“That smells like a jar of farts”.
Yeah I guess it kinda does.
My wife is very encouraging of my little food experiments. Every few months I seem to fall upon something new in the culinary world. Whether it be making my own ice cream, beef jerky, or more recently entering the world of pickling. It started with one of the most common recipes that most of us have heard of, “sauerkraut”. Pickled cabbage is a deliciously zingy and crunchy side dish, not only destined for hot dogs and supermarket shelves. Home-made sauerkraut is nothing like the commercially produced stuff. Sauerkraut is the result of one of the oldest food preservation methods and only contains two ingredients; salt and cabbage.
Massage some sliced cabbage with 1.5 per cent salt to vegetable weight (ratios are important) and you end up with a brine. All you need to do is make sure this brine covers the cabbage at all times and it will be perfectly safe from nasty bacteria. The good bacteria (LAB or lactic-acid bacteria) are able to survive under this salty brine, whereas the nasties need oxygen to live. These LAB are what gives your “kraut” it’s delicious zing.
So other than the taste, why do it?
Pickled veggies (not commercially heat treated, as this kills both bad and good bacteria) are more easily digestible, meaning you receive more nutrients.
Pickling preserves and enhances vitamins B and C
It supports the immune system
Most importantly no artificial preservatives are needed.
So while a “jar of farts” might not sound appetizing, I promise you home-made sauerkraut tastes amazing.
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