homemade sauerkraut

Sauerkraut: the quintessential fermented food. And oh, what an easy one to make at home! Let me show you the most simple sauerkraut recipe ever. It&#x27;s literally just cabbage and salt. Step-by-step photos will guide your way!

Super Simple Cabbage Sauerkraut Recipe

cabbage

Sea salt, kosher salt, salt

Wash all of your supplies with hot water and possibly some plain white vinegar, but avoid using soap.

Weigh and/or tare your mixing bowl (or two)

Wash and chop or grate the cabbage into small pieces.

Add prepped veggie material to the mixing bowl, until you reach the desired weight (4 pounds for a half-gallon batch, 2 pounds for quart)

Sprinkle over 1 tbsp sea salt per 2 pounds cabbage. Toss and mix well.

Using clean hands, massage the cabbage for a few minutes. Stop and wait for ten minutes, then massage again. The cabbage should be significantly compressed and also release liquid - the natural brine for the ferment.

Pack all cabbage into the fermenting vessel (jar). Use a kraut pounder or other utensil to firmly press down to compact and remove excess air. Repeat and add more cabbage as needed until the jar is full to 1-2 inches from the top.

Don&#x27;t get rid of the excess liquid in the bowl! The cabbage should be fully submerged with brine. Add leftover liquid as needed to cover top.

Add optional &quot;cabbage cap&quot; leaf, fermentation weight, and air lock lid.

Allow to sit at room temperature (70-75F is ideal) for 7-10 days, depending on personal preference and temperature. Cooler temps = slower ferment activity.

Your ferment should bubble slightly during this time, colors will bleed or dampen, and the brine will become cloudy.

After 7-14 days at room temperature, remove the “cabbage cap” and air-lock lid, replace it with a regular lid, and move your finished simple cabbage sauerkraut to the fridge.

Shelf life: Most fermented foods are good for several months in the fridge, if not longer. We have enjoyed  sauerkraut nearly a year after it was made – though we usually eat it up far quicker than that! No, you don&#x27;t want to hot-bath can this. It will kill all the good probiotics.

Sauerkraut, a traditional German food high in vitamin C and healthy probiotics. It's a simple recipe that requires only 2 ingredients: cabbage and salt.

How to make sauerkraut

1 head green cabbage (3.3 pounds or 1.5 kilos)

Cut the cabbage into quarters and slice it into thin strips.

Combine the cabbage and salt in a large mixing bowl. Let it stand for 10 minutes.

Massage and squeeze the cabbage and salt together with your hands, kneading it thoroughly to break up the cellular structure of the shredded cabbage. It will become watery and limp and will also release its juice. This will take 5 or 10 minutes or until the cabbage reduces its volume by half.

Pack the cabbage into the jar as tightly as you can, pressing with your fist or a spoon, and add the liquid it released. If the cabbage isn’t completely submerged in it, you can make some brine dissolving 1.5 teaspoons of sea salt in one cup of water (250 ml) and add enough to completely cover the cabbage.

Close the jar and set aside at room temperature out of direct sunlight for about 4 weeks. Then transfer it into the fridge.

Serve it as a side dish with recipes like seitan, vegan meatloaf, tofu stir fry, or cauliflower steaks. It would also work great as a salad ingredient on quinoa salad or any other kind of salad.

Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge or the freezer for up to 6 months.

Thanks for this recipe, can't wait to try it. I never knew about keeping the oxygen out, tried to make this earlier this year and failed so will go and buy one of those jars.

Have a five gallon jar foaming and bubbling in the kitchen now. This is unbelievably easy and I can't wait to taste it.

Your pictures really helped me follow along with the recipe, I'm very excited to see how it turns out in a few weeks!

Nice and crunchy......Don't think you should cook with it though as it will kill all those lovely bugs.

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/O9JmLvP8.mp4

Sauerkraut, a traditional German food high in vitamin C and healthy probiotics. It’s a simple recipe that requires only 2 ingredients: cabbage and salt.

Homemade sauerkraut is the simplest way to populate your gut with a variety of nourishing probiotics for robust gut health and immune systems!

Probiotic Rich Homemade Sauerkraut {Fermented Cabbage}

cabbage (sliced thin or shredded)

sea salt

garlic

Put a big handful of the sliced cabbage into a clean pint jar, and sprinkle the sea salt over top. Using a wooden spoon or a vegetable pounder, press and stir the cabbage, squeezing the cabbage down. The salt will draw out the natural juices in the cabbage and it will create it's own brine with the sea salt. (It takes a few minutes for the juices to develop so be patient!)

Keep adding cabbage into the jar, packing it down into the jar, letting the salt soften the cabbage until you reach the top of the jar (Leaving about 1 inch of head-space at the top). Allow the salt to draw out enough juices in the cabbage to be fully submerged in the brine.

Put your fermenting weight&nbsp;on top of the cabbage/brine if you are using one, and wipe the rim of the jar clean.

Close up your jar (Put on your Pickle Pipe, or close the lid of your Fido Jar, or lid and use your Air-Lock. A simple plastic lid can work for your first time until you get the hang of things and want to invest in something to make your fermenting process easier.).

Set the jar at room temperature for 1-3 weeks depending on the taste you are going for. The longer it sits, the more flavor will develop. You can open and taste along the way until you are satisfied. I ferment mine for about 2 weeks, and that is the taste my kids enjoy best. Keep in mind that if you live in a warmer climate, you may not need as much time to ferment.

You&#039;ll love making sauerkraut at home in your stoneware crock! The probiotics in sauerkraut are oh-so-good for the gut. Just a few tablespoons of the juice with a meal is the best digestive aid around. Makes approximately 1 gallon.

Homemade Sauerkraut In A Stoneware Crock

Combine the shredded cabbage and sea salt in a big bowl. Stir. Taste and ensure it tastes like salty cabbage -- still pleasant but a bit on the salty side.

Cover the bowl with cheesecloth or a light cloth and let it sit for 30 minutes or an hour to get juicy. (The salt will begin pulling moisture out of the cabbage.)

Pack well into a clean 1-gallon crock to 2/3 or 3/4 full. (I use the Prepper Pro to pack the cabbage down tightly.)

Place cabbage leaves on the top of the mixture, followed by the weights. Then put the lid on the crock. Let ferment at room temperature (about 72 degrees Fahrenheit) for 5 to 10 days.

Check inside the crock a few times in the first 24 hours to ensure that the cabbage has released enough juice to rise above the cabbage leaves by about an inch (so the sauerkraut is completely submerged).

In about a week, check the sauerkraut to see if it's done. It should be salty, sour, crunchy and transformed from cabbage to kraut! (See video above for texture example.)

Move the entire crock to a refrigerator or cold storage. If it's too big, transfer the kraut to smaller jars that will fit your cold space.

Ensure the sauerkraut is submerged in brine even in cold storage. If it ever goes dry, add salt water or kraut juice from another batch.

You can eat right away or let it age more in cold storage.

Repack well each time you get in and out of the container.

Enjoy!

Homemade Sauerkraut is rich in probiotics and vitamins, and made with two simple ingredients - cabbage and salt. It is slightly acidic and sour, and full of flavor. One taste and you will never go back to the commercial sauerkraut sold in supermarkets. Sauerkraut is incredibly versatile, and goes with so many things. Try it hot on a reuben, cold on a salad, dressed up with sautéed onions and bacon, or on its own as a refreshing snack. Did I mention that it's super simple to make?&nbsp;

Homemade Sauerkraut

filtered water (See Note 2)

Remove outer leaves from cabbage, retaining 1 leaf.

Quarter cabbage and remove core. Cut into fine shreds with a sharp knife or food processor (See Note 3). Add salt at a rate of 1 teaspoon per pound of shredded cabbage. Massage cabbage with hands for 5 minutes to begin the process of breaking down the cabbage and the release of brine. Let sit for 30 minutes. Using potato masher, pound cabbage for 10 minutes.&nbsp;

Combine 2 cups of filtered water with remaining 3/4 teaspoon of sea salt.

Add cabbage to sterilized half-gallon mason jar (See Note 4). Top cabbage with retained cabbage leaf and weight (See Note 5). Add enough filtered water mixed with sea salt to ensure that the liquid level is above the cabbage.

Place lid with air-lock device on jar. Sauerkraut takes between 3 and 4 weeks to properly ferment. Yield:&nbsp; 2 pounds.

Homemade Sauerkraut has never been easier than my easy to follow steps and delicious add-ins for custom kraut in days!

How to Homemade Sauerkraut

green cabbage (,

Kosher salt

Combine your cut cabbage with Kosher salt in a large mixing bowl. Massage and squeeze the cabbage with your hands until is watery and limp. This might take 5-10 minutes.

If you are planning to add any additional flavors to your sauerkraut, now is the time to add them.

Pack the cabbage into the jar using the end of a wooden spoon or muddler. Any tool that is going to pack it in tight.

Top it with weights to keep it packed down.

Pour any liquid released by the cabbage into a seperate bowl, cover and refrigerate. You may or may not need this.

Cover the top of the mason jar with a cloth and secure it with a rubber band or twine. You want air to flow in and out, but keep other particles from getting in.

Over the next day, press the cabbage down to release the water being released. At the end of 24 hours if there is still come cabbage that isn't submerged, use the reserved liquid to cover it. You can also use water mixed with a pinch of salt.

Keep the jar at room temperature for 3-16 days. Different people like a different texture. Less fermentation will be more crunchy, more will more limp and soft. Also taste test it.

When it reaches your desired level of yumminess, remove the weight, screw on the cap, and refrigerate.

Serve on anything you'd like!

If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was!

Sauerkraut recipe

salt

Work with about 5 pounds of cabbage at a time. Discard outer leaves. Rinse heads under cold running water and drain. Cut heads in quarters and remove core. Shred or slice to a thickness of a quarter.

Put cabbage in a suitable fermentation container and add 3 tablespoons of salt. Mix thoroughly, using clean hands. Pack firmly until salt draws juices from cabbage. Repeat shredding, salting, and packing until all cabbage is in the container. Be sure it is deep enough so that its rim is at least 4 or 5 inches above the cabbage.

If juice does not cover cabbage, add boiled and cooled brine (1-1/2 tablespoons of salt per quart of water). Add plate and weights; cover container with a clean bath towel. Store at 70º to 75ºF while fermenting.

At temperatures between 70º and 75ºF, kraut will be fully fermented in about 3 to 4 weeks; at 60º to 65ºF, fermentation may take 5 to 6 weeks. At temperatures lower than 60ºF, kraut may not ferment. Above 75ºF, kraut may become soft.

This homemade sauerkraut recipe is a quick and easy way to create tangy, crunchy sauerkraut at home, perfect for keto and low-carb diets.

Sauerkraut

½ medium head green cabbage

sea salt (non-iodized)

caraway seeds (optional)

black peppercorns (optional)

Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage and set them aside.

Cut the cabbage into quarters and remove the core. Slice the cabbage into thin shreds.

In a large bowl, place the shredded cabbage and sprinkle the sea salt over it.

Massage the salt into the cabbage using your hands and transfer it to a glass jar.

Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes. The resting period allows the cabbage to produce the juice for fermentation.

Then, press down on the cabbage with a muddler to pack it tightly. It should submerge in the brine.

If desired, sprinkle in caraway seeds, peppercorn, or other preferred seasonings.

Securely place the lid on the jar and store it in a cool, dark spot.

Make sure to briefly open the jar daily, letting it breathe.

After about 3-5 days, start checking the sauerkraut. Remember, the longer it ferments, the tangier it gets. Adjust the fermentation period based on your taste preference.

When it reaches your preferred tanginess, move the jar to the refrigerator for storage.

The homemade keto sauerkraut recipe is a delicious lacto-fermented food made with two ingredients - shredded cabbage and salt! It’s packed with gut-healthy probiotics and naturally low in carbs.

Raw Homemade Sauerkraut

cabbage (about 3 pounds)

carrot (shredded)

onion

dill (chopped)

garlic (minced)

caraway seed

Keep

Discard the outer leaves but save one or two of the clean inner ones, if needed, to press down the final mixture and keep all contents under the brine.

Shred

Shred cabbage into thin slices. Dice or slice any of the optional add-ins.

Combine

Combine the cabbage and salt in a large bowl. Mix with your hands, squeeze and massage as you go.

Leave

Leave the salted cabbage to sit for about 20 minutes and break down. Liquid will slowly pool up.

Add any optional vegetables or herbs you like. Toss to combine.

Pack

Pack all ingredients together into a clean glass jar. Press down firmly so all air bubbles escape. Cover this mixture with a cabbage leaf or use a weight to hold the contents down under the water line.

Tighten

Tighten the air-locking lid, cover loosely with a normal jar lid or secure a cheesecloth with a rubber band.

Store

Leave in a cool place, out of direct sunlight for at least 3 days and up to a month. Taste occasionally to see if it is ready. Once to your liking, transfer to the refridgerator for long-term storage.

Making your own healthy and delicious sauerkraut at home is easy and cost-efficient. Using a jar rather than a crock allows you to see the transformation from cabbage to kraut, making this a perfect recipe for beginners monitoring the process.

How to Make Sauerkraut

Remove the coarse outer leaves and discard them. 

Remove and rinse a few unblemished leaves and set them aside for later. 

Pat cabbage dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel.

With a large knife, slice the cabbage to quarters on a cutting board. Use the knife to carefully cut away the core.

Thinly slice the cabbage and transfer the cabbage to a large bowl. 

With your hands, massage salt into the cabbage until it starts to look wet and shiny. 

Taste the cabbage — you want to taste the salt without it being overwhelming. Add more salt, a little at a time, to get that ‘salty but not too salty’ taste.

Continue to massage for 3-5 minutes until the cabbage becomes wet and limp, and liquid, (brine), begins to pool in the bottom of the bowl. You want to be able to squeeze the cabbage in your hands so the brine runs freely into the bowl. If you’ve put in a good effort and don’t have much brine, cover the bowl and let it sit for 45 minutes. 

Massage again until the liquid runs freely when squeezing a handful of cabbage in your hands.

Transfer the cabbage to a clean 1-quart mason jar a few handfuls at a time. Press the cabbage into the bottom of the jar using your hand to work out any air pockets before you add more cabbage.

Repeat until all of the cabbage has been packed tightly into the jar. You should have 2-3 inches of headspace and some brine on top of the cabbage once it’s all been pressed into the jar. If you have too much cabbage, place some in another clean jar following the same process. 

Top the packed cabbage with 1 or 2 of the reserved leaves, gently tucking them down along the sides to keep little bits of cabbage under the brine. Bits of cabbage floating in the brine should be picked out to the best of your ability to avoid developing mold. 

Place a zip-top freezer bag, or sub with a weight, into the jar, using your fingers to spread it out so that it covers as much of the cabbage leaf as possible.

Fill with cool filtered water, sealing and pressing out as much air as possible. Tuck the top of the bag into the jar and very loosely screw the lid on the  jar, or cover with a clean kitchen towel. If using a lid with an airlock, follow the directions for your particular lid.

Store the jar out of direct sunlight in a cool place (55-75 F) to ferment for 4-14 days. Dark is best, but don’t forget about it. If you keep your jar on the kitchen counter, cover with a kitchen towel.

After about two days, check for air pockets in the cabbage and that the brine is still completely covering the cabbage. If you notice these, use clean hands to remove the bag and gently press down to release the air bubbles. Return everything to below the brine.

Replace the bag and lid and let it do its thing. If your sauerkraut is particularly active or the room is warm, repeat this process as needed for the next 2-3 days.

Begin taste-testing your kraut on day 4 by carefully removing the bag and pushing the cabbage leaf aside with clean hands or a utensil. The kraut is ready when it exhibits a pleasant pickle flavor without strong vinegar acidity and has softened yet crunchy cabbage that appears more yellow and translucent. This typically happens between 4 and 14 days, depending on room temperature.

If the sauerkraut is not ready, rinse the bag under running water. Carefully place it back in the jar making sure the cabbage is below the brine. Wait another day or two to taste again and see what you think.

Store the sauerkraut in the refrigerator when it’s to your liking.

Making your own sauerkraut is super easy, requires minimal prep work, and the rest is just a waiting game.  Enjoy all the health benefits of the vibrant probiotics and the superior taste of homemade sauerkraut!

green cabbage

Slice

Prepare the Cabbage:Remove any bruised or damaged exterior leaves from the cabbage, then cut the cabbage in half and remove the core.  Slice the cabbage very thinly, approximately 1/8 inch thick.  For the best texture we recommend slicing it very thinly by hand, not with a food processor.  You can slice it by hand, use a mandolin, or cabbage slicer.Place the sliced cabbage in a large bowl and toss in the salt.  Let it sit for about 20 minutes until the cabbage has begun to wilt and releases some of its juices.  Use a tamper/pounder to crush the cabbage until it is wilted and has released a lot of liquid.  This will takes several minutes.

Mash

Pack the Cabbage in a Crock or Jar:Transfer the cabbage and all the juices to a glass or ceramic jar or crock a bit at a time and mash it down with a tamper.  Fill the jar to about 2/3 full (the cabbage will bubble as it ferments and could overflow if the jar is too full).Continue to mash the cabbage with the tamper, releasing more juice, until the cabbage is completely submerged under the brine and any air pockets have been removed (important for preventing mold growth).  If you&#39;ve mashed all you can mash and you still don&#39;t have enough brine to cover the cabbage you&#39;ll need to make some supplemental liquid that is consistent with the salinity of the cabbage brine:  Dissolve 1 teaspoon salt in 1 cup water (a 2% solution of salt water) and add that to the jar until the cabbage is completely submerged under the liquid.It is imperative that the cabbage remain submerged under the brine during fermentation, otherwise mold will form (See blog section &quot;My Sauerkraut Has Mold on it:  Is it Safe to Eat?&quot;).  To do this choose a heavy object whose diameter is roughly the same size to the inside of the crock you&#39;re using.  The object should be glass, ceramic, or non-reactive metal.Note: I have made sauerkraut multiples times in large mason jars (usually 1/2 gallon size but you can use smaller jars) without needing to use a weight.  Because of the small diameter of the jar, after a day or two of fermenting the cabbage usually remains below the liquid level.  If the cabbage rises above it I just mash it back down with the tamper.  If you choose to use mason jars without using something to weigh down the cabbage, just be sure to keep a close eye on it each day throughout the fermentation process.Screw on the lids to fingertip tightness (this is important to prevent exploding jars!).  If using airlock lids, follow the instructions provided.

Ferment

Ferment Your Sauerkraut:Place the jars in a dark place that is between 65-70 degrees F, the ideal temperature for fermenting.  (See blog section &quot;How Long Does it Take to Ferment Sauerkraut&quot; for information on temperature variations.)At a the ideal temperature range of 65-70 F we recommend fermenting the cabbage for at least 2 weeks (we recommend longer) but follow your own taste.After 4 days of fermenting start tasting the cabbage daily until it reaches the desired texture and level of tanginess.  Don&#039;t be alarmed if the brine becomes fizzy, this is completely normal and a positive sign of microbial activity.Note:  If you&#039;re not using an airlock lid be sure to open the lid of your jar/crock every day to release the pressure and prevent your jar from exploding.  The color of the cabbage will change from green to a pale yellowish beige.

Store Your Sauerkraut:  Once your sauerkraut has reached the level of tanginess that you want, it&#39;s time to screw the lid on tight (remove the airlock lid if using and replace it with a regular lid).Store the sauerkraut in the fridge or a cold cellar (storage temperature should be between 38-50 degrees F).  Fermentation won&#39;t stop but it will be greatly slowed down.  Stored in the fridge the sauerkraut will keep for many months.  (See blog section &quot;Does Sauerkraut Go Bad?&quot;)  If your sauerkraut is too salty for your taste simply give it a rinse before eating. Eat your sauerkraut raw to reap the benefits of the probiotics or use it in any recipe calling for sauerkraut.

Stainless is ok if it's the good and very heavy pot, I have found the thin ones usually made in China are not a good choice. as you said it pits but it also leaks after a time from the salt eating away at it. I Still have my Grandmothers Crock Butter churn (and yes, with the old wooden churning / paddle stick) from my youth, now 85 and still making it the old fashion way.

Hi 
I am loving your recipe and have made wonderful sauerkraut. 

just wondering though,
1. If the sauerkraut is way to salty can I add extra liquid to the fermentation process to reduce the saltiness?

2. Can I re use the liquid to make a new batch of sauerkraut when I've run out?

hi, kimberly,  i'd like to add some extras like cayenne or garlic  to make it a little like kimchee.  any suggestions?

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Top 11 homemade sauerkraut recipes from across the web

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The most viewed homemade sauerkraut recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine