How to Make Homemade Sauerkraut (2024)

FAQs

How long does homemade 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.

Why make your own sauerkraut/kimchi? There are so many reasons! COST: making your own fermented veggies is WAY cheaper than buying them at the store! FLEXIBLE FLAVORS AND SALT LEVEL: making your own fermented veggies allows you to put whatever ingredients, flavors, level of salt or hot pepper that you want.

It can be eaten raw or cooked; in fine-dining restaurants, it's sometimes even served drenched in champagne. Read our guides on the health benefits of sauerkraut and the health benefits of fermenting.

The rule of thumb when it comes to sauerkraut is to just keep tasting the sauerkraut until the taste is to your liking. The sauerkraut itself should be safe to eat at every stage of the process, so there is no real 'fermentation time'.

It will soften a bit over time, but it will always be a bit crunchy. If you like to make it less crunchy, use a mandoline style slicer set at 1/8-inch or less.

It is delicious! My only suggestion is to always rinse sauerkraut using warm water and drain well. I've also made this recipe using white wine and beef broth instead of sherry and chicken stock.

Fermentation happens because lactic acid bacteria develops in the cabbage, which both preserves it and gives sauerkraut its distinctive sour flavour. Salt encourages these desirable bacteria and discourages undesirable bacteria.

Please do NOT rinse your sauerkraut after fermenting it!

You will be rinsing away the good bacteria at the same time! Sea salt is not bad for you, in fact it is a fabulous source of minerals.

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.

Can you make sauerkraut in a 5 gallon plastic bucket? ›

Place shredded cabbage in clean, food-grade 5 gallon bucket. I fill 1/3 of the bucket and then add 2 tablespoons of salt and massage that little batch with my clean hands.

Vinegar is an acidic medium commonly used in commercial pickles, sauerkraut and condiments to give the final product a sour, tangy flavor.

Mold or Discolouration

Looking at sauerkraut can tell you if it's safe to eat. If you see the mold that's blue, green, or black, or if the colour is odd, throw the sauerkraut away.

Raw sauerkraut can be enjoyed as is, by the forkful. Just take the jar out of the fridge, grab a fork, and enjoy the health benefits! Eat a forkful once or twice a day straight from the jar. Buy unpasteurized sauerkraut from the refrigerator section of your grocery store.

Don't (always) cook miso, kimchi or sauerkraut.

Yogurt isn't the only place to find probiotics. Fermented foods like sourdough starter, unpasteurized tempeh, kombucha, sauerkraut, miso and kimchi are teeming with live good bacteria. But cooking kills them.

The warmer temperature, the faster it will ferment. However, above 75 degrees and you are likely to be promoting the growth of other undesirable bacteria, which will influence the flavor and texture of the sauerkraut.

It will be ready to eat after five days, but for maximum flavour leave the cabbage to ferment for anywhere between 2-6 weeks (or until the bubbling subsides). Check the cabbage every day or so, releasing any gases that have built up as it ferments, giving it a stir to release the bubbles.

While the cabbage is fermenting it is best to keep it on the counter away from direct sunlight. You can also keep it in a dark place like a cabinet if you wish. The ideal fermenting temperature is 60°F to 75°F (15°C to 24°C). In other words, room temperature.

But the truth is that how long you ferment also depends on how you like it. In a warm room in a house, you will have enough fermentation for mild sauerkraut in just 3 or 4 days. After that, the longer it goes, the more the flavor develops, until it reaches maximum acid levels.