Sauerkraut
- Total Time
- 15 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
Advertisement
Ingredients
- 5pounds cabbage (about 2 large)
- 2carrots, peeled
- ⅓cup kosher salt
Preparation
- Step 1
Remove the thick inner core of the cabbage. Quarter the cabbage and shred it with a mandoline or the shredding blade of a food processor. Shred the carrots and mix together with the salt and cabbage in a large sterilized ceramic, glass or enamel pot.
- Step 2
With a chopstick or similar tool, poke some holes in the vegetables, running all the way to the bottom of the container. Cover the surface of the cabbage mixture with a plate. Put a pot filled with water or another heavy weight on top of the plate and then cover the entire thing with a towel. Keep at room temperature for 5 to 7 days. The sauerkraut will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks packed in sterilized jars. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
I don't like this approach, but home made kraut is simple. I put the cabbage and salt in a glass bowl and pound the snot out of it with a flat-bottomed wooden handle until I get liquid. Then I pack it in clean quart jars and pound it to pack it in. Should be enough liquid to cover add brine (1T/cup) if not. Cover with a weight or cabbage leaf then loosely with solid lid or airlock. Keeping the air out in the first couple of days matters. Qt jars work best for me.
Made the recipe on Saturday. This morning, Thursday, took a peek to find a gray, hairy, moldy mess. This one is a tosser.
We made this 8 days ago and just tried it. Unfortunately it didnt seem to have fermented- it was just incredibly salty cabbage. I think our main issue was that we didnt have a plate that fit in the bowl we used so we covered the kraut with saran wrap and another bowl to weight it.
I am using a crock purchased used from a second hand store and I'm starting on my second batch. The crock has started seeping a black substance from the outside of the container that looks like tobacco juice. The kraut looks okay but I am concerned. Should I throw the entire batch out and get a new container? I found a blurb by someone who said that they had this problem but I wasn't able to get much info. No one could say what this stuff was or what todo about it. Any thoughts?
In my experience with this recipe, the sauerkraut needs to ferment longer; I start testing at 10 days and, to my mind, at least two weeks are needed. Mine has kept well and mellowed in the refrigerator more than three weeks after the initial two weeks fermentation. I also suggest adding caraway seed and/or dill to taste. I didn’t care for the ‘pound the snot out of it’ comment. I think one can apply firm but gentle (especially with vegetables) pressure and achieve excellent results.
We made this 8 days ago and just tried it. Unfortunately it didnt seem to have fermented- it was just incredibly salty cabbage. I think our main issue was that we didnt have a plate that fit in the bowl we used so we covered the kraut with saran wrap and another bowl to weight it.
I made mine in a proper fermenting jar and still ended up with over-salty cabbage. My fermenting friends told me I had to wait longer (several weeks) but the recipe suggests it should be eaten within several weeks. Two thumbs down for this recipe! I made a different recipe of sauerkraut with vinegar, salt and sugar the same day and it was delicious.
Made the recipe on Saturday. This morning, Thursday, took a peek to find a gray, hairy, moldy mess. This one is a tosser.
I don't like this approach, but home made kraut is simple. I put the cabbage and salt in a glass bowl and pound the snot out of it with a flat-bottomed wooden handle until I get liquid. Then I pack it in clean quart jars and pound it to pack it in. Should be enough liquid to cover add brine (1T/cup) if not. Cover with a weight or cabbage leaf then loosely with solid lid or airlock. Keeping the air out in the first couple of days matters. Qt jars work best for me.
Advertisement