How To Make Sauerkraut

This is my signature sauerkraut recipe that is incredible! It's probiotic rich and nutrient dense, not to mention delicious! It's a must-make for all fermenters, new or experienced.

Keyword: fermented cabbage, how to make sauerkraut, sauerkraut, sauerkraut recipe

Equipment

Quart / Liter Jars wide mouth
Glass Fermentation Weights alternative weights are okay to use
Lid A regular lid will work. Optionally you can use a specialty fermenting lid.
Wooden Dowel optional
Canning Funnel optional
Spice Grinder optional

Ingredients

4-4.5 lb. Cabbage Sliced
2 c Carrots Chopped
⅓ c Ginger Root Peeled and chopped
2 tbsp Whole Fennel Seeds Freshly ground. Sub with dill seeds or caraway seeds.
2 tbsp Salt Pure salt without anticaking agents.

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

The Cabbage

Unless the cabbage has dirt on it, there is no need to wash the cabbage because the outer leaves are being removed. Inspect the cabbage and remove any imperfect leaves. The inner leaves are typically pristine after a few of the outer leaves are removed.
After the scrubby outer leaves are removed, next remove 2 to 3 of the newly exposed good condition leaves. Keep these leaves in tact the best you can and set aside for later use.
Quarter the cabbage and cut out the stem portion.
Slice the cabbage with a sharp knife or in a food processor. A medium to thick slice is best.
Add all the shredded cabbage to a large mixing bowl.

The Other Ingredients

Peel and chop the carrot and add to the mixing bowl.
Peel and chop the fresh ginger root and add to the mixing bowl.
Grind the spice seeds in a spice/seed grinder or a coffee bean grinder (completely cleaned out of course!) Then sprinkle over the ingredients in the mixing bowl.
With your clean hands, give the vegetable mixture a light mixing as to incorporate everything.

The Salt

Sprinkle the salt over the vegetable mixture a little at a time. In between each sprinkle, move the ingredients around as to fully incorporate the salt from top to bottom.
Allow the cabbage/vegetable mixture to rest for 30 to 60 minutes. During this time the salt will begin working on the cabbage by drawing out natural juices as well as softening the cabbage.

Tenderize the Cabbage

After the first rest period is complete, use your freshly washed hand to firmly massage the cabbage. Additionally, you may use a wooden dowel to pound the cabbage. Or, switch back and forth using hands and dowel. Work the cabbage for 15-20 minutes.
If you would like visual understanding of how to massage & pound the cabbage, watch the video where I provide a demonstration.
After working the cabbage by massaging and/or pounding, it should be very tender and juicy. An accumulation of natural juices will be at the bottom of the bowl and when you pick up & squeeze a handful of the mixture, ample juice will release.
Allow the cabbage to rest a second time for 15 to 30 minutes. After this second rest period, the cabbage will be loaded into the jars. Optionally, a large fermenting crock may be used in place of jars.
If little to no juice has released from the cabbage, then you have a "dry cabbage" meaning it does not have sufficient hydration for the salt to draw from. See the alternate "Dry Cabbage" instructions below to know what to do.

Alternate Instructions For A Dry Cabbage

Skip these alternate instructions if your cabbage became nice & juicy after the 1st resting period accompanied by massaging and pounding.
However if you're cabbage is lacking natural juice formation, follow these alternate instructions to create a handmade brine.
First, you won't know you have a dry cabbage until after the 1st rest period when it's become obvious that little to no juice has formed. Additionally, the cabbage will still feel stiff and will resist softening when massaged or pounded.
Since the needed amount of salt is already added, simply pour 3 cups (700 ml) water over the cabbage mixture in the bowl. Lightly toss the mixture around as have everything coated by the water.
Allow the cabbage to rest in the salty water for 15 to 30 minutes.
When you feel the cabbage after the second rest period, you will notice that it still has firmness to it. This is normal for a dry cabbage.
Load the jars in the exact same manner as given in the next group of instructions.
Be aware that due to the firmness of the 'dry cabbage', it will not pack down as tightly as the natural-brine cabbage. Therefore an extra jar will most likely be needed.

Load the Jars

Prepare the jars and fermenting weight by washing them with hot soapy water. Sterilization is not required, hot & soapy water is sufficient.
Take 2 large handfuls of the cabbage mixture and drop it into the jar. A canning funnel is very helpful with this step because it prevents the cabbage mixture from spilling out during the loading process. However, it is not required.
With either your fist or a dowel, firmly press the mixture down as to push out any air pockets.
With each handful of cabbage mixture, make sure it is nice & juicy by grabbing the wet stuff toward the bottom of the mixing bowl.
If you are working with a 'dry cabbage', add a small scoop or two of the handmade brine and add to the jar.
Repeat this process of loading and packing until the jar is 75-80% full.

Cabbage Leaf Topper

It is time to make the cabbage leaf topper. With the cabbage leaves set aside from earlier, tear off pieces of the leaves to fit into the jar overtop the sauerkraut.
Use the friction of the leaf piece against the glass to create a secure hold. The cabbage leaf topper will help hold the sauerkraut beneath the brine during the fermentation period. It also helps protect the finished sauerkraut during long term storage.
Use several pieces of the leaves to completely cover the top of the sauerkraut. It doesn't have to be perfect since a glass fermenting weight will be used next.
If you would like to see a demonstration of how to create the cabbage leaf topper, watch the video at the 9min,15sec time stamp where I provide a visual example.
Load the 2nd jar exactly in the same way including the cabbage leaf topper.
Evenly distribute any remaining juice/brine from the bottom of the mixing bowl by pouring it over the sauerkraut in both jars.
Add the fermenting weight to each jar and press it down. The brine should either cover the weight completely or by at least 80%.
If you find yourself significantly short on natural brine do this: Add 1½ teaspoon of fine salt to 1 cup of water or 10g salt to 250ml water. Mix thoroughly then pour the additional handmade brine into the jars that need it.
Place a loose, regular lid on the jar. So long as the lid is loose and not tight, the fermentation gasses will be able to escape and you will not need to burp the jar during the fermentation period.
Alternatively, you can use a specialty fermenting lid but it is not required.

The Fermentation Period

Place the jars of sauerkraut on a dish towel and leave on the counter for 21 to 30 days. The dish towel under the jars will catch any possible brine overflow that may occur during the 1st week of the the fermentation period.
The ideal environmental temperature between 70-85°F (21-29°C). This is an optimal range that will allow the sauerkraut to ferment at a nice pace, not too fast and not too slow.
Note: The cooler the environmental temperature is, the slower the fermentation will take place. The warmer the environmental temperature is, the faster the fermentation will take place.

What To Expect

Colors will change from vibrant to muted.
Carbon dioxide bubbles will form during the 1st week of fermentation, then die off during week 2 and 3.
A healthy fermentation should have a light soury-sweet smell with hints of sulfur due to cabbage being high in sulfur compounds. If the fermentation smells offensive or rotten, throw it away.

Ending The Fermentation

By the third week, the sauerkraut will have reached its desired level of fermentation. The flavors will have intensified, the probiotics will be maximumly developed and the nutrients of the ferment will be increased such as B-vitamins and enzymes.
At this stage, you can choose to end the fermentation or continue fermenting for another week if you prefer a stronger sour flavor.
With clean hands, remove the fermenting weight.
With a clean utensil, pull back the cabbage leaf topper. Then take out a bite to taste test! Be sure not to double dip if you eat from the utensil.
To store the sauerkraut long term, do not return the weight to the jar. Place a tight lid on the jar and store in the refrigerator.
If everything was done correctly, the sauerkraut can last 1 to 2 years properly stored in the refrigerator.
If you plan on eating the sauerkraut starting now, you don’t have to keep the cabbage leaf topper on. You can take it out and eat it!
If you plan on storing the sauerkraut for some time before getting to it, keep the topper on because it will help preserve and protect the sauerkraut below until the jar is opened later.

Video

Notes

The fermentation must be stored below 50F or 8C , preferably between 38-45F or 3-7C, in order to last a long time. Our ancestors used root cellars or buried ceramic pots in the ground over winter to achieve these temperatures, but these days most people don’t have a root cellar nor bury pots in the ground. That’s why for modern times, a refrigerator is needed.

Unfortunately if you live in a hot climate being warmer than 90F/32C, perhaps with added humidity and without a refrigerator, your sauerkraut will not be able to last long term and will run its course within a few weeks. Without cold storage, long term storage isn’t possible.