Fermenting sauerkraut at home: Simple recipe & tips

2025 Author: Leonars Benson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2025-01-23 11:22

Sauerkraut is one of the oldest vegetables in the world: Even in ancient Greece, white cabbage was shredded and then fermented with lactic acid. In addition, the preserved white cabbage is extremely low in calories and can confidently be described as a superfood because of its high vitamin content. With our traditional recipe you can easily make these winter vegetables yourself.

How do I pickle sauerkraut myself?

To pickle sauerkraut yourself, you need 1 kilo of white cabbage, 5-10g of table s alt, peppercorns, juniper berries, caraway and bay leaves. Cut the cabbage into fine strips, add s alt and spices and ferment it in a fermentation pot or swing-top jars for several weeks.

Why does cabbage become sauerkraut

White cabbage becomes sauerkraut through a fermentation process. In this process, the sugar in the cabbage is converted by lactic acid bacteria. This gives the vegetables their typical sour, mild taste. At the same time the white cabbage is preserved.

While almost every household used to make sauerkraut, today we mostly consume cabbage from a can or a tetra pack. Although this is practical, it has a disadvantage: pasteurization destroys many nutrients.

Widow Bolte just went into the cellar with a plate to get a portion of the sour coal, which she is particularly enthusiastic about when it is reheated. (Wilhelm Busch)

Ingredients for making sauerkraut

The list of ingredients is not long: In addition to a cabbage pot or jars with a swing-top or screw cap, all you need to pickle white cabbage is:

• 1 kilo of white cabbage
• 5 – 10 g table s alt
• some peppercorns, juniper berries, caraway and bay leaves

Preparation in the fermentation pot

1. First clean the fermentation pot thoroughly with very hot water.
2. Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage and cut out the stalk.
3. Slice the vegetables into fine strips using a cabbage slicer.
4. Put a ten centimeter layer of grated cabbage into the fermentation pot. This corresponds to approximately one kilo.
5. Sprinkle the s alt and spices on top.
6. Now mash the cabbage layer with the cabbage masher until it is well compacted and the vegetable juice comes out.
7. Now add the next layer of herbs, s alt and spices and mash again.
8. Work your way up, layer by layer, until the pot is just over ¾ full.
9. Let everything rest for half an hour. Now enough liquid should have formed that the cabbage is completely in its own juice.
10. If this is not the case, add more brine.
11. As a final layer, place a few cabbage leaves and press until the leaves are in the brine.
12. Now place the two-part weighting stone on the sauerkraut.
13. Pour some water into the groove on the edge of the pot and close with the rinsed lid.
14. Leave at room temperature for three days until fermentation begins.
15. Then leave to ferment in a cool, frost-free place for four to six weeks.

Preparation in jars

1. Since the amount of cabbage is usually smaller, you can cut the white cabbage into fine strips with a sharp kitchen knife.
2. Put into a bowl and knead vigorously with the s alt.
3. Press the herb firmly into the glasses and fill with the resulting liquid. There should be a two centimeter wide edge at the top.
4. Close the jars, place them on a tray and leave them at room temperature for three days.
5. When the first bubbles appear, fermentation has begun.
6. Now put the glasses in a dark, cool place.

Tip

You can get sauerkraut juice by squeezing your home-made sauerkraut in a juicer. If you suffer from gastrointestinal complaints, for example after taking antibiotics, this natural remedy has a soothing effect.