How to Make Homemade Sauerkraut

A kraut shredder makes quick work of large batches.

Fresh, crunchy, great tasting sauerkraut was an everyday experience growing up in Wisconsin with German heritage. Recently we shared some of our sauerkraut with friends. "WOW, this is MUCH better than "regular" sauerkraut." You too can make homemade sauerkraut.

Things You'll Need

• Mature cabbage heads
• Pickling (non-iodized) salt
• Crock
• Large mixing bowl
• Table spoon
• Large sharp knife
• Kraut cutter or Cabbage shredder
• Measuring scale
• Large plate
• Jars of water - weight
• Muslin cloth

Instructions

1. The Recipe: Sauerkraut is a mixture of 3 Tbs salt and 5# cabbage.

   The salt frees cell water from the shredded cabbage leaves. The cell water and the salt forms a brine that aids in fermentation and preservation. Batch size is limited only by krock size!

2. Harvest mature cabbage after the first frost.

   Frost increases the sugar content of the cabbage. Higher sugar content aids fermentation and improves flavor.

3. Remove the cabbage outer leaves. You want a clean firm head. Quarter the cabage. Cut out the core.

4. Shred the cabbage. This can be done with a sharp knife. Large amounts of cabbage can be quickly shredded with a kraut cutter. We have a large three bladed kraut cutter just like grandma's. The shredded cabbage collects in a large bowl as it is shredded.

5. 

   Weigh the cabbage. (Remember to deduct the weight of the bowl!) Add (3) Tbs of pickling (noniodized) salt for every (5) lbs shredded cabbage. Mix well.

6. Place salted cabbage in the crock. Pound down thoroughly. You can use your fist, a potato masher, or the end of a baseball bat. Be sure whatever you use is clean. Brine should begin to form as you pound down the shredded cabbage.

7. 

   Repeat this process until your cabbage is gone or your cabbage is 3" - 4" from the top of the crock. You should now have a layer of brine 1" - 3" deep on the top of your compacted, shredded cabbage.

8. Press a large clean plate into the top of the cabbage. The plate should be an inch or so smaller than the crock. The idea is to force the cabbage down below the surface of the brine. The brine protects the fermenting cabbage from the air.

9. Add a weight to the top of the plate to hold it down and keep the cabbage submerged. Any clean heavy object will work. Grandma used a nice smooth stone she kept just for the purpose. We use (4) quart canning jars filled with water.

10. Cover the top of the crock with muslin cloth to keep it clean.

    Fermentation will begin in a day or so. Bubbles will form as the cabbage ferments. Skim off any skum that forms every day or two. After 3-4 weeks the bubbles will stop. Your sauerkraut is complete!

11. Sauerkraut can be stored in the same crock in which it was fermented. This is how the old timers stored sauerkraut. We process ours into canning jars.

Tips & Warnings

• Good sauerkraut starts with good cabbage. Mature, firm, dense, clean heads make the best kraut. Be sure to remove any damaged areas.

• Be sure to use canning or pickling salt. Canning salt does not contain iodine. Iodine can make canned products mushy and discolored.

• Take the time to mix your salt thoroughly with the cabbage to insure uniform distribution.

• Spoilage is rarely a problem if the cabbage is properly submerged below the brine. However, discoloration or mold is an indication of a problem. Discard this material. The remaining material is fine in our experience. (Mold can form on the surface of the brine if you wait too long between skimming.)