If you've ever wondered how sauerkraut is made, it is surprisingly easy! You can adjust the salt content and tang to your liking by having control of the process. This recipe yields a tangy sauerkraut that is beaaauuutiful in Reuben sandwiches.
Recipes you can use this sauerkraut in:
The recipe is here, and pictures of the process are below:
Ingredients and materials:
1 head of cabbage (or less)
Un-iodized salt (iodine-free salt) like sea salt
water
Very clean or sterilized jar large enough to store the sauerkraut
Fermentation weight(s)
Fermentation lid (optional)
Directions:
Note: Find a good YouTube video to guide you through the basic process. Most videos do not tell you how to know your fermentation is done, but it seems as though 2-3 weeks is good if you want a strong delicious sauerkraut that is not too crunchy. If you want a mild, crunch sauerkraut <1 week is preferred.
Peel off 1-3 cabbage leaves that you can use to help weight down the sliced cabbage later during fermentation.
Slice the cabbage into quarters and remove the core.
Slice the cabbage thinly into strips.
Weigh the cabbage inside a large bowl (this is so you can get an accurate amount of salt).
Multiply the weight of the cabbage by 0.02 to get the grams of salt you need. Mine was 846 g cabbage x 0.02 = 17 g salt. Note: You can use 1.5% brine if your first batch is too salty after fermenting.
Add the salt to the cabbage and begin to scrunch and massage the salt into the cabbage. Liquid will be released, but keep squishing and massaging it until it looks like wet lettuce and when you press down with your hands the brine rises above the cabbage, 5-10 minutes.
Pack, and I do mean PACK, the cabbage into the jar, or jars. You can use your hands or a kitchen tool. Get it as compact as possible. Fill the jar about 2/3 full to leave space for the brine and fermentation gases. Pour the brine overtop, make sure it covers the cabbage.
Tear and shape the remaining cabbage leaves you saved earlier to fit above the shredded cabbage in the jar. 1-2 leaves per jar works well, and make sure these leaves are also below the brine. These leaves stop small pieces from rising to the top.
Place a weight above the cabbage leaves. I used a glass fermentation weight, but things like a Ziplock bag filled with water, clean boiled rock, or a small ramekin can also work.
Cover with a lid that you can burp (open each day to let gas out), or with a fermentation lid that lets air out but does not let air into the jar(s).
Let sit at 65-75°F (18-24°C) and out of direct sunlight for 5-21 days, or until it smells and tastes like sauerkraut. When tasting, carefully place the fermentation weight and leaves on a clean plate and only use a clean fork to avoid contamination.
Once you have made sauerkraut 1-2 times successfully you may not need to taste it and risk contamination.
Once it's ready, you can remove the fermentation weight(s) and top leaves, cover with a regular lid, and store in the refrigerator up to 1 year.
And here are some pictures of the process:
Day 1 - Setting up the ferment
The ingredients I used.
Remove some outer leaves of the cabbage, we'll use those later.
Chop the cabbage into four.
Remove the core and discard (or cook and eat!)
Slice thin, I could have gone thinner but I lack the skillz.
Add the sliced cabbage to a large bowl and weigh.
Calculate how much salt you need and add the salt.
Ater mixing in the salt, looks like wet cabbage.
You'll know you're done mixing when you can press down and the brine rises above the cabbage.
Add the cabbage and brine to the jar, squishing it down as you go.
Use something to really compress the cabbage below the brine. Don't go higher than 2/3 full.
Top view before adding cabbage leaves.
Trim the leftover cabbage leaves to size. This may take a little time, 2-3 leaves are good.
After adding the cabbage leaves, no floating pieces!
Side view after adding the cabbage leaves on top.
After adding the fermentation weight, the bring level is higher and there's low risk any cabbage will rise above the brine! Good!
After adding the fermentation weight, top view.
Then put a lid you can burp in, or a fermentation lid I have here. We have pickle pipes which work pretty well!
Close up view
Day 7 - Checking in
The cabbage is less green and more yellow/tan in color! It smells like a mixture of sauerkraut and cabbage. It was a little too salty when I tasted it and still tasted too much like cabbage, not enough like sauerkraut.
Further away. From the taste test it clearly needed more time.
Day 11
Checking the pH (You don't have to do this, I just did it for fun to make sure it's acidic!)
Day 20 - It's finished!
I had already removed the weight, top cabbage leaves, and eaten some, which is why the level is lower.
Close up view. The taste was a little salty and I had a bit of kahm yeast join the party because I was away from home, but this is a good batch of sauerkraut and it goes great in reubens!
Top view. Cover with a normal jar lid and store refrigerated, for months!