Sauerkraut Recipe (How to Make Sauerkraut)
Delightfully sour and crunchy, Homemade Sauerkraut is easy to make and so much better than the stuff you’ll get at the grocery store. Learn how to make sauerkraut at home with this easy recipe and enjoy it with your favorite beer-braised brats and mashed potatoes.
Servings: 8
Equipment
- 2-quart wide-mouth canning jar (or two 1-quart mason jars)
- Smaller jelly jar (one that fits inside the larger jar)
- Clean stones, marbles, or glass weights for weighing the jelly jar down
- Cloth or parchemnt paper for covering the jar, such as cheesecloth
- Rubber band or twine for securing the cloth
Ingredients
- 1 head green cabbage
- 1 tablespoon sea salt or pickling salt
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
Instructions
- Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage and cut it into quarters. Carefully remove the core with a sturdy knife then slice the quarters into strips.
- Place the thinly sliced cabbage into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle the cabbage with the salt. Begin massaging the cabbage with your hands for 10-15 minutes until it starts to release liquid and reduces by nearly 2/3.
- Add the caraway and mustard seeds to the cabbage mixture and mix well.
- Pack the cabbage mixture into a glass jar, pressing down firmly to ensure the cabbage mixture is covered by the liquid.
- Optional (If you have the materials): Place a smaller jelly jar on top of the packed cabbage inside the larger mason jar. Place the clean stones, marbles, or glass weights inside the smaller jelly jar. This will help to keep the cabbage weighed down and submerged in liquid.
- Place a sheet of parchment paper over the mouth of the jar, then secure it with a rubber band or twine, or simply cover the jar with a lid not fully tightened.
- Allow the sauerkraut to ferment at room temperature for 14 days. During this time, check the sauerkraut daily to ensure it is still submerged in the liquid, pressing it down if needed.
- Taste the sauerkraut. If it has reached the desired level of sourness, seal the lid tightly on the jar and store it in the fridge. If you prefer it to be more fermented, leave it out at room temperature for up to another week before transferring it to the fridge.
Notes
- This sauerkraut can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 months, but if there is a funky smell (other than the fermentation), toss it out.
- Note: After the first 24 hours of fermentation, the cabbage should be completely covered in liquid. If it's not, dissolve one teaspoon of sea salt or pickling salt in one cup of water. Add just enough water to submerge the cabbage.
Nutrition
Calories: 31kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.05g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 893mg | Potassium: 199mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 112IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 1mg
