Fermented Sweet Red Cabbage

Print Recipe

5 from 4 votes

Fermented Sweet Red Cabbage

Enjoy this tasty side dish that's perfect if you're new to making and eating fermented vegetables.

Prep Time15

Cook Time0

Fermentation Time14

Total Time14 15

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: German

Servings: servings

Author: Mary Bryant Shrader

Equipment

1 half gallon sized jar or 2 quart sized jars
Small 4 ounce jars to be used as weights or glass fermentation weights
Jar lid or "pickle pipes" (if using pickle pipes, you will also need canning rings)

Ingredients

1 3 pound Red cabbage
1 Apple, optional but highly recommended Any variety.
2 tablespoons Coarse ground sea salt Can substitute with 1 tablespoon fine ground sea salt. You can also use Himalayan Pink Salt or Redmond's Real Salt as substitutes.
1/4 cup Maple syrup, honey, or other natural sweetener Additional sweetener can be added.

Instructions

Remove outer cabbage leaves and set them aside.
Core cabbage and set cores aside.
Slice or shred cabbage as fine as possible and it place into a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and set the cabbage aside. The salt will begin to soften the cabbage and extract liquid from the cabbage.
Grate cabbage core and add to bowl.
If using, grate apple and add to bowl.
Pound cabbage mixture with a "kraut pounder" or "pickle packer" (see video) or use clean hands to squeeze the cabbage until it softens and releases a considerable amount of liquid.
Pack cabbage mixture into one half gallon-sized jar or two quart-sized jars.
Fold outer cabbage leaves into quarters and place them on top of the cabbage mixture in the jar.
Place 4-ounce jelly jar or glass fermentation weights on top of the cabbage leaves in the jar. Gently press down until all the cabbage is submerged under the liquid. If the cabbage is dry, add a bit of filtered water (chlorine-free) to ensure all the cabbage is submerged under the liquid.
Place a cap on the jar and tighten.
Place the jar in a bowl (to catch any overflow) and place the bowl in a warm undisturbed area that is approximately 68°F to 70°F.
As bubbles begin to appear in the jar, loosen the lid daily to release some of the gases that have built up, and then retighten the lid. (This step is not necessary if you are using the pickle pipes.)
After a few days of fermentation, use a clean fork to taste the red cabbage. If the taste is to your liking, refrigerate your red cabbage. Generally, it will take approximately 7-14 days for the red cabbage to reach its proper level of fermentation. Keep in mind that initially, it will taste salty, but the saltiness will mellow over the coming weeks.
If you want, you can sweeten your red cabbage after the fermentation process is complete. Transfer the red cabbage to a bowl and add in maple syrup, honey, Sucanat date sugar, or another natural sweetener, starting with a 1/4 cup and working up to the amount that pleases your palate.
Once sweetened to your liking, return the red cabbage to the jar, put the lid on the jar, and refrigerate it.

Video

Notes

You can find this recipe and accompanying video at https://marysnest.com/fermented-sweet-red-cabbage-recipe/