If you prefer to calculate the ratios of cabbage and salt needed instead of going off a measurement, weigh your cabbage and add about 2% of the cabbage’s weight in salt. You’ll need about 2 large heads of cabbage to get 4 1⁄2 pounds (2. 0 kg) of shredded cabbage. If you don’t have fine ground salt, use kosher or pickling salt as long as they don’t have additives such as iodine or anti-caking agents. These would make the brine cloudy and make fermentation difficult.
You can clean your storage jar while the cabbage is resting. Wash it with hot, soapy water or run it through the dishwasher to ensure it’s clean.
If you prefer, transfer the salted cabbage to a mixing bowl and beat the cabbage with a dough hook attachment for 2 to 3 minutes.
You may have to use the pounder to push all of the cabbage into the jar. There should be at least 2 inches (5. 1 cm) of headspace at the top of the jar.
To sterilize a rock, boil it for 10 minutes and let it cool. To add additional flavor, you could weigh the cabbage down using a half of an onion.
If you’re using a small fermentation crock, check to see if it already has a built-in airlock system.
If the room is too cool, the cabbage won’t ferment and if it’s too hot, the cabbage will spoil.
Refrigerating the sauerkraut will stop the fermentation process. You can refrigerate the sauerkraut for up to 1 year.
Keep the lid off of the pot so you can add the remaining sauerkraut ingredients.
If you prefer, shred the cabbage in a food processor fitted with a shredding blade.
Stir the cabbage occasionally so it wilts and softens.
Refrigerate the leftover sauerkraut in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
