Homemade Garlic Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is in my heritage.  My grandmother on my mother's side was German but born here in the USA; she made home-grown sauerkraut with cabbages from her garden.  My other grandmother is Polish.  Her mother (we called her Babka) used to point at us with her crooked finger and say "let me tell you a-something."  She was pretty scary.  She lived to be 94 years old.  The remedy she used for pinworm and roundworm overgrowth in the body was sauerkraut juice, and that was like 100 years ago!  Only now is science discovering the healing properties in what was once considered pointless, pungent, peasant food.  My recipe is garlicky and delicious.


Ingredients:
1 small cabbage head (organic or from the farmer's market; conventional cabbage has been sprayed with something that prevents the fermentation needed)
1/2 cup dried garlic
1/2 cup unrefined salt

Equipment:
1 quart-sized wide-mouth mason jar
1 wooden spoon or meat mallet

Directions:
1. slice the cabbage finely.  A food processor will work well here, or you can use a good old-fashioned knife.
2.  pack the bottom of the jar with the cabbage.  Add 1-2 teaspoons of salt and 1-2 teaspoons of dried garlic.
3.  Pound the cabbage with the back end of the wooden spoon.  The first time will be awkward because the cabbage will have so much space to move around, but try to smash it as best as you can.
4. Continue layering cabbage, salt, and garlic until the cabbage is gone or the jar is full.  Make sure to leave about one inch of headspace before you close it.
5.  Leave it at room temperature for 1-2 days, and then place it in the fridge to age.  I know you will want to dig in right away, but try to let it stay in there at least 2 weeks, or until the cabbage leaves turn from bright green to brown-green.
6.  This will be good for quite some time.  I have yet to have sauerkraut go bad on me.  I usually use a little at a time, so it will be good for several months at least.  What you want to look out for is mold on the top of the cabbage, especially when the jar gets more empty.

Enjoy!

This post is a part of Unprocessed Fridays, Fight Back Fridays, and Simply Natural Saturdays.