How to Make Golden Kraut

Bright and tangy, it’s hard to decide which is more stunning about this kraut, the flavor or the color!

The inclusion of yellow and golden types of produce in this ferment helps build the theme, but the use of turmeric powder is what really gives it its striking color.

Try this bright, tangy, deeply flavorful kraut braised with some pan-fried sausage or in a Reuben sandwich (shown below)!

Yield:

1 quart

Shelf life:

1-2 years (refrigerated)

Equipment:

• Quart jar
• Fermentation airlock lid & weight
• Knife & cutting board
• Grater
• Large mixing bowl
• Measuring cups & spoons
• Garlic press
• Suggested: digital kitchen scale

Ingredients:

• 1.75 lbs. cabbage (before peeled/cored)
• 1 TBSP + 1.5 tsp additive-free salt (or 2.5% salt by weight of the ingredients)
• 150g pineapple, matchstick cut (can sub with other orange/yellow fruit such as firm mango or Bartlett pear)
• 150g golden beet, grated, shredded or julienned
• 20g grated ginger and/or turmeric root
• 4-6 cloves garlic (run through a press)
• ½ tsp Jamaican (or regular) curry powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• Juice of ½ lemon or clementine
• Optional add-on ideas:
• Handful of yellow raisins
• A few pearl onions, thin sliced
• Yellow carrots, grated

Directions:

1.) Prepare the cabbage: Remove outer leaves, core, and finely shred cabbage.

2.) Prep all remaining ingredients as detailed above in the ingredient list.

3.) Combine everything in a large mixing bowl.

4.) Add salt: Sprinkle 1 TBSP plus 1½ tsp of additive-free salt (or use 2.5% of the total weight of ingredients, measure in grams).

5.) Massage the mixture thoroughly: Using clean hands, vigorously knead and compress the cabbage and vegetables for 5–10 minutes. Continue until the mixture softens and releases abundant liquid, forming a natural brine. The brine must be kept as it will be used to submerge the cabbage. (Excess brine at the end, if present, can be used for other purposes or discarded.)

6.) Pack the mixture into a fermentation vessel: Firmly press it into a clean glass jar or crock, eliminating air pockets and ensuring all solids are fully submerged beneath the brine. Don’t discard any excess brine until it’s clear the cabbage can be fully submerged.

7.) Weigh down and cover: Use a fermentation weight or other food-safe option to keep contents submerged. Top the jar with an airlock lid or you can use the metal lid and band but will need to manually burp the jar once daily for a couple weeks to allow gases to escape.

8.) Ferment at room temperature: Let the sauerkraut ferment in a cool, dark place (65–75°F); note it will become more sour and less crunchy the longer it is fermented; this is a personal preference). There is no need to open the jar or stir the contents; in fact, despite frequent advice to do so, this introduces air/oxygen to the product and should be avoided.

9.) Refrigerate when ready: Once the desired tanginess is achieved, seal the jar and store it in the refrigerator. It will continue to develop flavor and stay good for several months, or possibly years. You may open the jar to sample the sourness & flavor of the kraut but it isn’t recommended to do so before waiting at least a couple weeks.

Recommended ferment length (before refrigerating): 21-90 days (or longer as desired)

This Reuben sandwich made use of a batch of golden kraut that was about five years old. In the fridge it remained well fermented, exploding with flavor, and still very crispy! Served with homemade pastrami, homemade Russian dressing, homemade garlic dill pickles, and homemade sourdough rye bread!

The key to a crispy kraut for the long-term is to keep it as submerged in the brine as possible (kept in fridge), and to transfer contents to a smaller jar when it can fit.