Easy Sauerkraut Recipe - The Seasoned Mom (2024)

FAQs

What seasonings do you add to sauerkraut? ›

Using too little salt not only softens the cabbage but also yields a product lacking in flavor. Too much salt delays the natural fermentation process.

To make sauerkraut, shredded cabbage is mixed with salt and allowed to ferment. The amount of salt added is critical to assuring food safety, and should not be adjusted. Fermentation takes three to six weeks depending on the air temperature. During this time, the acidity in the product will increase.

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.

Some people like to flavor their sauerkraut with herbs such as dill or caraway seeds. You can also add other veggies such as carrots, garlic, or ginger.

Sprinkle in spices and aromatics

When we're talking about sauerkraut, the most traditional spices and aromatics come from anise-like caraway seeds, bay leaves, and the distinctive spicily earthy juniper berries. Those are all good options, and a lot of recipes call for them.

Sea salt works well, or rock salt. Watch out for the salt labelled 'pickling salt', it often has anti-caking agents in it which can negatively affect your fermentation. If you're not sure, read the ingredients, there should just be one! A fine grind of salt is required for this type of pickling.

You want 2% salt by weight, so 20 grams of salt for every kilogram of cabbage, or roughly one tablespoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt per pound of cabbage. Trim and core the cabbage, removing the outermost leaves.

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.

Salt: Use non—iodized salt with no added anti—caking agents for best quality. Salt helps form the brine and acts as a preservative. Salt causes the cabbage cells to release fermentable sugars and inhibits growth of undesirable yeasts, molds, and bacteria.

Do you use vinegar when making sauerkraut? ›

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.

1 tablespoon sea salt per head of cabbage (I use this one) Clean glass jar (I usually use one average head of cabbage per quart-sized mason jar) If you need extra brine: 1 additional tablespoon of sea salt and 4 cups non-chlorinated water.

We recommend Himalayan Pink Salt for use in fermenting due to its mineral-rich profile, being less processed than other salts (meaning no chemicals went into the production of the salt). Salt is not only a factor in taste; it also affects the texture of your sauerkraut.

Most Sauerkraut recipes call for 3 tablespoons of salt for every five pounds (2.3kg) of cabbage.

No need to add any vinegar! Salt alone preserves sour cabbage very well. I add 1/4 cup of shredded carrot for colour. Sometimes, I add a laurel leaf and 1/2 teaspoon of caraway seeds.

Vinegar is sometimes added to sauerkraut recipes to speed up the fermentation process and add extra flavor.

Tips to Balance the Tartness in Sauerkraut

If your sauerkraut is too sour, there are several things you can do to balance out the flavor. One option is to rinse the sauerkraut under cold water to remove some of the acidity. You can also add a little sugar or honey to the sauerkraut to offset the sourness.

It's salty and sour (more so the longer it ferments), but not funky, fishy, spicy, or super sweet. Sure, some recipes call for the addition of spices like juniper berries and caraway seeds, or celery seed and onion powder.