Jan 10, 2022

HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT

Updated: Aug 26

This traditional homemade sauerkraut recipe is one of the easiest and tastiest fermented foods on the planet. In the world of vegetable fermentation, sauerkraut is probably the most recognized here in the United States. It's widely eaten on sandwiches, hot dogs, sausages and served alongside braised meats.

Besides being delicious, its also pretty dang nutritious. Its most notable claim to health fame is when the 18th-century English explorer Captain James Cook stumbled upon sauerkraut and sailed with it during his voyages. The fermented barrels of goodness were deemed responsible for nipping scurvy in the bud by providing the crews with much-needed vitamin C. Today, it is mostly known for its beneficial gut health benefits.

To most people, sauerkraut may seem like a daunting task that requires superior culinary skills, but it's quite the opposite. All you need is a ceramic crock set like the one I use from LEM Products. Their water seal crock sets include the crock, weights, and lid, which is everything that you need. These are constructed with sturdy stoneware clay, which gives me peace of mind, being that I wouldn't say I like fermenting foods in plastic containers.

I won't get into the health reasons for not using plastics for fermenting, but there are plenty of articles on the web that can be researched.

If you're in a pinch, you can use a food-grade plastic bucket, a sturdy, non-reactive plate, a gallon jug filled with water as a weight, and cheesecloth as a lid. But as mentioned above, I don't recommend this.

Cooks Notes:

You can add other seasonings, vegetables, and fruits to your cabbage base. Examples are carrots, beets, apples, caraway seeds, celery seeds, and juniper.

Try adding red cabbage along with green cabbage. This makes for an almost fluorescent pink kraut that looks amazing on a giant Ruben sandwich.

Looking for more recipes? These are a few of my favorites:

Equipment Used

Option 1: 4-liter capacity or larger ceramic crock (with provided weights and lid)

Option 2: Food-grade plastic bucket, plate to fit inside the bucket, 1 gallon jug filled with water, cheesecloth, or towel to cover the bucket.

HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT

Timeframe: 1 to 4 weeks (can take longer in cold environments)

INGREDIENTS

5 pounds of cabbage

3 tablespoons kosher salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Chop the cabbage thinly with a knife, grate, or shave with a mandoline.
Add the cabbage to a large bowl or food-safe plastic tub. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt as you do so.
Add the cabbage to your crock or bucket one handful at a time, pressing it down firmly with your fist after each addition. Pressing helps pack the cabbage tightly, and forces water out.
Place the weights inside of the crock. If using a bucket, place the plate and the gallon jug of water on top. Cover the crock with its lid. Cover with a bucket, and secure with a towel or cheesecloth. Press down on your weights every couple of hours to help draw out water from the cabbage. Do this until the water level has risen above the cabbage. This can take up to 24 hours. If after 24 hours, the water level is not above the cabbage, add salted water with a ratio of 1 tablespoon to 1 cup of water to the container until it rises above the cabbage. Cover your vessel.
Place the crock somewhere in your home where you won't forget about it. You'll be checking on it every day or so. Do not worry if you notice any mold; this is simply a bloom. The salty brine protects the sauerkraut. Skim off what you can and cover the vessel back up.
After about 4 to 5 days, start tasting the sauerkraut for flavor and texture. The flavor gets better and stronger over time. If your vessel is stored in a cool room, your sauerkraut will mature at a much slower rate than if it is stored in a warm environment.
After the flavor has reached your liking, transfer the entire batch to the refrigerator or scoop out only what you need. Scooping out only what you need lets your sauerkraut ferment further, thus creating new depths of flavor. Then, when it reaches full flavor maturity, you can transfer it to the refrigerator. Just make sure you keep your weights clean and the sauerkraut submerged under the brine as you tinker. If you find yourself low on brine, add in salted water with a ratio of 1 tablespoon kosher salt to 1 cup of water.