Sauerkraut is a fermented cabbage dish that is a popular food in much of Europe. Here is a simple process that will help you to make homemade sauerkraut.
Wash and weigh your cabbage and write down the weight.
1 Cabbage
Peel off the outer leaves and cut out the cabbage core. Keep an extra outer leaf aside.
Sprinkle your desired amount of salt over the cabbage and allow it to rest for 15 minutes.
3-4 tsp Salt
Massage cabbage for 5 minutes to release its liquid and create the brine.
Fill the jar with approximately 4 to 5 handfuls of cabbage, pressing it down firmly to ensure a tight pack.
Slowly and evenly pour the liquid from the bowl onto the cabbage in the jar, making sure that the cabbage is completely covered.
Cut a circle out of the saved leaf from earlier, the same size as the opening of your jar. Place it directly on top of the shredded cabbage.
Place the fermenting weight on top of the cabbage leaf, ensuring it is completely submerged in the liquid. Securely screw the lid onto your jar.
Store the jars at 70-75° F while fermenting. The sauerkraut will be ready in 3 to 4 weeks at these temperatures.
Remove the weight and round cabbage leaf when your sauerkraut is fermented to your desired taste and texture.
After fermentation, ensure your sauerkraut is kept in a cool environment by storing the jar in the coldest part of the refrigerator.
Notes
If the cabbage juice is not enough to cover the cabbage, you can mix together a 2% solution of salt water. This is equal to about one teaspoon of salt per cup of water.