sauerkraut
Cabbage fermented in a salt brine until tangy and sour, eaten cold as a condiment or warmed and cooked into dishes like reubens and sausages. The fermentation gives it a sharper, more sour edge than cabbage simply cooked with vinegar.
Buying guidance
Refrigerated sauerkraut in the deli case has a fresher, crunchier bite than the shelf-stable canned or jarred versions, which are pasteurized and softer; choose based on whether crunch matters. Check that jars have an intact seal and the brine looks clear rather than cloudy.
Substitutions
- Mild kimchi -- fermented and tangy in a similar way, but spicier and more garlicky; use less if heat isn't wanted.
- Cabbage braised with vinegar and a little salt -- not fermented, so it lacks the deeper sour tang, but reasonably close in texture when sauerkraut isn't on hand.
Tips & common mistakes
How long sauerkraut cooks changes its character a lot -- a long simmer mellows its sharp tang into a softer background flavor, while stirring it in during just the last few minutes keeps more of its bite and crunch intact.
Storage
Because it's preserved by fermentation and acidity, opened sauerkraut keeps considerably longer in the refrigerator than a typical vegetable -- weeks rather than days -- as long as it stays submerged in its own brine and is scooped out with a clean utensil each time.