A close look at the science of lactic acid fermentation, the process responsible for some of the sour foods we all know and love: sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi, yogurt, and more.

What gives me the authority to teach you how to make sauerkraut, and how to cook it to make it taste like the Germans serve it? Glad you asked. I was born and raised in Germany, and by the time I moved to America at age 20, I had eaten barrels of this healthy, probiotic-filled fermented vegetable and seen various German grandmothers make it themselves. So you see, I'm kind of an expert (in sauerkraut, as well as bread, chocolate and beer. You know, the essentials). Let me show you how to make kraut, which is so much healthier (and cheaper !!!) than buying the canned crap. ~Update: I teach a self-paced online fermentation course, where I teach how to make sauerkraut, greek yogurt, beet kvass, kombucha and no-knead fermented bread. Click here for more info. You get my ebooks, demonstration movies, recipes and a private Facebook group all for $39!~ Our house feels like a giant fermentation vat. 25 pounds of Sauerkraut are cheerfully bubbling and fermenting. Next to the Kraut crock, a half gallon jar of cucumbers is quietly stewing in its juices, waiting for salt and whey to start the lacto-fermentation process. Cheese is aging in the crawl space under the bathroom. Next to the cheeses rest a few left over bottles of blackberry and beet wine. Yogurt is doing its magic in my home made yogurt incubator. All these substances are broken down by bacteria, yeasts and various microorganisms in the name of health. We make and eat this stuff because it is supposed to be good for us. Fermented foods improve digestion, restore proper balance of bacteria in the gut, are rich in enzymes, have higher vitamin content, and help us absorb the nutrients we're consuming. I have made Sauerkraut successfully for several years, and over time, many people have asked me how I make it. I don't know why people think being German makes me such an expert. I guess I did eat a lot of Sauerkraut in my childhood (although it was not home made). So let me show you how I make Sauerkraut from scratch, and then I will share the absolute best way to prepare it for dinner. Recipe for Sauerkraut: The recipe I have used for years comes from an old, beat up book called “Stocking up” by Rodale Press. Here's how I do it: Get your hands on some beautiful, organically grown cabbage. I grow a bunch in my garden just for Sauerkraut. How many pounds of cabbage you need depends on the size of the cabbage and on how much kraut you want to make. I usually use 30 to 35 pounds. Wash the cabbage and remove any outer leaves that have slug holes or bruises on them. You might encounter the occasional earwig crawling frantically out of the cabbage while you do this, or a lazy slug hiding between the leaves. Don't worry too much about these critters... they find their way out. If not, it's extra protein for you. Don't ask me why my daughter wears plastic shoes with high heels in the garden, or why she wears them period. Cut the cabbage in quarters and cut the tough inner core out of the pieces. Cut them small enough to put through your food processor with the shredding blade attached. If you were really groovy, you would use a non-electric Kraut cutter, especially made for this process, like this nice wooden one. But I love my Cuisinart, and it makes the job really fast. I cut enough to measure 5 pounds of shredded cabbage into a bowl. Then I add 3 tablespoons of canning/pickling salt to the cabbage in the bowl and mix it around with my hands. This is kind of like cheese making – a very tactile, messy process. I let this sit for five minutes. (In the meantime, I shred the next five pounds). After sitting in the salt and softening up a bit, I put this layer of five pounds into my 5 gallon sauerkraut crock. At this point, some people use fancy wooden Sauerkraut stompers, but I use my hand to do the following: press on the salted layer of cabbage with your hand until the juices come up. Then you keep adding layers of five pounds shredded cabbage, mixed with three tablespoons of salt. Keep pressing down after every layer. This year, I alternated the layers of cabbage with shredded carrots, which made it all more orange and strange-looking, but I think it will taste great! After you added the last layer, put a plate on top of the cabbage. The plate should fit snugly inside the crock. You really want to cover the cabbage tightly, otherwise it may spoil. I weigh down the plate with something heavy, like a mason jar or two filled with water, or ziplock bags filled with water. You want enough weight to keep the cabbage submerged in its juices. I cover the whole thing with a towel, so no bugs or curious kids can fall into it...or toothbrushes, since I keep the crock in the bathroom. Ferment this whole thing at room temperature (68 to 72) for a week or two (or more, depending on the temperature). It will start bubbling, which is really fascinating and a little weird. If scum forms on the surface, just take it off with a spoon. When bubbles stop rising to the surface, your Kraut is done. After a few days it starts to bubble. It's a little weird, right? You know what I'm saying? When it's done, you can either can it in a hot water bath for 20 minutes (which I used to do), or keep it in the fridge as a healthier snack without all the good stuff killed by canning. Your house will smell krauty and a little sour during the fermenting. You should walk into my house right now, with all the fermenting cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, cucumber, and cheese drying before it's packed. Then you add the aroma from the goat barn, and you got country air! I like to eat Sauerkraut raw, but if you want to make a real German dinner, here's what I do: Fry up an onion in butter. A nice sweet Walla Walla fresh from the garden is perfect for this. Add a cut up (cubed) apple to the onions. When the onions are nice and opaque, add some great sausages. Let that sizzle for a while. When the sausages are almost done, add the Sauerkraut with some caraway seeds. My Mom used to add Juniper berries, bay leaf and peppercorns. You could add some white wine if you want to be fancy. Serve it with some good beer and home made bread or potatoes, and everyone will love it. Enjoy! Guten Appetit! Watch my one minute video on my online fermentation course below and get a sense of what it's all about! If you like what you learned here, please subscribe to our newsletter, where you learn free homesteading skills and get great tips and recipes, including this sauerkraut tutorial! click here ~Reminder: I teach a self-paced online fermentation course, where I teach how to make greek yogurt, beet kvass, sauerkraut, kombucha and no-knead fermented bread. You get my ebooks, demonstration movies, recipes and a private Facebook group all for $39!~

For new kombucha brewers to seasoned fermenters! On Brew Buch, find kombucha recipes, guides, tips, and everything you need to know about brewing kombucha at home.

Spinach kraut is a fresh, lemony, and salty take on regular old cabbage kraut. And out of all fermented vegetables, it is so easy to make!

Learn how to make fermented beets with this simple recipe. Lacto-fermented beet "pickles" are delicious, colorful, crisp, tangy, and full of gut-healthy probiotics!

FERMENTED LEMONS WITH THEIR RIND AFTER 7 MONTHS THEY STILL LOOK BEAUTIFUL Seven months ago back in January my friend gave me about 25 pounds of ripe organic lemons. I juiced and froze some. I made lemon marmalade to preserve another portion of the lemons. However, I wanted to find a way to preserve some besides canning it and killing anything that was alive in the heating process. I found I could ferment it in a salted lemon juice brine. Well after seven months let me share with you the results. They are just as beautiful in color. They came out in its own thick "syrup" full of natural pectin. They are now so delicate, and fall apart easy. They looked so juicy I just had to try it. Wow, it just melted in my mouth, rind and all. I am very impressed. I believe in food storage too besides eating healthy and this is how I did it... Yes thats a thick salty lemon syrup full of natural pectin as well as probiotics and vitamins. INGREDIENTS: Lemons 8-10 large (preferably organic) washed and sliced thin Jar sterile and large enough to fit the lemons leaving 2 inch headspace Juice of 3 large lemons 1/3 cup mineral salt (sea salt kosher salt, or pickling salt is fine just no iodized salt.) warm water enough to cover lemons at least 1 inch over the top I mixed 1/4 cup warm water with the lemon juice and till the salt disolved in a separate bowel. In a sterile jar I began packing the sliced lemons in the sterile jar tightly. I used a food pusher getting most of the air out every few layers. In doing this I added a little of the lemon juice brine solution each time. I did this till it was packed leaving a two inch headspace. I then filled it with the lemon/water/salt solution leaving a one inch headspace. I left it in a dark corner for a month. I was not in a hurry to try it after a month because I don't like the rind or the white pith and I thought it would have that "pithy bitter taste". So in February I put it in the back of the refrigerater for the past 6 months. So after 7 months it's so ready. I had to try it. I am again a happy camper as I now have another probiotic ferment to share with you and my friends. One note please. This is a very lemony salty fermented tangy product. Similar to a salted plum. I would not suggested you eat it as is. You might want to consider making a sauce and adding a couple of slices to a cooked product. Or maybe a lemon vinaigrette. Chopped fine and sprinkle it in a salad is another option right? If you have any ideas let me know. How about dried? Or any comments, please feel free to leave one. Thanking you in advance and many blessings, CAN YOU SEE THE TENDERNESS Mary Helen SO DELICATE, THEY JUST FALL APART JUICY MOUTH WATERING FERMENTED LEMONS

Make your own naturally "pickled" probiotic foods… pickles, krauts… even sodas and chocolate cake… more powerful than a multi-vitamin… more delicious than you ever dreamed possible… and super easy to make…

Unbelievably good kraut that tastes like Christmas!! Feel free to experiment and add different seasonings, like a pinch of cinnamon or cloves. It's a holiday kraut you'll want to enjoy every year as a family tradition.

This basic sourdough bread recipe is a great one for beginners or those who want a simple sandwich bread for everyday use. This recipe can be used to make a basic loaf of sandwich bread or artesian-style bread. With a mild tangy flavor and a chewy texture, this loaf combines the best parts of artisanal sourdough bread without making it unapproachable either in technique or in flavor.

Lemon Verbena Kombucha is fragrant with a sweet, light lemon flavor. It's simple to make, refreshing and my favorite kombucha flavor of all time.

This pairs well with sprouted tortilla chips. They are becoming more popular and there are several on the market now. I am loving Unbeatable Blue Tortilla Chips.

How To Bottle Kombucha Tea ~ Part 3

Fermenting tip. Should you use a lid or cloth when making fermented foods? I have been fermenting for eleven years and I have very specific things that I al

Is your kombucha not as fizzy as you would like? We're walking through all the reasons your kombucha is not carbonated, and how to fix it!

This list of 45+ practical uses for whey will make you think twice before pouring it down the drain!

An authoritative and easy-to-use guide to fermentation with 100 recipes for fermented foods and drinks. IACP AWARD WINNER Fermented and live-culture foods are beloved for their bold and layered flavors as well as their benefits for gut health and boosting immunity, but until now, there hasn't been a book that is both authoritative and easy to use. The Farmhouse Culture Guide to Fermenting provides you with the history, health information, and safest methods for preserving, along with 100 recipes for krauts, pickles, kimchi, fermented vegetables, hot sauces, preserved fruits and jams, kombucha, and even mead. With trusted authors Kathryn Lukas, founder of mega brand Farmhouse Culture, and master fermenter and best-selling author Shane Peterson and their thoroughly tested recipes, this is the fermentation book that every home fermenter needs--whether you are about to make your first batch of pickles or have been preserving foods for decades.

Delicious kombucha flavors for taking your homemade kombucha to the next level! Everything from classic berry kombucha to spiced up ginger pepper.

Lemons are superfoods: they are a digestive aid and a liver cleanser, and they contain many nutritious substances such as citric acid, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, bioflavonoids, and pectin. All this goodness promotes immunity, fights infections, helps with allergies, and the peel acts as a prebiotic! This kraut has a wonderful lemon flavor that tastes great on its own, or can be added to kefir cheese to make a wonderful dip! Try this recipe: Kefir Kraut Dip

Have you wondered ever wondered what rejuvelac is or how to make rejuvelac? Today I'll walk you though what you need to know, some of the possible health benefits of rejuvelac, how to make rejuvelac and provide you with an easy rejuvelac recipe. There are also some great uses for rejuvelac that you might not ...

Fermented foods are important for everyone to eat, so how do we make kid-friendly fermented foods that your kids will truly learn to love? Can Sour

It must be the German ancestry me in, but I adore a good sauerkraut. The fact that it is a fermented food and good for my gut health and managing Crohn's disease is just a wonderful excuse for me to eat it regularly rather than just as a condiment for the occasional bratwurst at a cookout!

Do you flavor your own Kombucha or would you like to learn how? Then you are going to love this Lemon Lavender Kombucha Recipe! Lavender Lemon Kombucha is...

How long can fermented foods be left to ferment? You can let your vegetables ferment for several weeks, months or days, but it depends on these things.

This article is my favorite recipe for an easy onion relish. It’s a fermented relish, so it’s super healthy as it contains probiotics that will help the health of your gut and microbiome. Have too many onions? This delicious, easy, and healthy onion relish recipe is just for you! We went to a won

So easy, and you'll have enough kimchi for months! This is a vegan kimchi using a 3% brine.

A simple guide to making Water Kefir-a refreshing probiotic fruit-infused drink made with water kefir grains (cactus grains) that is bubbly, effervescent and so healthy!

It's March 18th, 2020, and the novel coronavirus has everybody staying home and worried about the future. This day also happens to be my 60th birthday so I'm making my own healthy birthday cake and baking a loaf of sourdough bread. […]

What signs to monitor as your sauerkraut ferments and how to tweak. Bubbles rising to the surface? Smell? Color? Overflowing brine? Dry? Add brine? Or not?

DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info. Occasionally I'll make a ferment, let it develop over a few days or so, pop it in the fridge, and ...

This Rhubarb Soda is kind of like a sparkling lemonade, with a rosy flavor– so nice! Plus… Probiotics! What a nice way to get some more into your family. As with most home fermentation projects, this formula is flexible.

When apples are in season make this naturally fermented apple ginger beer. It's made with a ginger bug and is super fizzy and tasty!

An approachable, easy going sauerkraut, this red cabbage apple ginger kraut fits the bill for anyone in the market for a mellow ferment.

The pellicle on top of kombucha that we call a SCOBY is synonymous with home brewing...but do you actually need a SCOBY to make kombucha? The answer may surprise you.

How would you like an amazingly flavorful, slightly funky, fermented cheese recipe made of cashews that also happens to be vegan? What if I also said that with time, this would be a cheese you could slice like artisan cheese or grate like Parmesan? I wasn't sure what exactly I was making when I started ...

Unbelievably good kraut that tastes like Christmas!! Feel free to experiment and add different seasonings, like a pinch of cinnamon or cloves. It's a holiday kraut you'll want to enjoy every year as a family tradition.

Sauerkraut is an easy, inexpensive, delicious, and versatile condiment