flipSaxon-style fermented sauerkraut
Saxon-style fermented sauerkraut
Why this dish? In German households, jars were filled with fermented cabbage to get through winter. This pantry of preserves fed Clara's large household during the cold months and her absences, accompanying the meat dishes of Mittagessen.
Finely shredded white cabbage, salted and packed into a jar, naturally fermenting over several weeks to become tangy, crunchy sauerkraut — the base of German winter cooking.
In autumn, when cabbages abound at the market, we fill the large stoneware jar in the cellar. I shred the cabbage, I salt it, and above all I press it hard, again and again, until its water rises and covers it — that is the whole secret. For weeks, it works alone in the silence of the cellar. When winter comes, it accompanies our meats and sustains the whole household until spring.
- •White cabbage — several heads (base to ferment)
- •Salt — proportionate to cabbage (brine, preservation)
- •Caraway or juniper berries — a pinch (flavor)
Saxon-style fermented sauerkraut
Finely shredded white cabbage, salted and packed into a jar, naturally fermenting over several weeks to become tangy, crunchy sauerkraut — the base of German winter cooking.
Why this dish? In German households, jars were filled with fermented cabbage to get through winter. This pantry of preserves fed Clara's large household during the cold months and her absences, accompanying the meat dishes of Mittagessen.
In autumn, when cabbages abound at the market, we fill the large stoneware jar in the cellar. I shred the cabbage, I salt it, and above all I press it hard, again and again, until its water rises and covers it — that is the whole secret. For weeks, it works alone in the silence of the cellar. When winter comes, it accompanies our meats and sustains the whole household until spring.
Ingredients (period version)
- White cabbage — several heads (base to ferment)
- Salt — proportionate to cabbage (brine, preservation)
- Caraway or juniper berries — a pinch (flavor)
Ingredients
- White cabbage — 1 kg (base)
- Non-iodized salt — 20 g (2%) (brine)
- Caraway seeds — 1 tsp (flavor)
- Juniper berries — a few (flavor)
Method
- Finely shred the cabbage (reserve one large whole leaf).
- Mix the cabbage with the salt and massage firmly until it releases its juice.
- Add caraway and juniper, pack into a clean jar.
- Cover with the reserved leaf, weigh down so the cabbage stays submerged under its brine.
- Let ferment for 3 to 6 weeks at room temperature, away from light.
- Taste regularly, then store in a cool place once the desired acidity is reached.
How it was made : Lactic fermentation of cabbage (Sauerkraut) was the quintessential winter preservation method in Germanic countries. Rich in vitamin C, it protected against scurvy. It was stored in large stoneware crocks in the cellar, weighed down with clean stones to keep the cabbage submerged in brine.
The contemporary twist : Served raw as a crunchy small salad with grated apple, fermented "slaw" style.
Clara Schumann · Charactorium
