sauerkraut

Polish Sauerkraut (Kiszona kapusta)

Pickled Eisbein served with sauerkraut

Dutch sauerkraut ("zuurkool") mashed with potatoes in pan

Sauerkraut (pronounced /ˈsaʊrkraʊt/; ˈzaʊ.ɐ.kʁaʊt, Yiddish: [ˈzɔi̯.əʀ.kʀɔi̯t]) is finely shredded cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria, including Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus.^[1][2] It has a long shelf-life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid that forms when the bacteria ferment the sugars in the cabbage. It is therefore not to be confused with coleslaw, which receives its acidic taste from vinegar.

The word comes directly from the German language, which literally translates to sour cabbage.^[1] Sauerkraut is traditional in German, Austrian, Slovenian, Croatian, Slovak, Polish (Kiszona Kapusta), Czech, Dutch (zuurkool), Estonian (hapukapsas), Latvian (skābi kāposti), Lithuanian (rauginti kopūstai), Danish (surkål), Romanian, Serbian, Bulgarian (кисело зеле kiselo zele), Russian, Ukrainian, Hungarian, and Belarusian cuisines. It is also part of the native cuisine of Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Trentino (capuzi garbi and crauti) in Northern Italy, and Alsace Lorraine in North Eastern France (choucroute). Finally, it is also popular in many parts of Northeast China, Northern China, the USA, Chile (chucrut), and Canada.

History

Fermentation of cabbages in salt and acidic liquids dates back to prehistoric times and probably was described first by Pliny the Elder during the first century AD.^[1] Modern preparation techniques are thought to have been developed sometime between AD1550 and 1750.^[1]

In his 1772 Treatise on Scurvy, James Lind discussed the ability of German seamen to withstand long sea voyages without succumbing to scurvy compared to seamen from other countries, and pointed to their consumption of fermented cabbage as a defining difference.^[3]

In 1776, Captain James Cook was awarded the Copley Medal for demonstrating that sauerkraut could be used to allay scurvy in British crews on long sea voyages.^[1]

Preparation

Storage

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Traditionally, sauerkraut is prepared in a stoneware crock and the seal is created with a piece of wet linen cloth, a board, and a heavy stone. This arrangement is not fully airtight and will lead to spoiled sauerkraut unless the surface of the brine is skimmed daily to remove molds and other aerobic contaminants that grow on the surface where there is contact with air.

Fermentation

Choucroute garnie, a traditional dish of Alsace, where sauerkraut is garnished with sausages and other pork meats

Sauerkraut is made by a process of pickling called lacto-fermentation that is analogous to how traditional (not heat-treated) pickled cucumbers are made. Fully-cured sauerkraut keeps for several months in an airtight container stored at or below 15°C (59°F). Neither refrigeration nor pasteurization is required, although these treatments may prolong storage life. However, pasteurization will destroy all of the beneficial digestive enzymes and lactic acid bacteria, as well as the valuable vitamin C content, so it greatly diminishes the nutritional value without any significant benefit.

No special culture of lactic acid bacteria is needed because these bacteria already are present on raw cabbage. Yeasts also are present, and may yield soft sauerkraut of poor flavor when the fermentation temperature is too high. The fermentation process has three phases. In the first phase, anaerobic bacteria such as Klebsiella and Enterobacter lead the fermentation, and begin producing an acid environment that favours later bacteria. The second phase starts as the acid levels become too high for many bacteria, and Leuconostoc mesenteroides and other Leuconostoc spp. take dominance. In the third phase, various Lactobacillus species including L. brevis and L. plantarum ferment any remaining sugars, further lowering the pH.^[1][2]

Salt (sodium chloride) is a major component in both the fermentation process and the flavour profile of sauerkraut, and typically is added in proportions between 0.6% and 2% relative to the amount of cabbage.^[1] For preparation at home, the USDA recommends a greater amount of salt than is traditional, making the sauerkraut unpalatably salty unless rinsed before eating. Such rinsing removes much of the nutrient content and flavor. When traditional amounts of salt are used, temperature control is critical, because spoilage leading to food poisoning can occur if the fermentation temperature is too high. However, once made, sauerkraut is a very safe food because its high acidity prevents spoilage. USDA also recommends pasteurizing sauerkraut for storage. This is not necessary if the raw sauerkraut has been properly made and stored, and will needlessly diminish the nutritional value. A slimy or excessively soft texture, discoloration, or off-flavor may indicate spoilage.

Serving

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Sauerkraut may be eaten raw and unadorned; in this form it is often eaten as a relish with meat dishes. Raw sauerkraut dressed with oil and onions is served as a salad, while warmed sauerkraut is also commonly served on a Reuben sandwich.

Health and nutrition

Aphrodisiac

A study at King's College, London run by nutritionist Lejla Kazinic Kreho found that "pickled cabbage", or sauerkraut, was as effective as the popular drug Viagra] at increasing sexual function.^[4] Kreho made the claim in her book Nutrition of the 21st Century.^[5]

Health benefits

Raw sauerkraut is an extremely healthy food. It is an excellent source of vitamin C, lactobacilli, and other nutrients. However, the low pH and abundance of otherwise healthy lactobacilli may upset the intestines of people who are not used to eating acidic foods. (In such cases, it is advisable to eat small amounts daily until the person's digestive system adjusts.) Studies suggest that fermented cabbage may be even more healthy than the raw vegetable, with increased levels of anti-cancer agents such as isothiocyanates.^[6]

Before frozen foods and the importation of foods from the Southern hemisphere became readily available in northern and central Europe, sauerkraut provided a vital source of the aforementioned nutrients during the winter. Captain James Cook always took a store of sauerkraut on his sea voyages, since experience had taught him that it was an effective preventative of scurvy.^[7][8]

It is now known that the preservation of sauerkraut in an anaerobic environment (in the brine) keeps the vitamin C in it from being oxidized.^{[clarification needed]} There is some evidence that indicates that kimchi, and by extension sauerkraut, may be used to treat avian influenza in birds.^[9] Currently, there is no evidence of its effect on human cases.

Sauerkraut is also a source of biogenic amines such as tyramine, which may cause adverse reactions in sensitive people.^[10][11] It also provides various cancer-fighting compounds including ITC and sulphoraphane.^{[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]}

Sauerkraut juice is also credited with high medical qualities; its consumption is recommended for flu prevention, as a gastroregulator for a variety of gastrointestinal conditions, from diarrhea to constipation, ulcers, bronchitis and various other digestive and respiratory diseases and disorders, anemia, but its most popular use in the regions where it's produced has always been as a major remedy against hangover, since it not only drives away the headache, but it also neutralises the effects of alcoholic intoxication on the stomach and intestinal mucosa and cleans the liver.^[20]

Similar foods

There are many other vegetables that are preserved by a similar process.

• Turkish Lahana Turşusu
• Korean kimchi
• Japanese tsukemono
• Filipino atchara
• Chinese suan cai
• Indonesian sayur asin

Also a feed for cattle, silage, is made the same way.

There is a dessert known as sauerkraut candy which is a penuche made with coconut flakes. While this candy resembles sauerkraut visually, it does not necessarily contain sauerkraut as an ingredient.^[21]

Cultural references

• American soldiers in World War II referred to German soldiers as "Krauts", in reference to the sauerkraut^{[citation needed]} the German soldiers were known to consume at that time, which was typically bitter and sour. The word is still used as an ethnic slur against people of German descent.
• During World War I, due to concerns the American public would reject a product with a German name, American sauerkraut makers relabeled their product as "Liberty cabbage" for the duration of the war.^[22]
• In the USA, there is an annual sauerkraut festival held in Phelps, New York and also in Waynesville, Ohio.
• The area of Europe where sauerkraut is probably the most typical regional dish is around Leinfelden-Echterdingen. The town, where the Stuttgart Airport is located, holds an annual "Krautfest" around the middle of October. The event has taken place since 1978 and attracts as many as 40,000 visitors.^{[citation needed]}
• In the Weird Al song "Albuquerque".
• Albert Goldman, in his 1981 biography of Elvis Presley ("Elvis"), makes frequent mention of the singer enjoying sauerkraut mixed up with mashed potatoes, sliced tomatoes and crispy bacon.

See also

Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe/module on Sauerkraut

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sauerkraut

• Foods containing tyramine
• Pickling
• Kimchi
• Kraut
• Bratwurst (Bratwurst, Sauerkraut, and potatoes being a traditional dish in various parts of the German-speaking world)

References

Bibliography

• USDA Canning guides, Volume 7
• "rec.foods.preserving FAQ". http://rfpfaq.jaclu.com/rfpFAQ.htm. Retrieved on 2006-04-23. 
• Aubert, Claude (1999). Keeping Food Fresh: Old World Techniques & Recipes. Chelsea Green Publishing Company. ISBN 1-890132-10-1. 
• Katz, Sandor Ellix (2003). Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods. Chelsea Green Publishing Company. ISBN 1-931498-23-7. http://www.wildfermentation.com/. Retrieved on 2006-04-23. 
• Kaufmann, Klaus (2001). Making Sauerkraut and Pickled Vegetables at Home. Book Publishing Company. ISBN 9781553120377. http://www.cc6582.hostcentric.com/public_html/bpc/products/making-sauerkraut. 

External links

• Live Sauerkraut Recipe
• German Food Guide: Sauerkraut
• 12 International Sauerkraut Recipes
• Korean dish "may cure bird flu"
• Wild Fermentation recipe for making sauerkraut
• The Sauerkraut Fermentation described here
• Fermenting food since before H. sapiens appeared
• Official L-E Krautfest Homepage
• Photo Tutorial on Making Sauerkraut and KimChi