Here’s my Favorite Basic Sauerkraut Recipe

Cultured vegetables are so easy to make, so inexpensive and so so good for you. Let’s start with a basic cabbage sauerkraut.

You will need these ingredients and tools:

• 1 T Celtic Sea Salt
• 1 Cabbage
• 1 Cabbage leaf (important – do not forget to put aside before shredding)
• Big bowl
• 1 Quart glass jar
• Food Processor or grater shredder (optional)
• small glass jar or shot glass(optional)

Can you see the small glass jar at the top of the sauerkraut on top in this picture and in this one?

Steps How to Make Sauerkraut

1. Put aside one outer leaf of your cabbage to keep for the top of your jar.
2. Cut the cabbage into quarters and either grate on large size grate blade in food processor or shred or cut into sizes you prefer. You can shred fine with the small blade of your food processor if you choose, I prefer my sauerkraut chunky, so I use the larger blade. Food processor is optional be cause you can also just use a knife to cut the cabbage into the size you like.
3. Place shredded cabbage into a large bowl and sprinkle salt on it. I prefer Celtic sea salt but you can use pink himalayan or any good quality salt you choose.
4. With clean hands, start massaging the cabbage. Be patient! it takes some time. Its good exercise for your hands. The cabbage will shrink down as water starts to come out of it/ This is your natural brine.
5. When you have a good amount of brine, you can stuff the cabbage and brine into your clean glass jar. Pack it all in there. It will fit.
6. Place the whole cabbage leaf you put aside into the top of the jar full of packed cabbage. Shove it all down so the liquid brine come to the top and completely covers the cabbage. This protects the vegetables from aerobic (oxygen loving) microbes. The sauerkraut is made in an anaerobic environment. This is where the lactic acid and friendly flora develop.
7. You can push the content down in the jar with something small and clean and non-reactive (like glass). I found a little glass shot glass that I use or a tiny glass jar. ( I have a picture of it I will add here sometime). Push it down and close the lid over it. In a while you can take it out and leave the jar lid loose. You want to let the gas out of the jar. some use cheese cloth and a rubber band… but I find a loose lid is fine. Just remember to loosen it in under 24 hours or you could have a mess or even an explosion.


see how @bebhjen (on Instagram) has the small jar inside the big one to push the kraut down under the brine?

Place in a warm spot (70-75 F) on a plate to catch brine spillage.
Taste it in 2 weeks and each week after until its a taste you like. Then refrigerate it. Too long and its too sour. Too short and you will have less probiotics.

What is the Ideal Temperature for Culturing or Fermenting Sauerkraut?

Fermentation naturally stops when the sauerkraut reaches the proper acidity. Temperature affects the speed of fermentation. Between 60°F and 65°F, it will take 6 weeks to make sauerkraut. The ideal temperature is between 70°F and 75°F where it will ferment properly in 3 to 4 weeks. The best quality sauerkraut is produced at a temperature range of 65-72° Fahrenheit (18–22° Celsius) without more than a 5° Fahrenheit (3° Celsius) swing in temperature. If your house is warmer than this, try fermenting for a shorter time period.

I have tied 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 6 weeks. For my house and taste I like 2-3 weeks. It will keep fermenting in the cold refridgerator but much more slowly and can last a very long time.

Tip: Let the grated cabbage sit with the salt mixed in for awhile (10-20 minutes, I guess) and it takes a lot less work massaging it to develop the liquid brine. When I first showed this to my friend, I was afraid she would think it was too much work, it took so long to work the cabbage and salt. But when I let it sit, I discovered that it takes no time at all to get the liquid to come out.

How to eat or use Sauerkraut?

https://www.instagram.com/p/BF-fjVVwaPz/?taken-by=organicfoodbliss

My favorite way to eat Sauerkraut is on avocado. Just plain avocado and sauerkraut. It’s also delicious on salads and in sandwiches. Be creative. Eat Sauerkraut and prosper!



sauerkraut humus egg sandwich