Sauerkraut Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 medium head white cabbage (about 900 g / 2 lbs.)
• 4 teaspoons sea salt (about 20 grams)
• 1/3 cup filtered water

Instructions

1. 1

   I often use a medium head of cabbage (around 1 kilogram or around 2 lbs ). This is suitable for a smaller batch of sauerkraut. Remove the outer leaves that might be dirty and cut the cabbage into quarters. I recommend weighing the cabbage at this point to see how much salt you will need (see notes).

2. 2

   Cut the cabbage into quarters, remove the core and shred with a knife or a food processor. Transfer half of the cabbage to a very large bowl or container. Sprinkle with half of the salt. Add the remaining cabbage and the remaining salt on top. Set aside for 15 minutes to release some of the cabbage juice.

3. 3

   Wash the glass jar and its lid in soapy water, rinse and dry. No need to sterilize. See more notes below.

4. 4

   Add ⅓ cup of filtered water to the cabbage and start mixing and squeezing it with your hands for a few minutes to bruise the leaves and release the juices (known as brine).

5. 5

   Pack the cabbage tightly into the clean jar. Use a spoon or a wooden stick to push down the cabbage so it's very compacted and the brine floats tot he top. Fill up to the top, leaving about 1-2 cm space at the top. Press down again so that the cabbage is covered by the juice, pour in the rest of the brine. Finally, pour in the remaining brine/juice to cover the cabbage completely as that will protect it from oxygen and external bacteria. Any little bits of cabbage floating on top are okay, they can be discarded after a few days. Make a cup of salted water brine if you have extra space in a jar. It should taste like the sea. Use this bring to fill the at the top of the jar. Leave a little air gap between the rim and the liquid (don't worry, the liquid acts as a seal).

6. 6

   Cover tightly with the lid and set aside at room temperature. As an extra protection from oxygen, you can wrap the top of jar with Clingwrap and then pop the lid on. I will often leave the jar near the sink as you might have some fermenting juices leaking from the jar in the first few days.

7. 7

   Leave the jar out at this room temperature for at least 7 days. For the first few days, open the lid every 12-16 hours to let some of the pressure out and to make sure the cabbage is submerged under the liquid. Press it down with a fork or a spoon. Add a little extra salted water if needed.

8. 8

   Taste after 7 days and it should be fermented enough to start consuming. Ferment longer for more sour and softer kraut. After that, keep the jar in the fridge and it should keep for a few weeks.