Beet Kraut

Introduction

Unsurprisingly, this is beets plus cabbage. It turns a lovely purply color even when using green cabbage and the brine that develops is not as viscous as straight up beets. I've recently done two batches so I'll put the information side by side for comparison.

Getting started: Ingredients, Tools, and Method

Batch 1

• 683 g green cabbage cut thinly with knife

• 667 g beets cut using the thin julienne blade on a mandolin

• Salt + Veg Method: 2% Diamond kosher salt by weight (worked out to 27g)

• Small pottery crock with ceramic weights and water moat

• Barn varies 55-65F so used kombucha mat set to 70F

Batch 2

• 630 g green cabbage cut thinly with knife

• 893 g beets cut using the thin julienne blade on a mandolin

• Salt + Veg Method: 2% Diamond kosher salt by weight

• added about 2 tbs brine from previously fermented plain kraut because batch seemed dry

• Small pottery crock with ceramic weights and water moat

• Barn being used as kitchen so heated during day to 67F (did not use mat)

The 3 main differences were

a) temperature/utilization of kombucha mat

b) slight difference in cabbage:beet ratio

c) addition of old brine with all its fermenty goodness to Batch 2

Notes

Batch 1

• Put in jars in refrigerator at 4 weeks

• Good sour flavor, very slight yeast flavor but nothing visible

• At 8 weeks (1 month in fridge) tastes great

Batch 2

• Put in jars in refrigerator at 14 days

• Great sour flavor, good beet/cabbage balance

• Mailed some to Oakland with positive feedback

Summary

The addition of the brine to Batch 2 possibly sped up the process.

Even though pure beets work better with a brine solution, the salt-only method works perfectly well when beets are cut with cabbage. Around a 50:50 cabbage:beets ratio should work with leeway in either direction.

This has become a go-to even though I originally wanted to have a pure beet ferment on hand. Temperatures 65-70F are working out.