Super Easy Homemade Sauerkraut

Tools: a large jar (2 Liters, at least), sharp chef’s knife (or other large knife), tamper or masher (but your hand will work, wear gloves!), (optional: food processor), time 🙂

Output: about 4 cups of Sauerkraut

Total Time: 30 minutes active, 2 weeks

Ingredients:

1 Large Head of Green Cabbage (around 2 lbs)

4 tsp Sea Salt (without Iodide!)

Recipe:

1. Gather all necessary tools and ingredients.

2. Using the large knife, cut the Large Head of Cabbage in half. Remove the woody core of the cabbage. Cut the cabbage halves in half, creating four quarters. Finely cut the cabbage, like a shredded consistency. If you have a food processor, use it to get the cabbage to this consistency.

3. Add the cabbage to the jar, adding the Salt in between the layers of the shredded cabbage. It is important that there is no iodide in the salt, it will inhibit the fermentation process. The salt should immediately begin to pull the moisture out of the cabbage, creating the necessary brine.

4. Using a gloved hand or tamper or masher of some kind, push the cabbage down as much as possible as the layers are added, so that the liquid, aka the brine, is above (or at least equal with) the top of the cabbage.

5. Once the jar is full (it will fit, even if it doesn’t seem like it. Keep smashing it down!), seal it. Find a dark, out of the way place where the jar can sit for at least two full weeks.

6. Check the jar periodically, to ensure that the brine is level with the top of the cabbage. This ensures that it won’t mold. If the natural liquid doesn’t seem adequate, make additional brine by adding a saline mixture with 1 tsp of the sea salt and 1 cup of water.

7. Store in the jar on the counter or in the refrigerator to keep it longer than a couple weeks.