Spicy Sauerkraut Recipe – for Those Who Like It HOT

Sauerkraut – sour cabbage is a wonderful ferment for beginners. It is easy to make with two simple ingredients – fresh green cabbage and salt. You make spicy sauerkraut by adding your favorite spice like chili peppers or jalapenos. If you are a spice lover you can use habaneros – very hot chili peppers.

What do I need?

To make spicy sauerkraut is easy. Firstly, get a green fresh medium size cabbage or two small cabbages. The fresher the cabbage, the more juice will be released during the pounding or massaging process. When possible try to source the cabbage from an organic shop or a farmer’s market.

Use a good quality salt which hasn’t been chemically processed like sea salt, kosher salt or pink Himalayan salt. They are all equally good.

Once you mix cabbage with salt and other vegetables and spices you will need to pounder the mixture with a wooden spoon or to massage it with hands to get the juices out. Be patient as this process takes 5-15 minutes depending on the amount of cabbage. Pack the mixture tightly in a glass jar or a ceramic crock. To keep the cabbage submerged below the brine use glass fermentation weights.

Weights will stop the mold getting created at the top of the cabbage which can spoil the mixture. If you don’t have fermentation weights you can place a small ceramic plate and put a clean rock on the top of it. Avoid using any sort of plastic objects.

Classic sauerkraut vs spicy sauerkraut

Traditionally, sauerkraut is made with fresh shredded cabbage and salt. Nowadays, we all love experimenting with different flavors hence we do tend to add different herbs and spices to create new textures and aromas.  You are likely to come across sauerkraut made with caraway seeds or juniper berries. Both versions are absolutely delicious, easy to make and still considered as classic types of sauerkraut.

Spicy sauerkraut is traditional sauerkraut with added spices like jalapenos or chili peppers. You can add other veggies and spices and experiment even further. It is all about creating a perfect sour and spicy dish which goes well with meat dishes, sandwiches and burgers.

Spicy sauerkraut fermentation process

The fermentation process will take around 21 days depending on the type of cabbage, amount of salt and storage conditions. It will take around three days for the fermentation to start and after a week you can start tasting the sauerkraut. Ensure the sauerkraut is submerged below the brine. If the cabbage is for whatever reason floating above the brine you will find mold or scrum growing on the top of your brine. You can just scoop it out and push your cabbage below the brine. If the cabbage above the brine becomes moldy you will need to scoop it out too. The cabbage that remains below brine should be edible and tasty.

Once you get the flavor to your liking you can place the spicy sauerkraut in a refrigerator, basement or root cellar. Note that moving the spicy sauerkraut to a cooler place will slow down the fermentation process but it won’t stop it completely. As time progresses the spicy sauerkraut will get little more sour and spicy. I tend to make smaller batches so that a batch is consumed within the first two months.

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