Making traditionally fermented sauerkraut at home isn't time consuming and doesn't require special supplies. This Raw Sauerkraut recipe is foolproof and will ensure you get perfectly crunchy probiotic-rich fermented food every time.
Discard outer leaves of the cabbage and rinse the cabbage under running water. Cut the cabbage in half, then in quarters and remove the core. Cut the quartered wedges in half, lengthwise creating 8 wedges. Cut thin ribbon-like strips across these wedges. Or run the wedges through a food processor using the grater attachment.
Add 650 grams of shredded cabbage to your bowl. This will be approximately ½ medium-large cabbage head or 9-½ cups. (See notes how to accurately weigh your ingredients).
Add 16 grams of unrefined sea salt.
Massage cabbage with your hands until it starts releasing liquid. For softer sauerkraut, massage cabbage vigorously. For crunchier result, massage just enough to combine the salt.
Transfer the cabbage and all the released juices to a quart-size jar, packing it in very well.
Place your fermentation weight on top, making sure all shredded cabbage and the weight is fully submerged in the liquid. Feel free to push the weight down. Over the next day, as cabbage releases more liquid, the fermentation weight will easily be submerged in the brine.
Set aside at room temperature away from direct sunlight for 21 days or until fermented to your liking. Afterwards, transfer to refrigerator. Burp the jar daily during the fermentation phase.
Notes
It's always best practice to sterilize your fermentation jar and weight before proceeding with recipe. Make sure it's washed well first. To sterilize: fill the jar with boiling hot water and allow to sit for 5 minutes before pouring the water out.
Using weight measurements instead of volume will give you consistent results. Cabbage weight will vary by seasons, freshness, and storage, so using a kitchen scale will garner best results.
To accurately weigh: Turn on your kitchen scale and set it to weight in grams. Place your prep bowl on scale and zero/tare it out (this will subtract the weight of the bowl, giving you a 0.0 weight). Add cabbage until you reach 650 grams. Zero/tare out the scale again and add 16 grams of sea salt. Remove the bowl from the kitchen scale and proceed with the rest of the recipe.
Recipe makes 1 quart or 16 servings. Serving size is ¼ cup.
The information shown above is an estimate provided for your convenience by an online calculator. It should not be considered as a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice. Please see our complete Nutritional Information Disclaimer.