It’s actually pretty easy and not very time consuming to make your own sauerkraut (at least as far as the actual, hands-on work goes). These days, the deli case in your average market has several brands of fresh sauerkraut that runs rings around the tired canned or jarred stuff they sold (and are still selling) in the ‘60s. Making your own allows you the chance to save a bit of money and enjoy sauerkraut that is just the way you like it and not have to rely on someone else’s version.
Sauerkraut, at its most basic, is just chopped or shredded cabbage along with a bit of salt that has undergone lacto-fermentation (fermentation by lactobacillus). Most folks like to spice up their sauerkraut with caraway seed (most common), juniper berries, chili flakes, etc., but I’d suggest starting out with one or none of these.
Unless you are making sauerkraut for the masses or it’s something you eat most every day, you probably don’t need or want to use a ceramic crock. A one or two quart Mason jar is plenty for most people. A one quart Mason jar will usually do for a single small head of green cabbage and they can be sourced from your local hardware store.
You will also probably want a lid for the Mason jar, or you could just get by with some cheese cloth and a rubber band. Personally, I use a plastic lid with a predrilled hole in the middle that will take a three-piece fermentation lock. This set up allows the excess CO2 gas to escape without allowing random critters (unwanted bacteria, mold, insects, etc.) into the jar. If you are reasonably careful with your sanitation when preparing the sauerkraut, the cheese cloth and the fermentation process itself will naturally prevent a lot of these undesireable things from getting into it, but a lid and fermentation lock are a bit better at keeping things from going wrong.
As it ferments, the cabbage will want to float to the top of the brine. It’s best if this doesn’t happen as the exposed cabbage can attract mold. Something to weight down the cabbage is called for. Suggestions include a small, water filled jelly jar, pie weights, or glass weights designed and sold just for this purpose.
For the actual prep work, you will need a large mixing bowl and a good sized knife. A food processor with a grating or slicing attachment will make things go quicker, but you can get by without it.
Finally, a good kitchen scale is very helpful in figuring out the right amount of salt to use. The weight of the cabbage can vary significantly, even when they look to be similar in size. The amount of salt to use is best figured by weight instead of by volume. You can get by without it, but you can be more confident of the result if you use a scale.
· 1 head green cabbage, small, about 3 lbs
· 1 ½ - 2 tbsp kosher or sea salt (see instructions below)
· 1 tbsp caraway seeds (optional)
Peel off and discard the outer cabbage leaves which tend to be dirty, damaged, and probably home to a lot of unwanted bacteria . Peal one additional leaf and trim to the size of the Mason jar. You will place this on top of the shredded cabbage and weigh it down to help keep the cabbage below the surface of the brine.
Cut the cabbage head in half through the stem and then remove the core. It’s just easier to core it if you cut it in half first. Then shred the cabbage, either by using a knife or by using a mandolin or a food processor.
Weigh the cabbage to determine how much salt to use. The general rule of thumb is about 2% salt to cabbage by weight, which comes to just under 1 oz of salt for three pounds of cabbage. One thing to remember is to avoid using an iodized salt. A bit of iodine as a trace element is good for you, but it can inhibit the growth of bacteria, including the lacto-bacillus that we need to turn cabbage into sauerkraut. By the same token, if you need to add some additional brine to cover the fermenting cabbage, use non-chlorinated water when making up the brine to avoid inhibiting or even halting the fermentation.
Put the shredded cabbage into a mixing bowl and add the salt and spices. Mix by hand and squeeze and kneed the mixture for 5 to 10 minutes or so. This will allow the salt to start breaking down the cell walls of the cabbage and releasing the water inside. You want to generate enough salty liquid (brine) to eventually cover the cabbage while it ferments. Once the cabbage is watery and limp, transfer it and all of the brine to your Mason jar and tamp it down, removing any air pockets. Cover it with the reserved cabbage leaf and weigh it down. Cover the jar with cloth or lid and for the first 24 hours or so, check it every so often and press down on the cabbage to release more brine. If after 24 hours, the brine released still won’t cover the cabbage, make up a 2% brine solution and top it up.
Store the fermenting sauerkraut in a cool, dark place (out of direct sunlight, 65°F to 70°F) and check it once a day and press it down if the cabbage is floating above the brine. After a day or two it should start fizzing and then fade as the sugars in the cabbage are consumed. Once it has settled down you can give it a taste, but I like to wait at least a full week. If you see foam or a white scum, that’s a good sign. The scum can be skimmed off at any point up until you refrigerate the sauerkraut. If you see any mold, skim it off right away and discard any moldy parts near the surface. Make sure the cabbage is fully submerged. Once it is tasting good to you, then it’s done. Cap the jar or transfer to a smaller container and refrigerate. It should easily keep for at least a couple of months.