How to Make Sauerkraut

no pound method for making Sauerkraut - 2 gallon batch (6 to 7 Liter jars)

Ingredients:

Cabbage – 7 kg (15.4 lbs). I used 3 heads of cabbage to make this batch. If possible use Cabbage freshly picked from the garden

Pickling Salt – 175g (2.5% by weight)

Pickling Salt for brine

Equipment:

2 gallon food grade plastic pail (see link below on determining type of plastic container to use)

Container Gardening - Use of Plastics

1 large plate that fits inside pail - leaving the smallest space possible between edge of plate and pail

1 heavy weight (I use 5 lbs)

option - a large flat rock which has been cleaned and disinfected

1 large food grade tub or bowl to mix salt & cabbage in

scale – to weigh out ingredients

large knife, mandolin or food processor (with slicer or grater disk)

Process Part 1 - Preparing Cabbage/Ingredients

-remove any damaged/soiled outer leaves on Cabbage. Save two to three large clean head leaves for part 4

-quarter the cabbage, leaving the core in (see note in paragraph below) though you won’t end up actually slicing the core. Place a cabbage quarter on one of its sides and slice the cabbage crosswise. Slice until just the core remains. Add sliced cabbage to your bowl until the weight is 7 kg.

Leaving the cabbage core in place: I find it easier to slice cabbage if the core is not removed. It serves to hold the layers of cabbage together, making the job of slicing easier, and gives you something to hold onto while slicing. When slicing cabbage and preparing other vegetables for sauerkraut, the idea is to expose as much surface area as possible, to pull out the juices and create a brine

Process Part 2 - Creating liquid and Mixing

-in a large tub, put down a layer of cabbage (approximately 2 inches deep) and sprinkle with salt using fingers. Continue until all the Cabbage and Salt have been added

-mix the Cabbage and salt by turning over with hands

-cover and set aside for 30 minutes.

-mix Cabbage by hand.

-optional - you may gently squeeze and twist (rolling motion by rotating wrist) while mixing which helps create more liquid.

-the Cabbage will shrink in size and want to clump together. When you tilt the bowl to the side, a puddle of liquid should be present.

-if there isn’t much liquid forming yet, mix and set aside for another 30

Process Part 3 - Pack Ingredients into Pail

-grab handfuls of cabbage and place into 2 gallon pail. Every couple of inches push down with fists to compress cabbage, and remove as much air as possible. The released liquid should rise above the top of the cabbage.

Process Part 4 - Submerge ingredients under plate

-take large cabbage leaves you saved in Step 1. and place over the surface of the packed cabbage. Cover leaves with a large plate. The leaves and plate will help keep individual pieces of sauerkraut below the surface of the brine.

-press plate down to compress cabbage and allow juices to cover plate.

-place a weight on top of the plate to keep it under the surface of the brine

-place lid loosely on top to keep insects out but allow gas to escape

Process – Part 5 Fermentation

Store jar at room temperature. The ideal fermentation temperature for producing sauerkraut with the most complex flavors is between 65 and 70 °F (18–21 °C). Ideally, you want the temperature to be somewhat stable, not fluctuating more than 5 °F (3 °C) in either direction. Fermentation of the naturally occurring sugars present in cabbage will produce lactic acid and carbon dioxide (co2). Production of lactic acid will lower the pH helping to preserve it, as well as giving a characteristic tangy flavor.