Every time I buy cabbage for a recipe, I have so much left over afterwards and no idea what to use it for. Enter, sauerkraut relish.
This relish is a great way to save money not only by using up the rest of your cabbage, but now you don’t have to dish out close to $10 on a jar of sauerkraut or kimchi. To be honest, I really wasn’t sure what the difference between kimchi and sauerkraut was when I made this recipe. Turns out, the main dividing factor is that kimchi is packed with spices as well as onions and a variety of vegetables. Sauerkraut keeps it simple. Cabbage, salt, and that’s about it. Since this was my first time experimenting I decided to keep it simple with sauerkraut.
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, this recipe is a great way to show your gut some love. Not to mention the pretty red color of the cabbage. Fermented vegetables and gut health are really having a moment, and for good reason! Your gut, and the neurons released from it, control your mood, you immune system, really your entire equilibrium. This is why what you eat is so important! When you eat something that upsets your stomach, like too much sugar, gluten, or dairy, your body goes into overdrive trying to right the wrongs. Avoiding processed foods, limiting sugar and alcohol, and just becoming more in tune with your body in general will help keep everything aligned. Eating a diet rich in probiotics, like those found in sauerkraut and other fermented foods, can also help.
Lately I’ve been throwing my sauerkraut relish on top of everything! Eggs, salad, roasted vegetables-the opportunities are endless. The room for variety in the spices and vegetables you choose to use is also completely up to you. The biggest thing to pay attention to is really massaging the sea salt into the cabbage, or vegetables, and packing it all down as tightly as possible in your mason jar. I hope that you give this recipe a try and show your gut some love this Valentine’s Day. When you make this recipe, be sure to tag @getwellwithem on Instagram and use the hashtag, #getwellwithem. You can also find me on Facebook and Pinterest!
PIN IT!
Simple Sauerkraut Relish
Ingredients
- 1/2 head of cabbage, red or green
- 2 tablespoons sea salt
- mason jar
Directions
- Finely shop cabbage in food processor until you reach your desired size.
- Place cabbage in a bowl and sprinkle with sea salt.
- Massage salt into cabbage with your hands, until you feel it start to break down. It will feel less crunchy and water will begin to release.
- Pack cabbage into your mason jar, pressing down firmly so that the brine from the salt and water rises up to cover the cabbage. I used the bottom of a clean pint glass to press my cabbage in.
- Stop adding cabbage when you come within an inch of the top of your jar, leaving this space for the brine to cover your kraut.
- Secure the lid tightly and place your jar on a counter, out of sunlight.
- After 3 days, slowly open your jar, releasing air.
- Taste your kraut with a clean utensil. If you’re happy with the taste, place in the fridge. If you want to continue fermenting secure the lid tightly, and continue to check every few days.
- Enjoy! The kraut will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 6 months!
