Fermented Cabbage
Fermented cabbage is a staple food during frigid Balkan winters. In Belgrade, where I partly grew up, almost every household had some Kiseli Kupus (sour cabbage) in their basement, with its pungent smells wafting between the streets.
You need a few things before you start: a fermentation crock with a lid or a food–safe bucket, a fermentation weight because the cabbage heads will swim up to the top of your brine (and they need to be completely covered in it), and you need some time and patience, for at least 6 weeks. But worth the wait, this much I can say.
INGREDIENTS
white cabbage
non–iodized salt, unrefined sea salt, for a 3% brine
water (amount depends on the weight of your cabbage but easy to figure out)
Optional:
garlic, peeled and slightly squeezed
peppercorns
bay leaves
PREPARATION
1. Wash the cabbage. Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage head, if necessary. Then you can carefully remove a bit of the core, but it’s not necessary to remove everything.
2. Now the 3% brine. The brine should generously cover your cabbage heads. How much brine you need depends on your fermentation container as well as the size and amount of your cabbage. For a 3% concentration you will need 3 grams of sea salt, per liter. You can even go up to 3.5%. An accurate water / salt ratio is important. Weigh each cabbage before you put them into your crock. Write down the weight. Then cover them with water, make sure to note each liter. Then use the following formula:
Weight of salt = weight of cabbage and water x x/100-x (the x is the desired brine percentage)
For a 3% brine: weight of the cabbage and water x 3 / 97. Now you have the amount of salt that you need. Especially in the beginning always measure the salt accurately, since different types of salt do not have the same weight on a tablespoon.
Keep in mind: accuracy is important here.
When you have your brine you can pour it over your cabbage. Cover and done. Time to rest. Put the crock in a cool place where it can rest for at least 6 weeks until you can enjoy it.
Note:
To avoid surface mold growth, always keep the cabbage submerged in the brine. Therefore put a clean plate, jar or fermentation weight on top of it. When your cabbage is ready, you might find some mold on the surface, just skim it off and remove the upper leaf.
“In both literal and metaphorical fermentation, the fermentation is breaking down previous forms into new forms.”
— Sandor Katz
Fermented Cabbage
Fermented cabbage is a staple food during frigid Balkan winters. In Belgrade, where I partly grew up, almost every household had some Kiseli Kupus (sour cabbage) in their basement, with its pungent smells wafting between the streets.
You need a few things before you start: a fermentation crock with a lid or a food–safe bucket, a fermentation weight because the cabbage heads will swim up to the top of your brine (and they need to be completely covered in it), and you need some time and patience, for at least 6 weeks. But worth the wait, this much I can say.
INGREDIENTS
white cabbage
non–iodized salt, unrefined sea salt, for a 3% brine
water (amount depends on the weight of your cabbage but easy to figure out)
Optional:
garlic, peeled and slightly squeezed
peppercorns
bay leaves
PREPARATION
1. Wash the cabbage. Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage head, if necessary. Then you can carefully remove a bit of the core, but it’s not necessary to remove everything.
2. Now the 3% brine. The brine should generously cover your cabbage heads. How much brine you need depends on your fermentation container as well as the size and amount of your cabbage. For a 3% concentration you will need 3 grams of sea salt, per liter. You can even go up to 3.5%. An accurate water / salt ratio is important. Weigh each cabbage before you put them into your crock. Write down the weight. Then cover them with water, make sure to note each liter. Then use the following formula:
Weight of salt = weight of cabbage and water x x/100-x (the x is the desired brine percentage)
For a 3% brine: weight of the cabbage and water x 3 / 97. Now you have the amount of salt that you need. Especially in the beginning always measure the salt accurately, since different types of salt do not have the same weight on a tablespoon.
Keep in mind: accuracy is important here.
When you have your brine you can pour it over your cabbage. Cover and done. Time to rest. Put the crock in a cool place where it can rest for at least 6 weeks until you can enjoy it.
Note:
To avoid surface mold growth, always keep the cabbage submerged in the brine. Therefore put a clean plate, jar or fermentation weight on top of it. When your cabbage is ready, you might find some mold on the surface, just skim it off and remove the upper leaf.
“In both literal and metaphorical fermentation, the fermentation is breaking down previous forms into new forms.”
— Sandor Katz
a pinch of salt
c/o Tamara Pešić
Ludwigstraße 197
63067 Offenbach
Germany
Pick up & drop times:
Wed, 16:00–19:00
Sat, 13:00–16:00
© Copyright 2022
a pinch of salt
c/o Tamara Pešić
Ludwigstraße 197
63067 Offenbach
Germany
Pick up & drop times:
Wed, 16:00–19:00
Sat, 13:00–16:00
© Copyright 2022
Cookie | Dauer | Beschreibung |
---|---|---|
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional | 11 months | The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". |
viewed_cookie_policy | 11 months | The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data. |