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Easy Fermented Sauerkraut

How to make fermented sauerkraut
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Fermented sauerkraut is SUPER easy to make at home. All you need is a grater to turn a head of cabbage into a delicious and probiotic side dish. Experiment with different flavors to find your favorite combination. See the section above for 10 delicious options.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 medium-sized head of cabbage (approx. 2 lbs.)
  • 1–2 Tbsp pickling salt (to taste – I like 4 tsp)
  • Flavors (see above for 10 suggestions)

Instructions

  1. Grate or finely chop the cabbage and any other vegetables or fruit additions. Mix the prepared cabbage with the salt and any additional flavors.
  2. Leave the cabbage to rest for about 5 minutes while you prepare your jars. The salt will start softening it and drawing the moisture out. This will make it easier to pack the kraut into the jars.
  3. Pack the cabbage into a 1.5-quart container for fermenting. (Two quart-size mason jars work well. See the section above for other options). Leave at least 1 inch of headroom at the top because the cabbage will bubble up during the first week of fermenting. Use the back of a spoon to pound all the cabbage into the jar. Pack it down firmly enough for the liquid to be pressed out of the cabbage. You want enough liquid to fully submerge the cabbage. It’s also important to pack the cabbage into the jar because air bubbles increase the risk of contamination. Don’t worry if you don’t have enough liquid right away, it should produce enough within 24 hours. So you can leave your cabbage to sweat a bit then pack it down again. Alternatively, feel free to add a bit of filtered water (2 to 4 Tbsp).
  4. Top the kraut with a weight (a small jam jar or the cabbage core will both work as well). For the first three days, the cabbage will bubble a lot. The weight helps to keep the cabbage under the liquid (brine) while it bubbles. 
  5. Cap the jar with a lid that will allow gas to escape as it bubbles. A Fido jar is my favorite option because it prevents any chance of contamination and doesn’t require burping. But you can also use a loosely-tightened lid or a tea towel held in place with a rubber band. Place the jar in a dark location to ferment. A closet or a kitchen cupboard is perfect.
  6. The sauerkraut is ready when you decide it is done! After 3 days you will have sweet-tasting kraut that is packed with probiotics. However, sauerkraut will continue to ferment and sour for up to 7 weeks. I often permanently leave my kraut in my pantry since I’m short on space in my fridge.
  7. Store the jar in the fridge after opening it. 

Notes

  • There’s a whole science around how the bacterial culture in sauerkraut changes with the fermentation process. However, it should never be moldy, yeasty, or smelly. Keeping everything clean is necessary for a good ferment.
  • Wondering how to serve a batch of sauerkraut? It’s not just a hot dog topping! Here are 15 different ways to serve sauerkraut.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/easy-fermented-sauerkraut/