NT Sauerkraut

Here is my attempt at making Sauerkraut the Nourishing Traditions way. If you are not familiar with Nourishing Traditions, you can find a copy on Amazon or at your local library.

The Cast of Characters:

1. one regular sized cabbage
2. caraway seeds
3. whey
4. sea salt
5. quart jar with lid

First I shredded the cabbage and added about 2 teaspoons of caraway seeds. Then I added 4 tablespoons of whey along with 2 tablespoons of sea salt. My measurements were slightly different than what the original recipe calls for because I was leary of the caraway seeds since I had never eaten them before and the last time I made sauerkraut, it needed more salt.

Using my potato masher, I began to pound the mixture. Pounding for at least 10 minutes is fine and it's quite useful at getting out your aggressions if needed.


Here is what it looked like after about 10 minutes of pounding. You will find that there is a lot of juice formed at the bottom of your bowl- this is exactly what you need.


Load the mixture into your quart jar and make sure you leave at least one inch space at the top of the jar.


You want liquid at the top so if you have to gently push the cabbage down under the liquid with a wooden spoon, that is fine. If you still do not have liquid covering the top of the cabbage, add a little water to the top.


There you have it. Let it sit out on the counter for 3 days and then transfer to the refrigerator.

The Verdict:

I detest caraway seeds and felt like they ruined the sauerkraut. If you like a "clove" like taste, then you will be in heaven with the sauerkraut. If you are like me, ponder why you spent $4.00 on a jar of these yucky seeds, and make a mental note to leave those things out the next time you make this. Otherwise, the sauerkraut turned out exactly as it should have.

Just for your info, this sauerkraut is considered "fermented". Which is very, very good for you. You know those yogurt commericals that push that they are good for your digestive system. This cabbage is too because of the whey that it fermented in. You can get more info on fermented foods from the "Mastering the Basics" section of Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.