Simple Sauerkraut

Thank you to our site hosts, Jane and Jenn, at the Fresh Thymes Café in Wilmington, DE for the following sauerkraut recipe, originally published in Mother Earth News by Nathan Poell. Jane and Jenn write, "Sauerkraut is so good for your well-being, especially going into the cold and flu season. It contains a potent source of vitamins with a nice dose of B and C vitamins. Not only is sauerkraut high in fiber, but is beneficial to the entire digestive tract. Sauerkraut is full of pro-biotics, the good bacteria. They help stabilize stomach Ph and break down proteins allowing the body to work less, increasing your digestive enzymes and giving your body extra energy to fight off the intruder." Enjoy!

Simple Sauerkraut
Ingredients
2 large heads of cabbage (about 5 pounds)
2 to 3 tablespoons noniodized salt

Directions
Grate 1 cabbage and place in a crock or plastic bucket. Sprinkle half the salt over the cabbage. Grate the second cabbage, then add it to the crock along with the rest of the salt. Crush the mixture with your hands until liquid comes out of the cabbage freely. Place a plate on top of the cabbage, then a weight on top of the plate. Cover the container and check after 2 days. Scoop the scum off the top, repack and check every 3 days. After 2 weeks, sample the kraut to see if it tastes ready to eat. The flavor will continue to mature for the next several weeks. Canning or refrigerating the sauerkraut will extend its shelf life. Yields about 2 quarts.