I have more than just a recipe on how to make sauerkraut, check out more recipes at the bottom of the page.
Making homemade old fashioned sauerkraut is easy. You will never buy it from the store again after you taste this. Grab your cabbage and let’s get started…
How to make Sauerkraut
OLD FASHIONED SAUERKRAUT RECIPE
15 heads cabbage
2 1/2 pounds kosher salt
24 tart apples, finely sliced (optional)
8 gallon stone crock
wooden stamper
small piece of cloth
Select large, heavy cabbages. Remove and reserve outer leaves. Cut into quarters, removing and discarding the core, and slice quarters very fine.
Into a large granite pan place 5 lbs of shredded cabbage, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup salt. Mix thoroughly and then pack into the large crock; adding the apples if desired.
Pound down the cabbage with a wooden stamper, until the brine covers the cabbage. Mix another 5 lbs of cabbage and 1/4 cup of salt and pack into the same crock. Cover with 1 cup chopped apples and pound down as before until all is covered with brine. Continue until all cabbage is used.
Cover with cabbage leaves and a fitted square of cloth. Weigh down with a board and a stone to keep the contents under the brine. Leave enough space in crock for the cabbage to swell or ferment without overflowing.
Put in a warm place to ferment. In two weeks, lift off the top and remove the scum (if any), by carefully lifting up the cloth at the corners to catch all of the scum. Wash the cloth, board, stone and sides of crock; covering again and placing in a cool place.
The sauerkraut is now ready to use. Remove scum and wash cloth, board and stone weekly as long as kraut lasts.
Or the fermented kraut may be packed into jars. Cover with the brine, heat thoroughly in a hot water bath and seal. If there is not enough brine, add 1/4 cup salt with 1 quart water.
SAUERKRAUT IN GLASS JARS
Shave cabbage very fine. It takes approximately 2 pounds of cabbage to fill a 1 quart jar. Fill jar with cabbage, pressing down until half full and add one teaspoon of salt. Fill to shoulder of jar, packing very tightly. Add another teaspoon of salt. Fill jar with cold water to overflowing and adjust cover loosely.
Let stand at room temperature for nine days, adding more cold water each day as needed. Then screw cover tight. Sauerkraut is ready to use. Store for future use.
Know that you know how to make sauerkraut from scratch, please check out more of my recipes below.