Fermentation is an old way of preserving food and increasing nutritional value. Converting a few pounds of cabbage into sauerkraut is one of the easiest fermented foods to learn. We love it as a side dish, hot dog or as a topping for soup.
Why is this sauerkraut better for you? During fermentation, cabbage produces billions of beneficial bacteria. Because it is homemade (not pasteurized like a grocery store), the bacteria are still alive and ready to help the flora of our intestines.
Homemade sauerkraut is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to add probiotics to our diet!
Sauerkraut: Why make it from scratch?
In short, it’s cheaper, healthier and very tasty!
I have always loved Sauerkraut because I am ¼ German. The problem is that there are only a few authentic German restaurants and it’s difficult to find a good sauerkraut. Of course, the logical solution was to make it yourself. The Sauerkraut was the first one I had enough courage to try and ferment, and it always has a special place in my heart (and my counter).
Sauerkraut has all the benefits of traditional fermented foods, including the richness of natural probiotics. Lactic acid fermentation is what makes kraut. In other words, the beneficial lactobacillus bacteria do the hard work of breaking down cabbage into its delicious, salty final product.
Manufacturers often cook store-bought sauerkraut, killing beneficial bacteria. Some good brands like Babby are great, but expensive.
Kraut Making Process: Sauerkraut 101
Sauerkraut simply means “sour cabbage” in German, but Kraut Making Kraut doesn’t just make cabbage sour!
As mentioned earlier, Lactobacillus bacteria are active workers in the process. These bacteria occur naturally in fruits, vegetables, and even in our skin and in our bodies. They are generally considered harmless and even beneficial. Lactobacillus also has two main properties that are ideal for fermentation.
Unlike many other types of bacteria, they can survive in anaerobic environments (without oxygen) that handle salt well
This allows cabbage to ferment under salt water in an oxygen-free environment without killing lactic acid bacteria. Many other types of bacteria do not handle salt and oxygen deficiencies well. The lactic acid fermentation process allows good bacteria to stay and thrive, discouraging bad bacteria.
If it sounds complicated so far, never be afraid…the recipe itself is a snap!
Homemade sauerkraut recipe
Enjoy delicious, crispy, perfectly salty kraut for months! Create your own sauerkraut in just 30 minutes of practical time. This traditional homemade sauerkraut is full of healthy probiotics.
2 Head Cabbage (approx. 5 lbs) ¼ cup salt (see tips below) 1-2 TBSP Caraway Seed (optional)
Wash all your equipment, work surfaces and hands with warm, soapy water.
Remove the outer leaves and core from the cabbage head. (Composting them if possible!) Slice the cabbage into quarters to make it easier to slice. Then thinly slice the cabbage into a very thin ribbon with a mandolin, knife or food processor.
Place thinly shredded cabbage in a large clean bowl and sprinkle sea salt over the cabbage. Knead and crush the cabbage leaves/salt with your hands for about 10 minutes. At first, you don’t think you’re doing anything, but you’re patient. After a few minutes, the cabbage will begin to release the liquid, and at the end there should be enough liquid in the mixing bowl. If you want to use it, add a caraway seed at this point.
Cabbage and caraway seeds can be packed in jars, bottled or fermented. Pour liquid from the bowl onto the top of the jar. If necessary, add enough water to make sure the salted water completely covers the cabbage. If the cabbage is fresh, no liquid is required, but don’t worry if you need to add a little water.
Add fermentation weights and fermentation seals (or use fermentation waste as directed). If you are using a basic mason jar, you can also do this by adding a small jar that fits inside the lid of the mason jar and covering both jars with a cloth and a rubber band.
Ferment at room temperature for 2-5 weeks. Fermentation begins within a day and takes 2-5 weeks depending on the temperature and desired acidity. After 2 weeks, check the desired sourness. Sauerkraut technically slightly fermented after just a few days, but the best flavor appears to be on the 2-3 week mark. Taste is the best measure here, so check it out frequently and stop fermentation once you get the desired taste.
Fermented sauerkraut can be eaten immediately or stored in the fridge for up to six months.
enjoy! The Sauerkraut is tasty in itself or added on top of salads, soups or meat.
Nutrition Facts
Homemade sauerkraut recipe
Price per serving (0.5 cups)
30 calories to calorie fat
% Daily Value*
Fat 0.2g0%
Saturated fat 0.04g0%
Polyunsaturated fat 0.03g
January saturated fat 0.05g
Sodium 1789mg 78%
Potassium 198mg 6%
7g 2% carbohydrates
Fiber 3G13%
Sugar 4G4%
2G4% protein
Vitamin A 113iu2%
Vitamin C 42MG 51%
Calcium 49mg 5%
Iron 1mg 6%
*Percent daily value is based on the 2000 calorie diet.
It is normal to see foam, white scum, or foam on top during fermentation. However, the actual type is not displayed. If you do so, scrape it off from above and make sure the remaining cabbage is completely submerged. All cabbage below salt water levels are still fine.
The right equipment makes a big difference
Sauerkraut is hard to ruin, but the right equipment makes the process extremely easy! Kraut (along with sardines) is one of the most budget friendly and authentic foods, so we found it worth investing in cheap equipment. This makes it easier to make it a regular part of my meal. There are several ways to choose.
Option 1: Good old mason jar
The most basic method of Sauerkraut Making is done in a simple glass bottle. Even quart-sized mason jars work. Many people choose the size of half gallons to make more at once. You can use a plastic bag filled with water to seal the jar from the air. Considering my feelings about plastic, I find this method very discouraging. Instead, we recommend getting these equipment.
Weight of Glass Fermentation – These weights keep the cabbage below the salt water level and protect the fermentation environment. You can also do this with a small glass jar filled with water or rocks, as long as it fits inside a large jar. Fermentation lid – There are many options for this. I use these silicone fermentation lids and I like them.
Whichever equipment you choose, I would recommend you have some weight and some fermentation lid. You can also use this equipment when making kimchi or pickles!
Option 2: Fermentation waste
I prefer the traditional method of making sauerkraut from fermented waste. For one thing, you can use traditional stoneware fermentation abolishment (such as this) that looks cool. This method is simple and high quality disposal costs more than the weights, lids and jars required for the Mason jar process.
If you’re not sure if you like making Sauerkraut, then it might be best to start with the Mason Jar method. If you like it, abolishing fermentation greatly simplifies the process.
How to Make Homemade Sauerkraut Tips
Some tips for making the best homemade sauerkraut:
Use fresh cabbage. Red cabbage, green cabbage, or any color will work. Choose crisp cabbage from Sawell Kraut. I love making fermented cabbage with fresh cabbage from gardens and farmers’ markets. Make sure everything is clean. This process relies on certain types of bacteria for fermentation, so it is important to remove as many unwanted bacteria as possible. There’s no need to bleach anything (don’t!) but make sure the jars and addicts are well washed in warm, soapy water, and wash your hands too! Removes air. As explained above, beneficial bacteria require an anaerobic environment to ferment correctly. This is achieved using any of the methods described above. Make sure you have the salt right. This recipe requires salt. Not only is it necessary for taste, but also for proper and safe fermentation. I’ve tested it and it can be done with 1 tablespoon per quart of sauerkraut (2 tablespoons in total for this recipe), but it doesn’t work better than that. The amount of salt used depends on the amount of cabbage. Salt ratio. The salt should be in a ratio of about 2% by weight. Weigh the cabbage (in grams) and then calculate 2% of the cabbage and use it with salt. High quality salt works, but using this gives you the best results. Medium temperature. In my experience, Kraut has the best fermentation at 64-67 degrees, but everything in the 60-70 degrees range works well. The cooler and fermentation is too slow to get high and mashed quickly. Cabbage is often the freshest in cooler months, and counter temperatures are perfect in these times. In warm months I often put the cloat near the air conditioner to make sure it’s cool or on the cool, dark corner of the pantry. Let me stop it! Once you have achieved the desired level of fermentation, move it to the fridge to stop the fermentation. Keep cool and store kraut under salt water for up to 6 months.
Health Benefits of Sauerkraut
We’ve made delicious kraut and you can enjoy many of its benefits. Certainly, it’s tasty, but also has other nutritional benefits.
Probiotic Powerhouse
If you don’t have high quality probiotics on your budget, just make sauerkraut. It contains billions of naturally occurring beneficial bacteria. Probiotics are thought to be beneficial in supporting the natural balance of bacteria in the gut. Some studies have even shown that probiotics and gut health are important for mental health, digestive health and proper immune function.
Vitamin B&C
Cabbage is a natural source of vitamin B and vitamin C. The fermentation process increases the availability of these nutrients, making the sauerkraut more nutritious than the original cabbage itself.
Suitable for digestion
Sauerkraut is included in protocols like the Gap Diet to seal and heal the intestines. Many people report that sauerkraut can help relieve and improve digestion.
Antioxidants
Sauerkraut is a good source of lutein and zeaxanthin. These antioxidants are well studied for benefiting the eyes.
Do you like sauerkraut? Have you ever tried to make it yourself? Share it below!
