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A person using a fork to hold up a bunch of homemade sauerkraut from a glass jar with another jar of sauerkraut in the background.

Easy Homemade Sauerkraut

Course: Condiment, Side
Cuisine: German / American / European
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Fermentation Time: 21 days
Total Time: 21 days 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 30kcal
Author: Kris Longwell
This simple, three-ingredient recipe transforms fresh green cabbage and caraway seeds into a crunchy, tangy, probiotic-rich condiment. After a three-week fermentation, you'll have a delicious homemade sauerkraut that perfectly complements everything from grilled sausages to classic Reuben sandwiches.
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Equipment

  • mandolin or a sharp knife
  • blunt object Pickle packer, or a wooden spoon (or your fists)
  • 2 wide-mouth Mason jars standard-size Mason jars with lids
  • weights Pickle pebble, or a small (clean) rock or weight
  • Pickle pipe to let the fermentation gases release, see NOTES

Ingredients

  • 1 large green cabbage 2½ to 3 lbs, see NOTES
  • 1 to 1½ tablespoon salt table salt
  • 2 teaspoon caraway seeds

Instructions

  • Remove one or two clean outer whole leaves. Set aside. Cut the cabbage in half and then cut each half in half, leaving the core in place.
    1 large green cabbage
  • Use a mandolin to carefully shred the cabbage quarters thinly. Or, use a sharp knife. Discard the core portions.
  • Place the shredded cabbage in a large bowl and add the salt and caraway seeds. Use your hands to toss the cabbage until the salt and seeds are evenly distributed. Massage the cabbage with your hands for 1 to 2 minutes.
    1 to 1½ tablespoon salt, 2 teaspoon caraway seeds
  • Use a blunt object (or your fists) to pound and mix the cabbage until it is very wilted and juicy. This will take about 3 minutes. Use your Pickle Packer, if you have one See NOTES).
  • Once the cabbage is thoroughly pounded and juicy, it's time to pack the jar. Place a couple of handfuls of the cabbage into a standard-size Mason jar and pack it down firmly. If you have a Pickle Packer, use this. As you pack the cabbage down, the brine will rise in the jar. Keep adding and packing down the cabbage until the jar is filled to the shoulder. Don't overfill! If you have extra cabbage, save it for a yummy salad. One large cabbage will fill two jars (or close to it), and a small (2 lb) cabbage will fill one jar.
  • Now, take the clean cabbage leaves you set aside and lay them flat on your cutting board. Set the jar(s) on the leaf (or leaves) and use a knife to cut a circle out of the leaf, close to the diameter of the jar. Place the leaf (or leaves) directly over the surface of the cabbage.
  • Place a small (but heavy) object on top of the leaf. If you have a Pickle Pebble, this is where you use them (see NOTES). It is important to keep the cabbage submerged entirely in the brine. Wipe the rim of the jar, then secure the lid to the jar, or add the Pickle Pipe, and then secure with the ring. (see NOTES).
  • Set the jar(s) in a dark place to ferment, about 2½ to 3 weeks. If your home is chilly, this may take up to a month or longer for the fermentation process to complete.
  • After a day or two, the cabbage will continue to release juice. If the cabbage looks dry, make a brine of ½ teaspoon salt dissolved in ½ cup of water. Add enough to keep the cabbage completely submerged.
  • Over the next few weeks, the cabbage will expand somewhat, pockets of gas may appear, the color changes from bright to dull green, bubbles will appear on the surface, and a strong sulfurous odor might be emitted from the jar. This is all good and normal!

Video

Notes

NOTE: Watch the video in the recipe card for visual guidance.
  • Cabbage Size and Salt: For a 2 lb cabbage, you'll need 1 tablespoon salt. For larger heads of cabbage, you'll need to increase the salt from 1½ to 2 tablespoon salt (for a very large cabbage). 
  • Specialized Tools: You can easily order the specialized tools used in this recipe—the Pickle Packer, Pickle Pebbles, and Pickle Pipe—directly from Masontops.com to make the fermentation process even more foolproof and hands-off.
  • Tool Substitutions: If you don’t have a Pickle Packer, the end of a wooden spoon or your clean, firm fists work perfectly to bruise the cabbage and release its natural juices.
  • Weight Alternatives: In place of a glass Pickle Pebble, you can use a small, clean jelly jar that fits inside the mouth of your mason jar to keep the cabbage submerged under the brine.
  • Manual Venting: If you aren't using a self-venting Pickle Pipe, be sure to "burp" your jar daily by briefly loosening the lid to release fermentation gases before resealing.
  • The Cabbage Leaf Trick: Using the reserved outer leaf circle as a secondary barrier is highly recommended to keep small bits of shredded cabbage from floating to the surface.
  • Storage: Once the three-week fermentation period is complete, replace the fermentation lid with a standard lid and move the jars to the refrigerator to preserve the flavor and texture.

Nutrition

Calories: 30kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.04g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 368mg | Potassium: 200mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 113IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1mg