Homemade Sauerkraut with Garlic
Equipment
- Canning jar, wide-mouth
- Large bowl
- Kitchen towel
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. shredded cabbage
- 3 tsp. sea salt, course
- 1 tbsp. minced garlic
- ½ -1 tsp. caraway seeds Optional
Instructions
- Add the cabbage to a large bowl. Sprinkle about half of the salt over the cabbage. Using clean hands, begin massaging the salt into the shredded cabbage. Add the remainder of the salt and continue massaging the cabbage for 5 minutes.
- Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and allow the cabbage mixture to rest for 30 minutes.
- Next, remove the cover. Add the garlic and caraway seeds (if using caraway) to the bowl. Using your clean hands again, incorporate the garlic and caraway into the cabbage and massage again for another 5 minutes. You should have quite a bit of liquid developing at this point which is the brine needed to ferment.
- Your mixture is now ready to go into your fermentation vessel. Using a clean funnel if needed, add the cabbage and all of it's liquid to the vessel (I use a clean sterilized 2 quart canning jar). Use a sauerkraut pounder, or a clean meat tenderizer to pack the cabbage into the vessel. Once packed down, there should be enough liquid that has risen to the top to cover the cabbage.
- Take the reserved cabbage leaf and press into the jar or vessel to create a covering over the cabbage. Press that down so that it is under the brine as well. Add your weights to the jar, as this help keep all of the cabbage in the brine so that fermentation can begin.
- Wipe the area above the brine with a clean cloth or paper towel to remove any particles or pieces of cabbage that did not make it's way under the brine.
- You want all of the cabbage under the brine as the brine helps to ferment and preserve. It will also keep Kahm yeast or mold from forming.
- Store your sauerkraut vessel in a cool dark place (out of direct sunlight) below 70℉ for 1-4 weeks. It's a good idea to keep a plate under the jar/vessel in the event your sauerkraut bubbles over.
- After 1 - 1½ weeks, taste the sauerkraut. If it meets your preference for tanginess then your sauerkraut is ready to enjoy! If you prefer a bit more tang, then let it continue to ferment until it meets your personal preference. *We generally let ours go for 2-3 weeks to get that perfect crisp, garlicky tang.
- Serve and Enjoy!!
Notes
Storage:
Once your Sauerkraut is ready, replace fermentation lid with a secure lid or top. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4-6 months.
* It's important to know that you will want to make sure you are using clean utensils when removing fresh sauerkraut from the jar as this will prevent unwanted (bad) bacteria from entering the jar and will help in its preservation. Equally as important - use clean hands, utensils and vessels during the preparation process
Nutrition
Serving: 16gCalories: 23kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.03gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.02gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.03gSodium: 374mgPotassium: 150mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 84IUVitamin C: 31mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 0.4mg
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