Sauerkraut a Sailors Vitamin C

what is sauerkraut

Sauerkraut, a so called superfood, consists of fermented cabbage which contains probiotic bacteria and large amounts of Vitamin C (with the fermentation the vitamin increases exponentially. Per 100g serve, sauerkraut contains approximately 15mg of Vitamin C, that is 25% of the recommended daily intake) . It also contains Vitamin B, K and A, folic acid and minerals like potassium, iron, calcium, phosphorous, sodium and magnesium.
It is very good for the immune system as it increases antibodies that fight infectious disease and creates antioxidants which helps with digestion.
It is cheap and extremely easy to make, as it only requires Cabbage and sea salt.

how sauerkraut saved the lives of many sailors

Scurvy is a decease, caused by a diet lacking in Vitamin C. It destroys the body’s tissues, causing symptoms such as general weakness, skin hemorrhages and rotting gums. If untreated scurvy leads to death.
During the Age of Sails (mid15^th – mid19^th century) more sailors died of scurvy than storms, battles and shipwrecks combined.

It was the Physician James Lind (1716-1794) who discovered the treatment for Scurvy by introducing fresh citrus fruit to the seamen’s diet.
As a result of his research Scurvy was eradicated from the British Navy.

Captain Cook introduced Sauerkraut to his crew’s diet, and ordered that it be eaten every day. Captain Cook never had a sailor die from Scurvy.

We do not have to worry too much about Scurvy anymore. Our diet is much more varied than the old sailors, and we rarely stay at sea for long enough to be fully deprived of fresh food. Yet, for those without fridges or limited space it still requires a bit of awareness to eat healthily onboard as fresh food is hard to keep.

We always keep sauerkraut onboard

It was our crew Jake, a Super Yacht Engineer from New Zealand who showed me how easy it’s made. Jake sailed with us from Brisbane to Airlie Beach in 2020.
Jake was a Fermentation enthusiast and and had even done a course. We had a many great sessions of smashing cabbage in the cockpit. Every batch was made with a new spice combination for variety in flavor.
Since Jake was onboard, I have always had a supply of homemade Sauerkraut. It stores well out of the fridge in non-tropical areas, and will keep fermenting without spoiling.
I have kept sauerkraut for over 6 months in the fridge. Although, here in the tropics, I store it in the fridge after it has fermented.

Jake’s Recipe

• 2kg Cabbage
• 3 tbsp. Sea salt (less for cold climates and more for hot)
• Seeds and spices for added flavor (I particularly like garlic, ginger, mustard seed, Caraway seeds and Dill seeds)
• Jars to store in

how to make it

• Chop or grate cabbage finely into a large bowl.
  Add any seed and spices or other vegetables like carrot for color and flavor.
• Sprinkle with salt and massage (smash) with hands to bring out juices. Keep massaging until the cabbage can be submerged in its own liquid.
• Once done, pack cabbage into jar filling almost to the top. Then pour the liquid over it, until the liquid is covering all the cabbage.
• At the end you can fit a piece “lit” of cabbage on top to hold down the sauerkraut.
  Place lit and store in a container to catch any spills which might ooze out during the fermentation.
• Place container in dark ‘cooler’ area to ferment. Remember to carefully crack lit every day to let out gasses and avoid any exploding jars.
  NOTES:
  Depending on the temperature the sauerkraut might be ready in only a couple of days to weeks. Taste every day and put in fridge when you are happy with the taste. The longer it is left to ferment, the more tangy it becomes.
  Mold can appear on the surface where the cabbage has been in contact with the air. This is not an issue, just skim it off, the kraut is protected under the brine.
  Sometimes the brine spills out, just add more saltwater if necessary.