Jim’s DIY Kimchi & Sauerkraut Recipes

I’ve spent a lot of time this year reading, listening and researching the best ways to nurture the gut biome for all its health benefits (better digestion, body composition, cellular function, sleep, mood, brain health, the list goes on and on). Time and again fermented foods top the list of recommendations from expert doctors. I’ve been on a “fermented foods journey” this year trying for the first time ever sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir and several other varieties of fermented goodness. Greek yogurt, kombucha, miso and tempeh are also fermented. Pro tip, most pickles are not fermented. 

I try to get in at least two fermented foods/day (some experts recommend as many as five!). I eat Greek yogurt, berries, basil seeds and local honey for breakfast which counts as one. And then I add a cup of sauerkraut or kimchi to my lunch or dinner. The brand Peter and I like the most is Wildbrine. Well… it was until my client Jim started giving me his homemade sauerkraut and kimchi! Understandably making your own fermented food isn’t for the weak of heart (or gut!). But for those with a DIY spirit who enjoy growing and making your own food I asked Jim to share how he makes such yummy and beautiful fermented foods at home. Here are his recipes for homemade Kimchi and Saurerkraut! 

Jim’s (aka Captain Kimchi’s) DIY Kimchi Recipe

Please note there are many variations. This is the one I am using at the moment. Do some research and see what works best for you. 

Making kimchi is similar to making sauerkraut, however there are distinct differences. 

First of all, I use a 1-gallon fermentation jar. This is pretty large. You can cut my recipe in half if that makes sense for you. (See picture below.)

Fermentation jars are easy, because the water lock prevents gas buildup. A quick search on Amazon will provide a plethora of options for fermentation jars.

Jim's Kimchi recipe:

• 2 Napa cabbages

• 6 TBSP of sea salt or kosher salt (NOT IODIZED is important)

• 3 large carrots

• 1 large daikon radish

• 1 bunch of scallions

• 2 tbsp of minced garlic (can be 2-3 cloves of garlic)

• 3 tbsp of fish sauce

• 1 heaped tbsp of spicy shrimp paste

• 3 fingers of fresh ginger - peeled

• 3 tbsp of aleppo pepper flakes (feel free to use hotter pepper flakes if desired)

• 4 oz water

Chop the Napa cabbages into usable chunks, removing the stem first. Place the cabbage in a large bowl or colander and mix well with the salt. Leave the cabbage alone for about two hours.

Meanwhile, peel and chop the carrots and daikon. I like to chop them into bite size pieces. Set these aside while you wait for the cabbage. Chop the scallions (green and white parts) into 1/2 inch to 1 inch pieces - put these in with the carrots and daikon.

Put the garlic, fish sauce, shrimp paste, ginger, pepper flakes and water into a food processor (I use a Ninja bullet) - blend until a nice paste is created.

After two hours, rinse the cabbage well -VERY well - you want to remove most, if not all of the salt. Place the cabbage and the rest of the vegetables into a large bowl. WEAR gloves for the next part. Mix the paste with the vegetables until you have it well covered with the spicy paste. 

Make sure your fermentation jar is clean, then place the mixture into the jar. Pack it down tightly with a wooden spoon.

The reason I use a fermentation jar is I can now leave the jar and not worry about opening the lid each day to release the pressure of the fermentation. If you have a tight lid, then make sure you release the pressure at least once a day. I like to re-pack the mixture each day as well with a wooden spoon.

After 2-5 days the fermentation action will slow down. That's when I pack the kimchi into jars and put them in the fridge. They should last quite a while (2-3 months) in the fridge.

Jim’s DIY Sauerkraut Recipe

I like to make a large batch - same reason as with the kimchi - I use the gallon fermenting jars to make the sauerkraut.

Ingredients for Jim's sauerkraut:

• 1 large green cabbage

• 1 large red cabbage

• 3 Tbsp non-iodized salt (sea salt, kosher, etc)

Method:

• Cut each cabbage in half, cut out the solid stem parts. slice each half as thinly as you like. I then like to cross cut the sliced cabbage for easy eating later. 

• Put the cabbage into a large (or 2) bowl and sprinkle the salt over it. Massage the salt into the cabbage until it starts to go a little bit limp. For me this is between five and ten minutes.

• Make sure the fermentation jar(s) are clean.

• Pack the cabbage into the fermentation jar. Pack it down tightly with a wooden spoon. Loosely place the lid on the jar.

• For the rest of the day, re-visit the jar every couple of hours and re-pack the cabbage. Let this go overnight.

• In the morning, pack the cabbage again, and check the level of the brine that has been created. You want the brine to cover all of the cabbage. I have started using fermenting weights in the jar to keep the cabbage below the level of the brine. If there is not enough brine, mix 1 cup of water with 1 tsp of salt and top it up until just covered. The idea is to prevent any mold growth.

• I then screw on the lid of the fermenting jar (making sure the water lock has water in it to let out any gasses) and place the jar in a dark place. 

• Every couple of days, check the jar. If the cabbage expands, ensure it's packed down and there is enough brine. 

• Personally, I like to leave the sauerkraut in the fermentation jar about two weeks. Experiment and see what works best for you. You will get some solid odors when you first open the jar after fermentation. Taste the sauerkraut through the fermentation process to see when it gets to where you want it.

• Once you are happy, transfer the sauerkraut into storage jars and place in the fridge. It will keep longer than it takes to eat it ;)

• Alternatives - you can add shredded beets to this recipe for a very dark red kraut. Also, I like to use the red cabbage for the added polyphenols that it has. The entire batch will be light to dark red depending on the ratios.