This homemade and fermented sauerkraut recipe tastes yummy, it’s really healthy and is supper easy to make. It's a great way to preserve an abundant cabbage harvest and eat tasty nutritional food on the homestead.
Sauerkraut may sound a little daunting to make at first glance, but it's really very easy. Let's jump right in!
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Sauerkraut Recipe:
What You Need:
Shredding The Cabbage...
Shred the cabbage. You can do that either with a cheese grater or use a food processor with the shredding attachment (my preferred method :) ).
Put the shredded cabbage into a large bowl. Sprinkle salt on the top. Mix it together a little with your hands.
You can let the cabbage sit on the counter for a while (about 30 minutes) or you can start right in with the kneading. Letting it sit makes it easier to squeeze the juices out of the cabbage and brings the cabbage to room temperature. It can be pretty painful to squeeze the juice out of cold cabbage if you are making a lot of kraut.
I have made it both ways. Which ever I have the time for, or feel like doing at the time.
Kneading The Cabbage...
Next you’er going to knead the cabbage. Squeeze out as much of the juice as possible. When you think you’ve squeezed out all the juice (there should be a few inches in the bottom of the bowl), it’s time to pack it into jars.
Note: After making it a few times you’ll get the hang of how much juice you need to squeeze out. Don’t worry about working it too much the more juice squeezed out the better.
Packing The Jars...
Pack the sauerkraut into the jars (a funnel is helpful) and press it down so that the juices are covering the cabbage completely. Once it starts fermenting It will rise and that’s ok. Just start with the juices covering the cabbage.
It needs to be able to have some room to ferment. Leave about an inch or two of “headspace” (usually a canning term--it is the unfilled empty space in the top of the jar).
Clean Off The Jars...
Clean off the rim of the jars with a clean wet washcloth. You don’t want any cabbage in the seal where the lid is going to be. Screw on the lids with a firm hand but don’t make them too tight.
I like to rinse of the jar with cool water if there is a lot of cabbage on the outside of the jar. Let the sauerkraut sit in a cool dry place in the kitchen for about two weeks.
Ferment & Enjoy!
While it is fermenting the jars may overflow a little. I sometimes like to have a towel under the jars to catch any spilling.
Place the jars of sauerkraut somewhere out of direct light but in a place that is easy to clean.
In about two weeks your sauerkraut should be done. You may eat it any time before that though, whenever you’d like.
You can refrigerate the sauerkraut jars then or you can leave them out. They should last about a year sitting on the counter. Just know that the sauerkraut will continue to ferment when it is out and might get pretty sour. :) We've had some batches go bad (moldy) when we leave them to sit out so we like to refrigerate them now.
Every batch of sauerkraut we have made seems to turn out a little (to a quite a bit) different than each other! It is quite amazing the differences between batches sometimes.
I hope you enjoy your healthy and yummy sauerkraut!
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FAQs
Fermenting Time, Storage and Safety
In other words, room temperature. Fermenting time depends on your personal taste. Some people prefer a milder sauerkraut, so a 3-4 day fermentation works for them. Others prefer a more traditional, longer ferment (2 weeks or even longer).
What can be added to sauerkraut to make it taste better? ›
Ten Delicious Kraut Additions
- Juniper Berries. Small and dark, these little raisin-sized berries pack a flavor punch. ...
- Beets. Peeled and grated or thinly sliced, even a tiny bit of beet stains the whole ferment fuchsia. ...
- Ginger. ...
- Lemon Peel. ...
- Dill. ...
- Caraway Seed. ...
- Fennel. ...
- Celery Root (celeriac)
These are the simple ingredients you'll need to make this homemade sauerkraut recipe:
- Water and vinegar: This sauerkraut recipe starts with water and distilled white vinegar.
- Vegetables: You'll need a half of an onion and a head of cabbage.
Be careful not to open your jar during the fermentation process!
How to speed up fermentation of sauerkraut? ›
The warmer temperature, the faster it will ferment. However, above 75 degrees and you are likely to be promoting the growth of other undesirable bacteria, which will influence the flavor and texture of the sauerkraut.
How do you make sauerkraut if you don't have enough brine? ›
If there is not enough brine from the cabbage, add boiled and cooled brine as needed (1 1/2 Tbsp. non—iodized salt to 1 quart of water). Cover and weigh down the cabbage using a method listed under 'Equipment.
Is it cheaper to make your own sauerkraut? ›
Why make your own sauerkraut/kimchi? There are so many reasons! COST: making your own fermented veggies is WAY cheaper than buying them at the store! FLEXIBLE FLAVORS AND SALT LEVEL: making your own fermented veggies allows you to put whatever ingredients, flavors, level of salt or hot pepper that you want.
How long does homemade sauerkraut last? ›
If you are refrigerating your sauerkraut, it should stay fresh for about four to six months after opening. It's important to know when you're using it and sealing it after each use because if new bacteria come in contact with it, it can immediately become spoiled.
Should I put sugar in my sauerkraut? ›
Cabbage, salt, and sugar (plus some time) are all that's required to make a standout homemade sauerkraut recipe.
What seasoning is good in sauerkraut? ›
Garlic, cumin, and celery seed add a flavorful, savory profile. Warming the fermenting solution before pouring over the cabbage will bring out the flavors of the spices. This sauerkraut goes well with steak, chicken, eggs, or in salads.
Round cabbage (also called white cabbage or simply cabbage) is the best cabbage for making sauerkraut. The cabbage is dense with smooth leaves and weighs on average around 2 kg. Light green cabbage will give you the best results!
Can you use tap water to make sauerkraut? ›
You must use a filter system to remove chloramine, fluoride, heavy metals, and other toxins. If your tap water is potable, you could use it for fermenting, but we recommend filtering it first.
What is the white stuff in my homemade sauerkraut? ›
White deposits at the bottom of the jar are normal – they're partly yeast and leftovers from fermentation (salt, sugar, etc.). Rest assured: in lacto-fermentation, everything that happens below the surface is harmless.
What is the ratio of salt to cabbage for sauerkraut? ›
The most widely used ratio of 2.00%–2.25% weight of salt to weight of cabbage gives the best results. This means you add 2g to 2.25g of salt for every 100g of finely sliced cabbage in your recipe.
Can sauerkraut be ready in 4 days? ›
In a warm room in a house, you will have enough fermentation for mild sauerkraut in just 3 or 4 days. After that, the longer it goes, the more the flavor develops, until it reaches maximum acid levels.
How long to ferment sauerkraut for most probiotics? ›
Ideally, you want to ferment sauerkraut at room temperature with the right amount of salt for 21 to 28 days. Not only does fermentation preserve food, but it also improves food. Sauerkraut lactic acid fermentation occurs when bacteria break down compounds in sliced cabbage under controlled anaerobic conditions.
How do I know when my sauerkraut is ready? ›
The rule of thumb when it comes to sauerkraut is to just keep tasting the sauerkraut until the taste is to your liking. The sauerkraut itself should be safe to eat at every stage of the process, so there is no real 'fermentation time'.
Is 3 weeks enough for sauerkraut? ›
The time you let your sauerkraut ferment is really up to you. I like to let mine go for 2 weeks, but you might prefer the taste at 1 week or even 4 weeks! 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.
