Making Sauerkraut at Home
You do not need a starter culture or fancy equipment to make this. All you need is the patience to let the natural microbes on the cabbage leaves do the work they have been doing for generations.
Consistency is the brine's best friend.
The salt ratio is the only thing that matters here to keep bad bacteria at bay. Weighing your cabbage is much more accurate than relying on cup measurements.
- large mixing bowl
- digital kitchen scale
- wide-mouth glass jar
- glass weight or a small stone wrapped in cheesecloth
- clean kitchen towel
What goes in.
- 2 lbgreen cabbage, cored and shredded
- 20 gsea salt (coarse or fine, non-iodized)
Breaking down the cell walls
You must massage the salt into the shredded cabbage until a pool of liquid forms at the bottom of the bowl. This brine is essential for keeping the cabbage submerged throughout the process.
The method.
Weigh the cabbage
Remove the tough outer leaves and set one aside. Shred the remaining cabbage as thin as you like, then weigh it to ensure you are adding exactly 2 percent of its weight in salt.
Massage and wait
Combine cabbage and salt in the bowl. Squeeze handfuls firmly for about 10 minutes. When you see a significant amount of liquid pooling, it is ready to pack.
Pack the jar
Transfer the cabbage into your jar in small batches, pressing down hard with your fist after each handful to eliminate air pockets. The liquid should rise above the level of the cabbage.
Submerge
Place the reserved outer cabbage leaf over the top, then set your weight on top of it. Ensure the cabbage remains completely under the brine.
Ferment
Cover the jar with a towel and place it in a cool, dark place. Check it daily to ensure the cabbage stays submerged. After 3 weeks, move it to the refrigerator to stop the fermentation.
Other turns to take.
Caraway Seed
Add one tablespoon of caraway seeds during the packing step for a traditional earthy aroma.
Juniper Berry
Crush five or six dried juniper berries and mix them in to provide a piney, woodsy sharpness.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If the cabbage doesn't release enough liquid to cover itself after 12 hours, add a small splash of filtered water with a pinch of salt dissolved in it.
Do not use iodized salt, as the additives can interfere with the fermentation process.
The cabbage should smell pleasantly sour and tangy; if you see fuzzy mold or it smells like rot, discard it.
The ones that keep coming up.
How do I know when it is finished?
Taste it after two weeks. If it has the sharp, acidic bite you prefer, it is done. Some people leave it for up to six weeks for a deeper flavor.
Why did my brine turn cloudy?
Cloudiness is a sign of healthy bacterial activity. It is completely normal.
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