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Jump to RecipeWhen you have 60 heads of cabbage that you need to harvest, you make some good ol’ fashion sauerkraut to keep it shelf stable!
Sauerkraut gets a bad rep, most people think it just goes on hot dogs and can’t get over the tang that it carries. The thing is though, that sauerkraut if an amazing probiotic food that provides your gut with so many healthy benefits.
Sauerkraut is one of the simplest recipes that you can practice if you are just starting out fermenting or even if you are dipping your toe into the world of food preservation.
Like milk kefir, sauerkraut is misunderstood! Most people don’t even know what it really is.
Table of Contents
- What the F is Sauerkraut?
- How to Make Sauerkraut
- What you’ll need:
- Important Tips:
- Tip #1
- Tip #2
- Tip #3
- Tip#4
- Tip #5
- Directions:
- Easiest way to extract liquid
- Watch Your Sauerkraut
- Let’s talk mold for a second.
- Not sure what taste you are looking for?
What the F is Sauerkraut?
Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage. Fermented foods are created through the act of live organisms converting carbohydrates into alcohol or an acid. In the case of sauerkraut it is an acid, lactic acid to be exact.
This specific fermentation process uses salt to draw out the liquid from within the cabbage, which then creates an anaerobic environment. An anaerobic environment means an environment free of oxygen. This type of environment allows the good bacteria to multiply without allowing bad bacteria to grow.
You may have also heard of “Lacto-Fermentation” which is essentially the same concept. “Lacto” comes from the bacteria name Lactobacillus. Lactobacillus bacteria usually grows on the leaves of plants that grow closely to the ground. Cabbage being a great candidate! Lactobacillus bacteria transforms sugars into lactic acid.
How to Make Sauerkraut
What you’ll need:
Head of Organic cabbage
***Listen people, use organic. You are not about to make delicious fermented foods to help heal your body and use vegetables that are sprayed with chemicals. You want as fresh as possible right out of the “dirt” cabbage. Or at least use it the same day you bring it home from the store. Got it!
Glass jar or crock
Sea Salt or Celtic Sea Salt
Important Tips:
Tip #1
Do not use iodized salt. These salts contain anti-cracking agents and prohibit bacteria from growing. Remember, we want good bacteria to grow.
Tip #2
Rule of thumb here for salt to vegetable ratio is for every 1 1/2 pounds of mass you have (veggies) you use 1 tablespoon of salt.
However, I have altered this rule of thumb and have always produced amazing sauerkraut. I salt my shredded cabbage to taste preference and then a touch more. If you over salt your cabbage, no matter how long you allow it to ferment, it will be salty. So play around with the amount of salt.
Tip #3
Most recipes will tell you to save a couple of cabbage leaves to push down the mass. I say, NO! Every time I use this concept I end up with mold and I end up having to remove it anyway. Invest in some glass weights, they will change your life.
Tip#4
Don’t pound your sauerkraut over and over again. Massaging your cabbage is KEY!
Tip #5
If you find that you just can’t squeeze any more liquid out of your cabbage and you don’t have enough to cover the mass, you can add filtered water to the top.
Directions:
- Wash and remove the outer damaged leaves of the cabbage.
- Cut the core out by slicing the cabbage in half then removing the core. Cut a V shape where the solid core piece is and pull it out.
- Thinly slice your cabbage and place in a bowl.
- Sprinkle salt over cabbage and start massaging.
Easiest way to extract liquid
Now, you may watch videos or read other post and they tell you to take a wooden spoon or cooking mallet of some sort and pound the veggies to acquire the liquid. Please don’t waste your muscle on that non-sense. Sprinkle the salt over your cabbage, massage for about 5 minutes. Cover with saran wrap or a towel and allow to sit for about 30 minutes. Come back to it and massage for about another 5-10 minutes.
You should have yourself a beautiful amount of liquid.
When massaging it, massage it with love. Don’t laugh, hear me out. Put love into it. This is meant to heal your body and by putting good energy into it while making it, only heals even more.
- Once you have enough liquid, put cabbage in clean glass jar or crock. Push down cabbage mass as much as possible. The key here is to have the liquid rise above the cabbage.
- Put your weight on top.
Make sure all your cabbage is under the liquid, no little piece left behind yo!
This prevents mold from growing.
- Now place your lid on top. If you don’t have one of these fancy lids, I highly suggest you get yourself some. BUT you can also use a loose fitting plastic lid, coffee filter, or cheese cloth. This fancy lid just does the dirty work of allowing the carbon dioxide out without letting oxygen in and since using them, I get a perfect ferment EVERY TIME.
- Place jar inside a cool dark place like a pantry or cabinet and allow to do its thing for about 5-12 days.
Watch Your Sauerkraut
You want to start checking the taste after about 5 days. If it is still to salty, let it go for a few more days. If it has the right amount of sour then it’s good to go in the fridge.
Let’s talk mold for a second.
Sometimes when your mass is not pushed down ALL the way, mold can start to grow. Honestly, unless it is straight up black mold, growing throughout your entire jar, it is ok to just scrap out that area and continue your ferment. A lot of the time scum (foamy looking bubbles) will form over the top, again that is totally cool yo, just scrap it out and make sure your mass is sitting under the liquid.
Not sure what taste you are looking for?
Trust your tastebuds.
Taste it and what ever makes your toes want to dance, then that’s your ferment. Some people will let it ferment for 3 weeks, some 5 weeks, some 4 days! Remember, the longer you let it ferment the more bacteria and more health benefits there are. But the more sour the taste.
Not into cabbage. It’s cool yo, gather up whatever veggies you have that tickle your fancy, chop them up, and ferment. The ratio is going to be the same for every 1 1/2 pounds of mass, you use 1 tablespoon of salt. Or to taste.
Sauerkraut
Equipment
- Glass jar or crock
- Fermenting lids Optional But Recommended
- Weight
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Organic cabbage
- 1 tbsp Sea Salt or Celtic Sea Salt
Instructions
- Wash and remove the outer damaged leaves of the cabbage.
- Cut the core out by slicing the cabbage in half then removing the core. Cut a V shape where the solid core piece is and pull it out.
- Thinly slice your cabbage and place in a bowl.
- Sprinkle salt over cabbage and start massaging.
- Once you have enough liquid, put cabbage in clean glass jar or crock. Push down cabbage mass as much as possible. The key here is to have the liquid rise above the cabbage.
- Put your weight on top.
- Now place your lid on top. If you don’t have one of these fancy lids, I highly suggest you get yourself some. BUT you can also use a loose fitting plastic lid, coffee filter, or cheese cloth. This fancy lid just does the dirty work of allowing the carbon dioxide out without letting oxygen in and since using them, I get a perfect ferment EVERY TIME.
- Place jar inside a cool dark place like a pantry or cabinet and allow to do its thing for about 5-12 days.
Notes
Until next time…
Thanks for helping me through this a bit better. Now I will dare to ferment for different amounts of time to get the taste I like the best. and reading about mold helped a bunch. I’ve thrown batches away at the first small sign of mold. Now I know better!
Oh no!! Well, I am glad to hear that you are willing to give it another shot! Let us know how it comes out.