How To Make Sauerkraut

overhead photo of a jar full of homemade sauerkraut

4.53 from 191 votes

This homemade sauerkraut recipe is an easy and gut healthy way to get probiotics. The perfect side to a meal, this fermented raw sauerkraut will become a family staple.

Prep Time30

Additional Time5

Total Time5 30

Course: Fermented Foods

Cuisine: American

Keyword: sauerkraut

Servings:

Author: Lisa Bass

Equipment

1 Food Processor
1 Glass Fermentation Weights optional

Ingredients

3 heads cabbage
2-3 tablespoons salt

Instructions

Pull off a few of the outer leaves and set aside for the last step.
Next, core the cabbage and cut it into pieces small enough to fit in your food processor. If you do not have a food processor, just cut it into shreds. If you do have one, this part will go a little faster.
Put the shredded cabbage in a bowl and sprinkle with salt.
For 5 pounds of cabbage, use 3 tablespoons of salt. I had 3.5 pounds, so I used 2 tablespoons.
Work the salt in with your hands until it starts to get produce a juicy brine. You may have to work it for several minutes before it gets juicy enough to move onto the next step.
Next, put all the cabbage and the brine into a half gallon mason jar. Punch it down until all the cabbage is submerged beneath the brine.
Fold up the cabbage leaves you reserved earlier and place on the top to keep all the cabbage down beneath the brine.
Place fermentation weight on top of the folded cabbage and press it down until all of the cabbage is submerged in the brine.
Leave it out on the counter for 5 days-3 weeks. It will just become more pungent as it sits. If this is your first time trying homemade sauerkraut, it may be better to ferment it for less time.
Remove the weight and folded up cabbage leaves, put the lid on the jar and store in the fridge.

Notes

- I love using glass fermentation weights, but if you don't have any you can use clean rocks in a sealed ziplock bag.
- Those who are new to sauerkraut may want to try fermenting for 3 days at first before any longer fermentation period.
- If any cabbage is above the liquid it will be exposed to oxygen and possibly mold, so that is why it is so important to keep it under the liquid.
- A food processor makes this process really simple, if you don't have one you can just chop it as finely as possible.
- Not using enough salt may cause harmful bacteria to grow. The point of the salt is to keep the unwanted bacteria out and only allow the good bacteria to flourish. For every 5 pounds of cabbage, use 3 tablespoons of salt.

Nutrition