I’m sharing three ways to ferment cabbage aka how to make sauerkraut! We’ll also talk about the benefits of this tasty food, and how to eat it as well as share some delicious sauerkraut recipes!
With the weather getting colder and colder, it’s the perfect time to make sauerkraut at home. Not only will you preserve the cabbage you already have for a long time, but you will also have an excellent source of vitamin C during winter.
In fact, the health benefits of sauerkraut aka fermented cabbage are so numerous, that some call it the king of fermented foods.
That’s exactly what we’ll be learning today: How to make sauerkraut at home from cabbage! I’ll share 3 different methods, some good reasons why you should try making sauerkraut on your own, as well as some recipes and ideas on how to eat and cook this probiotic food.
6 Great reasons to make sauerkraut
Now if you’re wondering whether or not using your cabbage to make sauerkraut is worth the effort – I’ve got a few good reasons to help you decide.
- Fermenting is a great way and an ancient method to naturally preserve seasonal vegetables for several months during winter. Although the taste is different, the nutrients are not destroyed and sauerkraut happens to be one of the best sources of vitamin C, especially when the weather is cold.
- You will have a healthy nutrient-dense food that is close at hand for the whole winter. Whenever you are stuck with what to cook or you just didn’t have the time to go shopping, sauerkraut will be there to help.
- This method will help you use up and preserve the cabbage you have – whether store-bought or homegrown.
- You will learn something new and useful – it’s always great to learn new things. Learning things like fermenting food and growing plants is not just for children. Learning new things actually helps to keep your brain young and makes you smarter!
- You can impress your family or guests with a meal that’s not so popular, but still great in taste and nutritional value.
- It’s fun and it’s super easy!
Now that we got motivated, let’s get started!
How To Make Sauerkraut From Scratch
Making sauerkraut at home from scratch is incredibly easy and requires only a few basic items and ingredients you probably already have in your house, especially during fall!
To Prepare:
Before you start making sauerkraut, decide how much you’ll want to prepare and choose a container accordingly.
If you’re new to this and just testing things out or you know you’re not going to eat a ton of sauerkraut every day during winter, you’ll probably be covered with filling up a few quart or liter glass jars.
What You Need
Here’s what you need to have ready in order to make sauerkraut quickly and easily:
- some washed cabbage
- clean container of choice – like glass jars or a crock
- salt
- water (optional!)
- clean weights (like clean rocks or glass weights)
- a knife
That’s all it takes! Now let’s see how to use these items in order to make our own batch of fermented cabbage aka sauerkraut. I’m sharing three slightly different ways that will work for small and large quantities of sauerkraut.
1. Making Crunchy Sauerkraut In Glass Jars
This method works slightly differently than the recipe for German sauerkraut which involves chopping the cabbage super thinly and rubbing it with salt until the juices come out.
Instead of doing that, we’ll chop the cabbage roughly and submerge it in a simple salty brine. That is the way cabbage is usually fermented in Eastern Europe where I originally come from and it yields a crunchier fermented cabbage.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Remove the outer leaves and the stump and wash the cabbage thoroughly. Reserve one leaf for later.
- Then chop the cabbage roughly, the way you would do if you were making a salad or sauteed cabbage.
- Pack that cabbage tightly into a washed clean container and fill it until about 2/3 full.
- Prepare the brine for the cabbage by boiling water with sea salt for about 5 minutes until the salt is completely dissolved. To make sauerkraut this way you’ll need 30-35g (about 1oz) of salt for every quart/liter of water.
- Once the brine has completely cooled off, pour over the cabbage, just enough to submerge the vegetable under the salty water.
- Fold the washed and reserved cabbage leaf to press down the chopped cabbage – remember that it needs to stay submerged in the brine at all times in order for the fermentation to work properly. Put something heavy on top of the cabbage like washed stones or glass weights to compress the cabbage even more and to prevent it from floating to the surface.
- Cover the jar with a lid and place it in a cool place with a stable temperature, out of sunlight. The temperature should be between 18-21C / 65-70F.
fermentation has started after a few days
- After about 2-3 days the fermenting process will kick in and some of the brine might come out, so make sure to place the glass jar in a deep baking sheet or another container to catch off any overflowing brine.
2. How To Make German Sauerkraut
If you desire to make German-style sauerkraut, then you need to do some things a bit differently. Here’s what you need to do:
- Wash, core, then cut the cabbage very thinly, but remember to reserve one cabbage leaf for later. Make sure to weigh the chopped cabbage before proceeding with the next step in order to add the right amount of salt.
- For German sauerkraut you need a 2% solution, in essence, this means – 20g of salt per 1kg of cabbage. That would make about 2 tsp of salt per pound of cabbage.
- Add the thinly chopped cabbage to a large bowl, add the required amount of salt, toss, and let sit for 10-15 minutes.
- After this time, start massaging the cabbage. Massage until juices start coming out – that’s going to be the brine you’ll use for the fermentation process.
- Once you’ve massaged the cabbage, transfer it to a clean glass jar and pour the extracted brine over it. If you don’t have enough brine, then you can prepare a 2% solution using water and salt (20g of salt per liter of water).
- Keep in mind that the cabbage needs to be submerged in brine at all times in order to prevent mold and allow proper fermentation.
- As with the first method, fold the reserved cabbage leaf and place it on top of the shredded cabbage, then place a clean rock or glass weights in order to compress the cabbage more.
- Close the jar or container and place the jar in a deep dish or baking pan to catch any fluids coming out when the sauerkraut starts to “bubble”. Keep in a cool place, out of sunlight at a temperature between 18-21C / 65-70F.
3. Making A Lot Of Sauerkraut In Extra Large Containers
Did you know that if you want to make a lot of sauerkraut, you can just cut entire cabbage heads in halves or quarters and minimize chopping time? Yes, you can – that’s exactly how my grandma used to make her sauerkraut 20 years ago. She did it in order to preserve as much cabbage as she can as a source of vitamins for the winter.
She basically, no kidding, used a small barrel and filled it up with tightly packed cabbage until the top. Then she’d pour as much salty brine as needed (it’s 3-4% salt solution) to cover the cabbage and then put the lid of the container on top.
Fermentation is again at 18-21C/65-70F, out of direct sunlight, but there’s a little “twist” when it comes to this method.
The one difference when fermenting whole cabbage is that during the first 7-10 days of the fermentation process, you need to drain the brine and then add it back in, in order for the salt to spread evenly everywhere.
Do this every other day for the first 7-10 days and then once a week. The easiest way to drain the brine is using a barrel with a tap and another large container to catch the fluid. Then pour it back onto the cabbage.
What’s The Difference Between The Resulting Products?
As someone who’s lived in both Germany and Eastern Europe for many years and has eaten sauerkraut in both of these places, I can assure you – they taste pretty similar. The main difference you’ll find is in the texture. Since the German method uses thinly shredded cabbage and no water, the resulting sauerkraut tends to be a bit softer.
The third method is perfect if you want to make cabbage rolls, but with fermented cabbage leaves. I highly recommend it!
How long does it take to ferment?
As mentioned, sauerkraut is basically fermented cabbage. The process of fermentation occurs at room temperature (65-70F / 18-20C) and takes as long as 21-28 days. There are three stages of the fermentation process.
Stage one
It begins as soon as you add the salt and lasts about two days. Microorganisms like Bacillales, Pseudomonadales, and Enterobacterales thrive during this stage. Then, the oxygen-using bacteria metabolize all the oxygen present in order to create an anaerobic (oxygen-free) environment.
Stage two
The second stage begins three to five days after the start of fermentation. Now that the stage one bacteria have died off, Leuconostoc bacteria can be found in the fermented cabbage. As a result of their activity, the liquid becomes bubbly and the cabbage changes its color.
Stage three
The third stage begins approximately seven to twelve days after the start of fermentation. At this point, the predominant bacteria are the ones of Lactobacillus species. They consume cabbage and produce lactic acid. As a result, you get well-preserved sauerkraut. At this time, the fermentation environment is anaerobic, salty, and acidic. This type of environment allows the growth of only beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus.
How to store sauerkraut?
Once your homemade sauerkraut is ready, you can use different methods to store it.
- In the fridge. Keeping your homemade sauerkraut in the fridge will preserve both the good bacteria and enzymes, as well as its texture and taste. It will last for about a year as long as you find enough spare room in the fridge for it.
- Canning: By canning your sauerkraut it can last for years. Canning (if done properly) also preserves the taste and texture of the product. However, since sauerkraut is a live product, canning can possibly destroy most of the beneficial bacteria and enzymes.
- In a cool place. If you have a cool basement, then you can keep the homemade sauerkraut in it for the entire winter. From time to time, you will need to open the lid and take out the foam that forms on the surface.
- Freezing. As with any other vegetable, you can freeze your sauerkraut in either a freezing bag or a container. It will last for as long as a year and you will preserve the healthy bacteria in it. After you take it out of the freezer, thaw it in the fridge.
Sauerkraut benefits
Sauerkraut is a probiotic food with numerous health benefits. Here are some:
- It is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K. It also contains a lot of fibers, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium.
- It promotes gut health and maintains healthy gut flora. Research shows that fermented cabbage has anti-inflammatory properties due to the phytochemicals and lactic acid that can be found in it.
- It boosts your immune system. The combination of vitamins, good bacteria, probiotics as well as lactic acid supports the natural antibodies that help you heal faster when you get sick.
- It reduces the risk of cancer. Fermented foods (sauerkraut included) have cancer-fighting components that help fight both cell mutation and DNA damage.
- It may also support heart health. The rich-in-fiber sauerkraut helps maintain healthy levels of cholesterol and blood pressure. Vitamin K2 doesn’t allow calcium deposits to accumulate in the arteries, thus preventing atherosclerosis.
How to eat sauerkraut?
Overall, there are two ways to consume sauerkraut.
- Non-cooked sauerkraut. If you eat the homemade sauerkraut without thermal treatment, then you preserve all the beneficial properties of this product. For that reason, it is perfect for side dishes, used in wraps and in salads.
- Cooked sauerkraut. When you cook fermented cabbage, then many of the good bacteria and probiotics are killed. Still, it is both highly nutritious and extremely tasty food that you can turn into your next culinary masterpiece.
Recipes With Sauerkraut
Here are some of my favorite easy sauerkraut recipes that I often cook both for my family and friends in the winter time.
- Pork and Sauerkraut. This dish is super easy to put together and it tastes absolutely delicious. You can find the recipe here.
- Sauerkraut, chicken and bulgur. This is one of my favorite meals to make during winter! It’s so good and it’s perfect to make ahead. You can find the recipe here.
- Sauerkraut Salad: Toss the sauerkraut with some olive oil and red pepper and serve as a healthy side dish salad.
- Potatoes And Sauerkraut Salad. To begin with, boil some potatoes. Then chop them and add shredded sauerkraut (1:1), some olive oil as well as chopped leeks. This tasty dish can be served either as a salad or a starter.
- Winter Sauerkraut Salad. This winter salad is full of vitamins and so easy to make, that it will become your favorite when days are colder. In a bowl mix one cup of grated beet with two cups of shredded sauerkraut. Then, add 2 tbsp of olive oil. Finally, sprinkle some chopped walnuts on top.
- Rice and Sauerkraut. Sauté 1 cup of shredded sauerkraut for 5 min. Then, add 1 cup of rice and cook for 2 more minutes. Before you cover with a lid, pour in 2 cups of water. Cook until the rice is done (about 15 minutes). You can serve it as either a vegan main course or a side dish.
I hope you enjoyed this pretty detailed guide on how to make sauerkraut from scratch, from that cheap healthy food called cabbage. Hopefully, you learned something new and useful and put that knowledge into practice, soon fermenting cabbage on your own! And if you wish to ferment other vegetables as well – check out this easy fermented vegetable recipe.
How To Make Sauerkraut From Scratch
Discover three ways to ferment cabbage and learn how to make sauerkraut at home! Sauerkraut is an excellent source of vitamin C during winter and a great probiotic food!
Ingredients
- Cabbage
- Salt
- Container
Instructions
- Wash, core, then cut the cabbage very thinly, but remember to reserve one cabbage leaf for later. Make sure to weigh the chopped cabbage before proceeding with the next step in order to add the right amount of salt.
- For German sauerkraut you need a 2% solution, in essence, this means - 20g of salt per 1kg of cabbage. That would make about 2 tsp of salt per pound of cabbage.
- Add the thinly chopped cabbage to a large bowl, add the required amount of salt, toss, and let sit for 10-15 minutes.
- After this time, start massaging the cabbage. Massage until juices start coming out - that’s going to be the brine you’ll use for the fermentation process.
- Once you’ve massaged the cabbage, transfer it to a clean glass jar and pour the extracted brine over it. If you don’t have enough brine, then you can prepare a 2% solution using water and salt (20g of salt per liter of water).
- Keep in mind that the cabbage needs to be submerged in brine at all times in order to prevent mold and allow proper fermentation.
- Fold the reserved cabbage leaf and place it on top of the shredded cabbage, then place a clean rock or glass weights in order to compress the cabbage more.
- Close the jar or container and place the jar in a deep dish or baking pan to catch any fluids coming out when the sauerkraut starts to “bubble”. Keep in a cool place, out of sunlight at a temperature between 18-21C / 65-70F and allow 21-28 days to ferment.
- After that period transfer to a cool place or your fridge.
Nutrition Information
Yield 10 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 2Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 59mgCarbohydrates 0gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 0g