Kraut Juice

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One of the most frustrating things about GAPS intro is all the sauerkraut juice you need! Where is that juice supposed to come from? There is only so much juice in a batch of kraut and then you have all that dry kraut to contend with. This recipe is great for intro or really any time that you want to have some extra power without the fiber. 

What we are trying to do is create lots of probiotic juice and not a lot of fiber to deal with. Sauerkraut is very beneficial for digestion for several reasons. First is is made of cabbage and cabbage stimulates stomach acid production. Next it is sour which means it has a lot of acid to help augment your stomach acid. It also contains beneficial bacteria which help break down the foods you eat and fight off the pathogenic bacteria that harm your gut and it’s digestive process. And it is full of enzymes that help break down your food. All traditional societies fermented some of their foods and ate some of those fermented foods with most meals. The human gut expects this influx of helpers with every meal. This sauerkraut juice is a great way to get it.

I got these instructions from the maker of the Pickl-It Jars.

Here is what you need

• about 3 lbs Cabbage
• 29g Salt
• purified water
• 3 L Pickl-It Jar
• Juicer,Food Processor* or blender*
• 1 packet Caldwell’s starter culture (optional)

Remove any browned or damaged leaves from the outside of the cabbage. Quarter the head of cabbage and cut out the core.

Run the cabbage through the juicer. You want to collect both the juice and the pulp together so however that works best with your juicer. Mine has a blank that allows me to set it for everything to come out the end together. You want 5 1/2 cups of juice and pulp mixture. Put this into the Pickl-It jar.  

*If making this in a blender or food processor you want to process till it looks “mealy” Not till it is totally liquefied. Also you do not want to heat up the cabbage while you process it so be careful especially if using a Vitamix. 

Then mix 29 g of fine salt with 6 cups of filtered water. Stir till the salt is all dissolved. Pour this brine into the jar with the cabbage till it reaches the shoulder. Discard any excess brine.

Add the optional Caldwells starter Culture at this point and stir in. It is not strictly necessary however if your cabbage is not local and organic you may need it. Also since this recipe is very low salt it can potentially mold before it gets fermenting well. 

Close the jar and be sure to add water to the air lock. Put the jar, covered, into a warm place (68-72 ideally). Leave it there for just a few days. This will get going much faster than regular kraut because the cabbage is juiced. 

Once the bubbles slow (3-7 days) move it to cold storage. This time of year my basement is cold enough that just putting things down there keeps the at 55 or below. Otherwise put it into a fridge. Keep the air lock on it!

After 8 weeks go ahead and taste it. Juicing does help the stages go a bit faster. You still need at least 8 weeks and likely 10-12 weeks before the salt and cabbage flavors are gone but go ahead and try it early. When I have made this I tried it at 9 weeks and it was ready but again the temperature of your cold storage will impact this some. (colder is slower but don’t go above 55). 

This ferment is not a long storage ferment. Well made and properly stored kraut can keep for a year or more. Because you have broken down the cabbage so much in the juicing of it this will use up it’s food faster than traditionally made Sauerkraut. You keep the fiber in there to keep the cabbage going but there is a limit. 

When this is ready you can eat it like applesauce or strain out the fiber and just drink the juice. This makes a lot more juice than traditionally made kraut and so it is ideal for people doing GAPS intro but don’t forget to plan for the 8-10 week cure time. 

Many of my blog posts contain affiliate links. Purchasing through an affiliate link allows me to keep blogging and sharing what I learn with you. It is a bit like leaving a tip for service and is very much appreciated.

 

PattyLA is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate  advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and  linking to amazon.com

 

Thank You! -PattyLA

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