your best to keep them whole.
Using a sharp knife or mandolin, shred the cabbage and carrots into fine slices . The width of the slices will determine how long the kraut takes to ferment. Thicker slices will take a few more days than thinner ones.
Once all the cabbage mixture is chopped, add it to a large bowl and sprinkle generously with salt and begin to massage the salt into the cabbage with your hands for about 3-5 minutes. You will notice the cabbage start to weep and let go of a lot of water, this is a good sign and an important part of the process!
Continue massaging the cabbage until a significant amount of liquid is in the bowl and the cabbage has decreased in volume (about 5 minutes). Add spices to this mixture and combine thoroughly. I would suggest wearing gloves, the tumeric will stain your hands.
Now begin to pack your cabbage mixture tightly into your mason jar or croc, reserve most of the liquid until the end. Make sure when packing to save some room at the top of your jar for sealing. You will want to kraut densely packed to keep air and harmful bacteria out of the jar. One your jar is full cover the cabbage mixture with the reserved juice until there is no cabbage poking out of the top.
Take some of your reserved whole cabbage leaves and cover the kraut with them. Think of these as a blanket that will protect your kraut from air, mould or yeast. Make sure all of the kraut is covered by the whole cabbage leaves and juice. Take your weight or large stone and place on top of the leaves. This should keep everything below the liquid and make sure the kraut ferments properly and doesn’t get mouldy. Cover your jar with a clean dish towel, secure with an elastic band and store in a cool dry place like a countertop or cupboard.
Take a look at your kraut everyday to make sure there’s no mould or yeast forming on the top. If there are small amounts forming on the top, gently remove them with a clean spoon. You also want to make sure there is no browning or discolouration of the cabbage mixture, that means oxygen got it and it has spoiled. Look for small air bubbles happening in the cabbage mixture, that means things are working!
Start to taste your kraut after day 3 or 4 with a clean fork, don’t double dip! The kraut should not be mushy and have a good bite to it. Once it starts tasting briney and pickled it’s finished, the longer your let it ferment, the stronger the flavour will be so ferment to your preference . Once it’s to your liking remove the whole cabbage leaves, seal with a lid and store in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.