How to Make and Ferment Sauerkraut at Home

cabbage

🥗Healthier: savoy cabbage

💰Cheaper: green cabbage

Savoy cabbage is more tender and flavorful, while green cabbage is often less expensive.

salt

🥗Healthier: sea salt

💰Cheaper: table salt

Sea salt can enhance flavor with less sodium.

caraway seeds

🥗Healthier: fennel seeds

💰Cheaper: anise seeds

Fennel seeds provide a similar flavor profile.

juniper berries

🥗Healthier: thyme

💰Cheaper: dried rosemary

Thyme adds an earthy flavor without the need for berries.

Take a head of cabbage or a couple heads, remove the core.

Cut the cabbage in half and then into quarters to remove the core.

Shred the cabbage finely, leaving some thicker pieces for texture.

Weigh the shredded cabbage to determine the amount of salt needed.

Add 2% of the cabbage weight in salt (e.g., for 100 grams of cabbage, add 2 grams of salt).

Mix and massage the cabbage and salt together for at least 15 minutes until it releases liquid.

Pack the cabbage mixture tightly into a fermentation vessel, ensuring some liquid is above the cabbage.

Optionally, add a bacterial lactobacillus starter to jump-start fermentation.

Use a couple of cabbage leaves or a horseradish leaf as a lid to keep the shredded cabbage submerged.

Cover the vessel with an airlock or a cloth to allow gases to escape while preventing contaminants.

Check the mixture daily, punching it down if necessary to keep it submerged in its liquid.

Fermentation typically takes 1 to 2 weeks, but can be faster with a starter.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary