Christmas Cranberry Sauerkraut

It doesn't have to be all bad when it comes to Christmas treats. Our Christmas Cranberry Sauerkraut is loaded with our favorite holiday flavors and so (and we mean SO) good on the gut. Sauerkraut is naturally loaded with vitamin C and probiotics–but it has to be homemade. Store bought sauerkrauts are typically heat-processed which kills the fermented goodness. Eating sauerkraut during the holidays will help improve your digestion, increase your immunity (buh-bye Christmas colds), and help improve your skin so you're looking tip-top at holiday parties. It's what we call a win-win-win-win situation. 

So what's the flavor like? Sour with sweet orange and cranberry undertones. We recommend eating a scoop here or there to make sure you're getting the probiotic health benefits during this not-so-healthy time, but it's also great to eat on sandwiches and as you would any other sauerkraut. Best of all, it's pretty, making it an incredible gift to give to hosts/hostesses and friends, especially if you top it off with a nice Mason jar lid.  

INGREDIENTS

• 1 head of cabbage, finely chopped (save an outer leaf)
• 1 packet of perfectly portioned Sauer Salt (it's new!) 
• 1 apple, cored and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup of dried cranberries (save 1/4 for after the ferment) 
• 1 orange, juiced (include pulp)

TOOLS

• 2 quart-sized wide mouth Mason jars 
• 2 wide mouth Tough Bands (can also use regular screw bands)
• 1 Pickle Packer
• 2 Pickle Pebbles
• 2 Pickle Pipes 
• Kefirko with juicer attachment (optional, but if you have one use it!) 

If you don't have any Masontops tools right now, you can pick up a Masontops Complete Fermentation Kit for 15% off until January 1, 2018 with coupon code "KITMAS". It includes 1x Pickle Packer, x4 Pickle Pebbles, x4 Pickle Pipes and a free recipe book. 

 STEPS

1. Place your shredded cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with Sauer Salt; leave for 20 minutes. Then pound with the Pickle Packer until liquid pools at the bottom of the bowl.
2. Mix in the apple, 1/4 cups of cranberry and 1/2 of your orange juice and continue to massage and pound. 
3. Tightly pack into a Mason jar with the Pickle Packer, allowing the brine to rise above the veggies. Continue to pack until there's 2" of head-space and pour in the rest of the orange juice.
4. With your remaining cabbage leaf, cutout a circle and place it into the mouth of the Mason jar, allowing brine to flow in, but keeping the shredded veggies submerged. Place the Pickle Pebble on top to keep it weighted down. 
5. Secure the Pickle Pipe airlock with your screw band or rust-free Tough Band and leave to ferment in a cool, dark place, like your kitchen cupboard, until ready. After 5 days, start to taste it and stop when you're satisfied with the flavor (typically 1 - 2 weeks). 
6. Serve with remaining cranberries sprinkled on top or move to the fridge with an airtight lid. 

And that's it! If you want to pump up the flavor, consider adding some orange zest or ginger.