As we are moving towards a cooler season and fresh produce is in abundance, it seems like a very good idea to start preserving some of the goodness.
My first project in September is the Borscht Sauerkraut that was inspired by the Eastern European beet borscht. It is rather easy to make and the outcome is worth all the labor. Give it a try.
A word about salt. To succeed with your sauerkraut project you will need to use salt. From my own experience, the amount that works best is 2% of the total weight of your vegetable. Some people use more, some people use less. If you have never made sauerkraut before, 2% is a safe amount. Use a kitchen scale to weigh the grated vegetables before calculating how much salt to add. To ferment my 730 grams of grated vegetables, I used 15.6 grams of salt.
Tools:
- jars with fermentation lids ( I used one 800 ml/0,2 gallons fermentation jar)
- glass fermentation weights
- box grater or a food processor with the grating attachment
- wooden plunger
- kitchen scale
- large mixing bowl
- wide mouth funnel - optional but very useful
- sharp knife and a cutting board
- vegetable peeler
Ingredients:
- 1 large beet, coarsely grated - 3 cups
- 1 large carrot, coarsely grated - 2 cups
- 1 small white cabbage, shredded - 4 cups (save two outer leaves)
- 3 shallots or a white onion, thinly sliced - 1/3 cup
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- fresh dill, chopped - 1/4 cup
- 5 black peppercorns
- 3 allspice berries
- 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 small bay leaf
- non-iodized pickling salt (2% of the total weight of your vegetable)
Method:
- Sterilize your jars, lids, fermentation weights, and all the other utensils before you start working with your vegetables. Keep things very clean to prevent contamination and possible spoilage.
- Put your large mixing bowl on the scale and zero it (use the tare function of your scale). Add all the vegetables and calculate 2% of the entire veggie weight. Add the right amount of salt. Take the bowl off the scale and mix everything together. Begin "massaging" the ingredients till you see brine forming at the bottom of the bowl. You may want to wear disposable, food safe gloves since beets and carrots will stain your hands.
- Fill your jar with the massaged vegetables adding the peppercorns, allspice berries, cumin seeds, and the bay leaf as you go. Use the plunger to press everything down as much as you can.
- Once the jar is filled, cover the surface with folded cabbage leaves. Press again till the brine comes up. Leave about 1.5 inches to the rim of the jar and make sure everything is well submerged and covered with the brine. Add the sterilized weight and press again. Close the jar with a fermentation lid and set it in a dark place. Allow to ferment for 3-5 days. To be on a safe side, put the jar into a bowl to catch any liquid that might be flowing out of the jar.
- Once your borscht sauerkraut has fermented, replace the fermentation lid with a regular, well fitting, sterilized lid. Place the jar in the fridge. Enjoy it daily in good company!
The ready kraut will store well in the fridge for at least ten days. Keep things clean to prevent spoilage.
In radiant health, passionately raw - Dominique
DominiqueAllmon©2026