Sauerkraut Step-by-Step Instructions

• Fresh

  Use the freshest cabbage you can source. While green cabbage is the most popular, feel free to use purple cabbage. First, remove the outer leaves. With the cabbage on a large cutting board, cut the cabbage into quarters and then cut out the core. Use a sharp knife, food processor, or mandolin to shred the cabbage into thin ribbons. 
• Clean

  Make sure you start with clean equipment and clean hands. Wash all equipment, work surfaces, and hands with warm, soapy water. 
• Salt

  Does the type of salt you use matter? Yes! Himalayan salt and sea salt are my salts of choice for fermenting. Both are natural and unrefined with high mineral content. Avoid iodized salt, or table salt as the iodine in it interferes with fermenting and is highly refined. 

  The recommended salinity for sauerkraut is 1.5%-2.5%. I use 2% salt. For example, for 1000g of cabbage X .02 equals 20 grams of salt. 

  Add the shredded cabbage into a clean, large bowl. Sprinkle the salt over the top of the cabbage. Using a large wooden spoon, toss the cabbage to incorporate all of the salt evenly over the cabbage. Let sit for 10 minutes. 

  You will notice the cabbage begin to soften and there will be a bit of liquid in the bottom of the bowl as the salt draws out moisture from the cabbage. Use both hands to massage and knead the cabbage. You may not see much happening at first, but soon you will see the cabbage release enough liquid to cover the cabbage.
• Vessel

  Next, move the cabbage into the vessel of choice. Working with small amounts at a time, pack the cabbage tightly, pressing down to compact. Some kits will come with a tamper, but I keep it simple and use clean hands. 

  Fill 3 inches from the top of the jar. Once the jar is full, pour the liquid brine from the bowl into the jar. To create an anaerobic environment the cabbage should be covered completely with liquid.  If you find that yours isn’t, add just enough water so the brine level covers the cabbage completely.
• Cover

  Hold the cabbage under the brine using glass fermenting weights or a small jar. Then cover the jar with a cloth napkin or paper towel held in place with a rubber band to keep dust out. I found that using a clean canning lid and band loosely screwed on held the glass weight in place. You don’t want to twist the band closed or else the pressure will build and could erupt. 

  No need for additional cover if using a fermentation lid.
• Ferment

  Most of your hands-on work is done. Now it’s time to let those tiny microbes do their thing. 

  Place the jar or crock in a cool, dark place out of direct sunlight and on a plate or shallow dish. A dark cool corner on the kitchen counter is good. The ideal temperature is be between 65-75 degrees. Much cooler and the fermenting process can be very slow. Much higher and you run the risk of the kraut becoming mushy, lacking flavor, or developing mold. 

  The first 7 days of fermenting are the most important to leave alone until enough lactic acid bacteria have been produced to ensure that you’re not introducing any additional bacteria and potentially contaminating your ferment. 

  Within a day or two, you will notice tiny bubbles starting to form and move throughout the sauerkraut. Depending on the sugar content of your cabbage, you may see enough activity that the brine solution starts to spill out of your container. This is why the jar is on a plate. These bubbles should subside by the 5th day. 

  By day 7, the lactic acids will have reached a high enough level to have taken care of the bad bacteria, making it ok to open the jar and test taste the sauerkraut. If it's to your desired level of sour, then it's done. 

  You may notice a white film on the top of the solution, this is Kahm yeast and is completely harmless. Mold, on the other hand, is raised and fuzzy and black, blue, green, white, or pink. If you see mold, you have two options. One, toss out all of the ferment and start a new one. Second, scrape the moldy part off and use the food sitting under the brine. If you are sensitive to mold, I would throw it out. As painful as it is, especially when you factor in growing the food, it’s not worth it for me personally to risk eating moldy food.
• Stop

  When the sauerkraut is to your liking, rinse off the outside of the jar if it's dirty, label it with the date, and place it in the refrigerator. The sauerkraut will continue to ferment, although much slower than before. Over time, the flavors will continue to develop and become more complex. Kept under the brine, sauerkraut can last up to a year. 
• Flavoring

  Feel free to add flavorings to your sauerkraut. The most popular are caraway seeds but also try dill, fresh ginger, fresh onion, shredded carrots, or garlic cloves.