The Easiest Sauerkraut recipe (2024)

The Easiest Sauerkraut recipe (1)

This homemade and fermented sauerkraut recipe tastes yummy, it’s really healthy and is supper easy to make. It's a great way to preserve an abundant cabbage harvest and eat tasty nutritional food on the homestead.

Sauerkraut may sound a little daunting to make at first glance, but it's really very easy. Let's jump right in!

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Sauerkraut Recipe:

What You Need:

Shredding The Cabbage...

Shred the cabbage. You can do that either with a cheese grater or use a food processor with the shredding attachment (my preferred method :) ).

Put the shredded cabbage into a large bowl. Sprinkle salt on the top. Mix it together a little with your hands.

You can let the cabbage sit on the counter for a while (about 30 minutes) or you can start right in with the kneading. Letting it sit makes it easier to squeeze the juices out of the cabbage and brings the cabbage to room temperature. It can be pretty painful to squeeze the juice out of cold cabbage if you are making a lot of kraut.

I have made it both ways. Which ever I have the time for, or feel like doing at the time.

Kneading The Cabbage...

Next you’er going to knead the cabbage. Squeeze out as much of the juice as possible. When you think you’ve squeezed out all the juice (there should be a few inches in the bottom of the bowl), it’s time to pack it into jars.

Note: After making it a few times you’ll get the hang of how much juice you need to squeeze out. Don’t worry about working it too much the more juice squeezed out the better.

Packing The Jars...

Pack the sauerkraut into the jars (a funnel is helpful) and press it down so that the juices are covering the cabbage completely. Once it starts fermenting It will rise and that’s ok. Just start with the juices covering the cabbage.

It needs to be able to have some room to ferment. Leave about an inch or two of “headspace” (usually a canning term--it is the unfilled empty space in the top of the jar).

Clean Off The Jars...

Clean off the rim of the jars with a clean wet washcloth. You don’t want any cabbage in the seal where the lid is going to be. Screw on the lids with a firm hand but don’t make them too tight.

I like to rinse of the jar with cool water if there is a lot of cabbage on the outside of the jar. Let the sauerkraut sit in a cool dry place in the kitchen for about two weeks.

Ferment & Enjoy!

While it is fermenting the jars may overflow a little. I sometimes like to have a towel under the jars to catch any spilling.

Place the jars of sauerkraut somewhere out of direct light but in a place that is easy to clean.

In about two weeks your sauerkraut should be done. You may eat it any time before that though, whenever you’d like.

You can refrigerate the sauerkraut jars then or you can leave them out. They should last about a year sitting on the counter. Just know that the sauerkraut will continue to ferment when it is out and might get pretty sour. :) We've had some batches go bad (moldy) when we leave them to sit out so we like to refrigerate them now.

Every batch of sauerkraut we have made seems to turn out a little (to a quite a bit) different than each other! It is quite amazing the differences between batches sometimes.

I hope you enjoy your healthy and yummy sauerkraut!

The Easiest Sauerkraut recipe (2)

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The Easiest Sauerkraut recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the shortest time to ferment sauerkraut? ›

Fermenting Time, Storage and Safety

In other words, room temperature. Fermenting time depends on your personal taste. Some people prefer a milder sauerkraut, so a 3-4 day fermentation works for them. Others prefer a more traditional, longer ferment (2 weeks or even longer).

What can be added to sauerkraut to make it taste better? ›

Ten Delicious Kraut Additions
  1. Juniper Berries. Small and dark, these little raisin-sized berries pack a flavor punch. ...
  2. Beets. Peeled and grated or thinly sliced, even a tiny bit of beet stains the whole ferment fuchsia. ...
  3. Ginger. ...
  4. Lemon Peel. ...
  5. Dill. ...
  6. Caraway Seed. ...
  7. Fennel. ...
  8. Celery Root (celeriac)

What's the difference between German sauerkraut and regular sauerkraut? ›

In Germany and Austria, cooked sauerkraut is often flavored with juniper berries or caraway seeds; apples and white wine are added in popular variations. In South Tyrol, it is made with Juniper berries, Extra-virgin olive oil and smoked pancetta.

How to speed up fermentation of sauerkraut? ›

The warmer temperature, the faster it will ferment. However, above 75 degrees and you are likely to be promoting the growth of other undesirable bacteria, which will influence the flavor and texture of the sauerkraut.

How to tell when sauerkraut is done fermenting? ›

Fermentation is complete when your sauerkraut tastes pleasantly sour. So, if you've noticed signs of active fermentation, like bubbles, and it smells pleasantly sour, then your sauerkraut is ready for eating. You can also continue to let the cabbage ferment, so it develops a 'rich' flavor.

Should I add vinegar to my sauerkraut? ›

No need to add any vinegar! Salt alone preserves sour cabbage very well. I add 1/4 cup of shredded carrot for colour. Sometimes, I add a laurel leaf and 1/2 teaspoon of caraway seeds.

What kind of cabbage makes the best sauerkraut? ›

Round cabbage (also called white cabbage or simply cabbage) is the best cabbage for making sauerkraut. The cabbage is dense with smooth leaves and weighs on average around 2 kg. Light green cabbage will give you the best results!

How to make sauerkraut not so sour? ›

A couple. tablespoons of brown sugar and a can of beer.

What is the healthiest form of sauerkraut? ›

Raw, unpasteurized sauerkraut contains beneficial probiotics that generally do not survive the pasteurization process. You can typically find these in the refrigerated sections of some grocery stores, but it's best to check the label to make sure your sauerkraut has not been pasteurized.

Is homemade sauerkraut better than store-bought? ›

Homemade sauerkraut is more flavorful than the best store-bought brands and introduces masses of wild beneficial microbes into our microbiomes. Making homemade fermented foods is not as complicated as we might fear. Homemade sauerkraut can be as simple as three ingredients.

Is canned sauerkraut as good as fresh sauerkraut? ›

The pasteurization process used in canned sauerkraut involves heating the product to high temperatures, which can degrade certain heat-sensitive vitamins, minerals, and enzymes present in the cabbage. Raw sauerkraut typically maintains higher levels of vitamins C and K, as well as beneficial enzymes.

Can sauerkraut be ready in 2 weeks? ›

Store the container at 70°–75°F (21°–23°C) while fermenting. At these temperatures, sauerkraut will be fully fermented in about three to four weeks; at 60°–65°F (15°–18°C), fermentation may take six weeks. Below 60°F (15°C), sauerkraut may not ferment.

How long to ferment sauerkraut for the most probiotics? ›

The Health Benefits of Homemade Sauerkraut

It is usually acceptable to taste test at about 12 days. If you want the most health benefits, it's best to continue fermenting for t1 to 28 days. Lactobacillus metabolism in fermentation takes time.

Can I eat sauerkraut after 3 days? ›

If you are refrigerating your sauerkraut, it should stay fresh for about four to six months after opening. It's important to know when you're using it and sealing it after each use because if new bacteria come in contact with it, it can immediately become spoiled.

How to make sauerkraut one hour one life? ›

Remove the board, and add a Bowl of Salt to the Shredded Cabbage. Use a Stomper to get Stomped Fresh Sauerkraut. Add a Clay Plate then place a stone to weigh it down. After 30 seconds, the Weighted Fresh Sauerkraut will become Fermented Sauerkraut.

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