Fermented sauerkraut

It's relatively simple to make sauerkraut. We've included a recipe and basic instructions below. If you'd like further information on how to ferment vegetables, be sure to read our general Fermenting vegetables page.

Ingredients 

• Pickling or canning salt. For small batches, use 10 ml (2 teaspoons) of salt for every 500 grams (1 pound) of vegetables. 
• 500 grams (1 pound) of cabbage

• For more flavour, add fresh ginger, garlic or onions.
• Add a little hot pepper to make it spicy.
• A 2 ml (½ teaspoon) of dry herbs like caraway, celery seed or oregano.

Instructions

1. Chop, grate or slice the cabbage.
2. Weigh the cabbage and then measure the salt needed. Place both into a large, clean mixing bowl. 
3. Using clean hands, thoroughly mix and knead the cabbage and the salt. The kneading and the salt will start to draw moisture out of the vegetables to create a brine. 
4. Pack the cabbage mixture into a clean fermentation crock or other large, straight-sided container. Pack the mixture down. Fill the container up to ¾ full. 
5. Fill a large plastic bag with a quart of brine solution (1 quart filtered water + 3 tablespoons of pickling salt). Seal the bag and set it on top of the mixture. This will weigh down the cabbages and keep air out until the cabbage produces a brine. It takes about 24 hours for the brine to form. 
6. Keep the crock at room temperature. After about three days of fermentation, salt-tolerant bacteria will begin to produce natural acids that will ferment the food and give off carbon dioxide in the process. You may notice bubbles around the edge of the brine. 
7. After this, check your mixture daily to make sure the cabbage is completely covered in brine. If the mix looks dry, add more from your bag. 
8. Fermentation is finished when no more bubbles appear. This may take between 2 and 4 weeks. 
9. Once fermentation is complete, store the sauerkraut and brine in a clean, sealed container in the fridge for up to 6 months. Mason jars work well for this. Make sure the vegetables are always covered in brine. If you want to store it for longer periods, you can preserve it by canning in a water bath.
   

Tips

• If you notice scum on top of the brine, remove it with a slotted spoon.
• If your fermented cabbage is mouldy, slimy or smell bad, then something has gone wrong. Discard the entire batch.