Kapusta kiszona - Polish Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is not only a treasure trove of vitamins and a health source of probiotics, but also the key to Poland's culinary history. This is one of those dishes that takes us back to the times when the taste of a dish was as important as its nutritional value. Sauerkraut was and is used in Poland to prepare many dishes.

The presence of sauerkraut on Polish tables has roots dating back hundreds of years. It's not just food, it's a piece of history. It takes us back to the times when the kitchen was the heart of the family home and the taste of the dish was a symbol of a shared meal.

In Polish homes, preparing sauerkraut is a ritual passed down from generation to generation. With each step of preparation for sauerkraut, we move back in time. To the moments when our grandmothers and great-grandmothers cultivated this tradition with full commitment.

Properly pickled cabbage is not only an excellent ingredient in many dishes, but also a source of health. The pickling process makes cabbage rich in probiotics, supporting our digestive system and strengthening our immunity. This is one of the few dishes in which taste and health go hand in hand, creating harmony not only on the plate, but also in our body.

Depending on the region of Poland, there were two methods of pickling. They differed in the vessel for this process. The first method is to pickle cabbage using a stoneware. This is one of the oldest methods dating back to the Middle Ages and perhaps even earlier times. Stoneware has long been used for many purposes by many peoples around the world.

The second method involved using a wooden barrel. This is the newer and most common method. It is still cultivated by many villagers. But, it is slowly being replaced by newer methods. We will describe the barrel pickling process in more detail in the next section.

Nowadays, you can also use glass jars of appropriate capacity for pickling. On the one hand, it allows you to pickle in the comfort of your home. On the other hand, it interrupts the pickling tradition in which the whole family participated.

Pickling cabbage in a barrel.

Before the sauerkraut process began, the quality of the barrel was always taken care of. We choose hardwood, excluding coniferous, to avoid giving the product an unwanted taste or smell of resin.

The barrel was seasoned over the summer in the cellar, but its condition was always checked before the process began. The hoops were adjusted and a water test was performed by watering the barrel overnight to make sure it was not leaking.

Such a prepared barrel was thoroughly cleaned both inside and outside with a wisp of straw, taking care of every detail. The barrel was expressed by adding stones heated red-hot in a plate or bread oven. After throwing them into 1/3 of the water, they were covered with linen cloth and waited until it began to boil. Only after this process was the barrel ready for pickling. Any possible leak was sealed with paraffin.

Traditional pickling of cabbage begins with cutting the heads by hand. A handful of salt is poured at the bottom of the barrel and the heads are placed, and between them is added chopped cabbage 'rubbed' with salt.

The next layers are shredded cabbage with apple pieces, finely chopped carrots, and the obligatory cranberries and cumin. Everything was thoroughly beaten with a punch until the cabbage released its juice. Next layers of cabbage are then added, beating until the barrel is almost full.

Without a cover, the next day holes were pierced in the barrel with a stick so that the bitterness could come out. When the cabbage was pickled, it was closed with a wooden bottom. They were weighted with stone and covered with linen cloth. The entire process took place in the same barrel in which the cabbage was pickled, keeping it in the cellar until mid-summer.