How to Make Sauerkraut
Ingredients
- 1 Head of Cabbage
- 1 1/2 To 2 Teaspoons Sea or Kosher Salt per Pound of Cabbage (do not use Iodized salt)
- Apple Cider Vinegar (optional)
Instructions
Weigh your cabbage to see how much salt you should use. Remove the outer leaves of your cabbage and any that are damaged. Discard. Cut out the core and rinse the cabbage well, allowing the water to flow between the cabbage leaves. Drain well.
Reserve 1 nice outer leaf.
Thinly shred the remaining cabbage into 1/4" x 2" slices. Place in a large bowl. Sprinkle the calculated amount of salt over the cabbage and toss well. Let sit for 15 minutes.
Massage the cabbage with your hands for 5 minutes. The cabbage should release a good amount of liquid during this time.
Use a Pickle Packer to pack the cabbage firmly into a very clean glass quart jar. Pour the liquid that was released during kneading on top.
Cut a circle the same diameter as your jar out of the reserved cabbage leaf. Place it on top of the packed-down cabbage. Place a weight on top of the cabbage to ensure that it stays under the brine. If the brine doesn't completely cover the cabbage and weight, top off with a 2% solution of salt water (1 teaspoon salt per cup of water) or apple Cider Vinegar.
Place the silicone air lock on and screw a mason jar ring down over it. Place the jar in a rimmed pan (to catch any overflow) and allow to ferment at room temperature until the kraut is as sour as you like it. This can take anywhere from 1–4 weeks. The longer it ferments, the more sour it will get.
Keep an eye on your sauerkraut throughout the fermenting process. If the liquid gets too low, top it off with a 2% solution of salt water. If any scum forms on top of the liquid, skim it off.
When your sauerkraut is fermented to your liking, remove the weight, round of cabbage leaf, and replace the airlock with a solid lid. Store in the refrigerator. Sauerkraut can stay good in the fridge for months! It will have a better chance of not growing mold if the liquid covers the cabbage at all times. Again, you can always top off the liquid with a 2% salt water solution. It’s also a good idea to make sure to use a clean fork when you dish up sauerkraut. And put the lid back on the jar as soon as possible to minimize the risk of bacteria getting into the jar.
Some people like to flavor their sauerkraut with herbs such as dill or caraway seeds. You can also add other veggies such as peppers, carrots, garlic, or ginger.
