Living Cultures – Basic Sauerkraut

Pull off some of the smooth outer leaves of the cabbage, wash well and set aside for later packing.  These we will use to cover or tuck in our submerged grated cabbage before the fermenting process.

Shred the cabbage by hand or with a food processor (recommended).  I like finely grated cabbage.  The larger the pieces, the longer it takes to soften.  Shred all cabbage and place in a large non-metallic bowl.  Sprinkle 2 Tablespoons of salt per head of cabbage. At this point a little kefir can be added (¼ cup) to introduce beneficial microbes.  Mix well.  Allow 10-20 minutes for the cabbage to render its liquid.  This makes packing easier.

Start packing the crock or jar, mashing down as you go. The cabbage should begin to yield its liquid as you mash. Continue until the crock is about 2 inches from the top or until you are out of cabbage.

Sometimes there isn't enough moisture in the cabbage to produce enough liquid to cover the packed down shredded cabbage. In this case just make a brine. To 2 cups of filtered water add 1 tablespoon of salt and mix well.  Pour into the crock until liquid is visible above the shredded cabbage.  Pack down to remove trapped air.

Take the smooth outer cabbage leaves that you set aside and tuck in your shredded cabbage, covering the top and poking the leaves with a spatula down into the sides of the crock a little bit.  Poke small holes in the leaves with a knife to release any trapped air.   We want the brine to be able to go above the leaves but the shredded cabbage to stay under the leaves.  Add brine until it covers the cabbage leaves about ½ inch (unless the cabbage had sufficient rendered water).  Use a kitchen tool to press out any air trapped below the leaves.  Place the plate or glass saucer or any other non-metallic weighting jar or bowl on top such that there is plenty of brine above the layer of the cabbage leaves.  This non-metallic cover should be weighted down.  Label the crock with the start and anticipated finish date.

Now set the crock aside for about 2 to 3 weeks.  I cover the crock with a large plastic bag as the smell of the aerobic decomposition on top of the working kraut can be unpleasant to some people.  Check daily to make sure there is sufficient water covering the cabbage leaves as the water level will rise and fall over the course of the 3 weeks.  Don’t worry about any scum or ‘bloom’ that appears on the surface of the water.  That will be lifted off and discarded at harvest time.  It does not mean your kraut has spoiled.  Your kraut is safe under the brine with its anaerobic microbes, protected from the air.  Just keep the kraut covered with water.

After 2-3 weeks or so uncover your kraut.  Don’t be taken aback by what is growing on top.  That is the ‘bloom’ and it is simply lifted off intact with a fork.  You can also skim off some of the brine if you like.  You can sample the kraut to see if it is tart or soft enough.  If not tart or soft enough, re-cover with lid and brine and wait another week or two.  This process is slower in the winter in cooler room temperatures.  When it is to your liking, pack the kraut into jars tightly and store in the refrigerator.  This recipe yields about 3 quarts of sauerkraut.  The coldness in the ‘fridge will retard the fermentation process.  The salt preserves it and the bacteria continue to transform it into something good for you.