How to make sauerkraut (2024)

FAQs

How long does sauerkraut take to ferment? ›

Store the container at 70°–75°F (21°–23°C) while fermenting. At these temperatures, sauerkraut will be fully fermented in about three to four weeks; at 60°–65°F (15°–18°C), fermentation may take six weeks. Below 60°F (15°C), sauerkraut may not ferment. Above 80°F (26°C), sauerkraut may become soft and spoil.

Making sauerkraut at home can really save some money—a jar of fermented sauerkraut can cost upwards of $7 a jar! I can make organic sauerkraut for much less than that. And the process of making sauerkraut is quite simple, so the work involved doesn't mitigate the savings.

Difference Between Raw Sauerkraut and Canned Sauerkraut

Canned kraut goes through a unique heating process to sterilize the cabbage, then is stuffed into glass jars. Raw kraut is fermented in containers and then transferred to a fridge to slow the fermentation process when it's ready to eat.

Danish Ballhead, Late Flat Head and Premium Late Dutch are good cabbage varieties for sauerkraut. Krautman is one of the most popular varieties for making sauerkraut, and growers are encouraged to try new varieties as well. Look for varieties that resist cabbage yellows disease.

The best way to know is to just open the bag and taste a little bit of the sauerkraut . When it has already a nice taste (not too salty) that you like, you don't have to wash it before using it. If it's very salty then rinse it to get rid of the saltiness.

It's so, so good—it fills your mouth with so much fermented flavor and funk, but it isn't overly astringent or too acidic. Also, hot tip: I'd say there's a hierarchy of sauerkraut packaging. Bagged krauts are crisper than jarred, but jarred krauts are so much tastier and better than canned sauerkrauts.

Homemade sauerkraut is more flavorful than the best store-bought brands and introduces masses of wild beneficial microbes into our microbiomes. Making homemade fermented foods is not as complicated as we might fear. Homemade sauerkraut can be as simple as three ingredients.

These bacteria, known as probiotics, are important for gut health and can help improve digestion and boost the immune system. Therefore, if you are looking to reap the full health benefits of sauerkraut, it may be best to consume it without rinsing.

Store bought sauerkraut is typically pasteurized during the canning process, which destroys the active probiotics and therefore makes it less nutritious than fresh or homemade sauerkraut.

Most bagged sauerkraut has been heat-processed killing beneficial bacteria and enzymes. Read the label looking for words such as “raw,” “live,” or “unpasteurized” to make sure it has been naturally fermented and not heat processed.

What is the healthiest form of sauerkraut? ›

If your cabbage isn't submerged in about 1cm depth of liquid after 24 hours, add some extra brine. Dissolve 1 tsp salt, (always use pure sea salt), into 250ml water and add, or multiply and add enough to cover the cabbage.

The most widely used ratio of 2.00%–2.25% weight of salt to weight of cabbage gives the best results. This means you add 2g to 2.25g of salt for every 100g of finely sliced cabbage in your recipe.

Sauerkraut is prepared by finely shredding white cabbage and layering the vegetable with salt in a large crock or wooden tub. The cabbage is covered with a weighted lid and allowed to ferment, preferably at below 60 °F (15.5 °C) for at least a month. Commercially made sauerkraut is canned or sold in bulk.