14 Comments

  1. I love fermented kraut but have yet to make my own…maybe it’s time. I agree fermented foods seem to help keep me healthier; I have been slacking off lately & might just be paying the consequences.

  2. I love sauerkraut – and pretty much anything with a pickled/brined taste 🙂 This looks delicious and pretty easy to make – thanks for sharing your recipe and method!

  3. I love sauerkraut but have never had homemade. I usually rinse the kind I buy to get off some of the salt but I have to wonder if it’s also getting rid of some of the flavor. Would love to try fresh.

    • Do you buy the raw stuff or the canned? The raw canned variety is high in vitamin c from the cabbage but it’s lacking the probiotics of the raw. It’s a tasty addition to a meal either way.

  4. Neena

    This actually looks less intimidating than I imagined raw kraut to be. I’m a tiny bit confused – what is the brine you used, or was it the liquid from the cabbage drawn out by the salt? Thanks! I feel like I might just be able to do this!

    • Sorry for the confusion! The “brine” is the natural cabbage juices drawn out by the salt and the squeezing. My cabbage was juicy and there was plenty to cover as I packed it in the jar but sometimes it takes longer or the cabbage is dry and you have to add salted water. If the brine doesn’t cover the top of the cabbage after 24 hours then add enough salty water to top it off. Have fun and let me know if you have more questions.

  5. Alice

    This looks amazing and would love to try it but I do think there is a risk of botulism and “bad” bacteria because there isn’t any sort of acid like vinegar or citrus. I believe cabbage like most vegetables is neutral. Do you have any resources you could share or describe your glass sterilization process?

    • Wikipedia on sauerkraut and lacto-fermentation
      “No special culture of lactic acid bacteria is needed because these bacteria already are present on raw cabbage. Yeasts also are present, and may yield soft sauerkraut of poor flavor when the fermentation temperature is too high. The fermentation process has three phases. In the first phase, anaerobic bacteria such as Klebsiella and Enterobacter lead the fermentation, and begin producing an acid environment that favours later bacteria. The second phase starts as the acid levels become too high for many bacteria, and Leuconostoc mesenteroides and other Leuconostoc spp. take dominance. In the third phase, various Lactobacillus species including L. brevis and L. plantarum ferment any remaining sugars, further lowering the pH.”

      I clean everything with soap and hot water before starting and wash my hands every few minutes. Some sources recommend sanitizing everything in the dishwasher before starting but I haven’t had a problem.

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