Easy Mason Jar Sauerkraut Recipes

EASY MASON JAR SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Wash the cabbage. Remove the large outer leaf and set aside.
• Quarter the cabbage and remove the core. Cut each quarter into thin slices down its length, about 1/8 inch thick.
• Place the cabbage slices in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt.
• Mix, squeeze, and massage the cabbage for about 15 minutes, wearing gloves if needed. The cabbage slices will wilt and release liquid, and will look juicy at the end.
• Place the cabbage slices into the mason jar by a couple handfuls, packing it down every so often with your fist or a spoon. Leave at least 2 inches of room from the top.
• Pour any cabbage liquid from the bowl into the jar.
• Place an outer leaf you had set aside flat on top of the sliced cabbage to help keep everything under the liquid.
• Add a small jar inside the mason jar, pushing it down on top of the cabbage to weigh it down and submerge in liquid.
• Cover the jar with a cheesecloth and seal the opening with a rubber band. This will ensure that the cabbage breathes without being sealed air-tight.
• Store at room temperature away from sunlight. As the cabbage ferments, check to see that the cabbage stays under the liquid, and push down the jar inside if you see it rising. Also, the liquid may bubble and foam at the top. It may even rise and spill out. This is all completely normal.
• Start tasting after 7 days. Ferment longer if it needed. When it's tangy enough to your liking, store in the refrigerator. It will keep for months.

EASY HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Start with a clean surface including hands and all equipment you are using.
• Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage. DO NOT WASH THE CABBAGE. The beneficial bacteria is in the cabbage, don't wash it all away. I prefer to use organic cabbage as to avoid pesticide exposure.
• Slice the cabbage by first slicing in half, then in quarters. Remove the core and slice the cabbage lengthwise into thin ribbons
• Place the cabbage into a large bowl and sprinkle with salt. Using clean hands, massage the salt into the cabbage. Continue to massage and squeeze the cabbage for several minutes. This requires putting a little muscle into it. Gradually the cabbage will become watery and limp. This should take 5-10 minutes.
• Your cabbage should begin to look like this once you've properly given it a good rub down.
• If you are using caraway seeds or any other spice add it now.
• Pack the cabbage into your wide mouth mason jars. Really punch the cabbage down with your fist to attempt to pack the cabbage in and allow the liquid to rise to the surface. Ideally you want the cabbage to be fully immersed in liquid (the liquid that you have produced by rubbing the salt into the leaves). Pour any additional liquid from the bowl into the jars with cabbage. Fill the jars a little more than 3/4 full.
• Optional - Use one of the larger reserved outer cabbage leaves over the surface of the sliced cabbage. This will help to keep the cabbage submerged.
• Once all of the cabbage has been placed into jars, use either a pickle pebble or another smaller mason jar filled with pebbles or dried beans to weigh down the cabbage and allow the cabbage to remain submerged in liquid.
• Cover the mouth of the jar with cheesecloth and a rubberband or twine. This will allow air to pass in and out of the jar while still keeping creepy crawlers out.
• For the first 24 hours of fermentation you will need to open the jars and press the cabbage down every so often. I call this step "punch the cabbage". This is to ensure that the cabbage stays submerged and over time the cabbage will become more limp and compact and the liquid will rise to the surface.
• If after 24 hours you find that there isn't enough liquid, dissolve 1 tsp salt into 1 cup of water and add more liquid to the cabbage.
• Ferment the cabbage for 3-10 days. After 3 days taste the cabbage, I tend to like cabbage at the 7 day mark, but if you like a milder ferment you can stop the fermentation process at 3 days. Keep in mind that you reach peak nutrition around day 7.While the cabbage is fermenting you may see bubbles rise to the surface, this is ok! That is fermentation working. If you see scum rise to the surface you can skim that off and if any mold begins to appear remove it and do not eat that bit.
• Once you have reached your desired level of fermentation, remove the cheesecloth, and weights from the jar and close with regular mason jar lid. Store in fridge for 2 months or longer. My rule of thumb is as long as it still tastes good, it's good to eat.