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homemade sauerkraut
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Homemade Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut on the Cheap. From Garden to Kraut. This recipe is so easy and so good for you.
Course Side Dish
Keyword cabbage, fermented, healthy gut, natural
Prep Time 15 minutes
Resting Time 30 minutes
Author Marian Wilson

Equipment

  • cutting board
  • sharp knife
  • large bowl
  • storage bag, quart size
  • mason jar, half gallon

Ingredients

  • 1 large cabbage washed
  • 2 tbsp Kosher salt

Instructions

  • Wash cabbage well and remove outer leaves. DO NOT discard, we will use them later. Cut in half and remove core. Slice cabbage into thin ribbons and place in the large bowl.
  • Sprinkle 2 T. salt over the cabbage and toss well. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
  • After resting, uncover and begin squeezing the cabbage with your hands to release the juices. Continue this process until you have a nice little puddle of water in the bottom of the bowl.
  • Pack the cabbage into a clean, half gallon mason jar. Push down on the cabbage to make sure it's well packed. This will also help to release more of the juices.
  • Pour the remaining water in the bowl over the cabbage in the jar. Take one of the saved leaves and place over the cabbage tucking the leaf in around the outer edges of the cabbage. Ensure that the leaf is pushed down, air released from under the leaf, and the liquid is covering all of the cabbage; both shredded and leaves.
  • Place lid LOOSELY on top and store in a cool area for 1 to 4 weeks. Place a saucer or dish under the mason jar of cabbage because when the fermentation process starts, it will begin to bubble and can bubble over the top.
  • After 1 week, taste and see if it's where you want it to be in regard to taste. If you prefer it a little tangier, wait another week and try again. For us, 2 weeks seems to be just the right amount of time.
  • When it's just where you want it, tighten the lid and place in the refrigerator. It will last up to 6 months.

Video

Notes

HELPFUL TIPS

  1. If you find yourself without enough water to cover the cabbage, add 1 t. of salt to a cup of water, mix and add what you need to the mason jar for the cabbage to be covered. You just need enough water to cover the cabbage.
  2. If at any time you see mold of any color growing in the jar, throw the contents away. Something has gone wrong in the fermentation process and you DO NOT want to eat this. And, it is NOT okay to scrape the mold off and keep going.
  3. Don't be upset if something goes wrong, it happens to all of us. Perhaps find a cooler place to store it next time (but NOT the refrigerator) or perhaps the lid was on too tight. You can do this! Don't give up because it is so worth it.