Homemade Sauerkraut

My mother is Hungarian and my father is Irish, where my love for Polish food came from I do not know. Polish Kielbasa and sauerkraut makes me weak in the knees. I was intrigued about trying to make sauerkraut at home and asked both my grandmothers if they have ever tried such a feat. No luck. Until I love a lovely little email from my CSA coordinator, who apparently took a course with a very crunchy individual and proclaimed how easy it was. I was skeptical but I received Napa cabbage in my CSA and was unable to use it that week so I decided to go for it one Sunday. What did I have to lose? I watched Mr. Crunchy’s Youtube video several times and it just seemed too simple – Shred the cabbage and onions, salt, squish with your hands and let sit. I waited a couple days and added water to keep the veggies covered. My baby apartment smelled like onions but in a good way. After about 3 days, I tasted and decided I wanted a more pungent sauerkraut flavor. Another 3 days passed, I put a kielbasa on the stove and warmed up my home made sauerkraut. The flavor was outstanding and I was amazed just how simple it was.

I understand that foods must have preservatives in them to maintain shelf life. Obviously, we live better though these modern, scientific miracles. However, I am personally on a mission to eat as little processed foods as possible. If I can make my own chicken fingers or hamburgers at least I know where everything is coming from and it makes these little “sin” foods a bit healthy. So I try and do what I can to eat locally with lots of veggies. But that is why I think it is so cool to take something that I love to eat and something that I thought was so complicated and make it with my own two hands. I know where the cabbage and onions came from, I know what I put in the sauerkraut and best of all it tastes wonderful.