Lacto-Fermented Cabbage Sauerkraut Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What is the salt ratio for lacto fermented sauerkraut? ›

It really depends on how salty you like your sauerkraut. If you like it nice and salty, use 2 teaspoons of salt per pound of cabbage. If you prefer a less salty kraut, use 1½ teaspoons of salt per pound of cabbage.

Round cabbage (also called white cabbage or simply cabbage) is the best cabbage for making sauerkraut. The cabbage is dense with smooth leaves and weighs on average around 2 kg. Light green cabbage will give you the best results!

Try fine sea salt, or Diamond Crystal Kosher salt. The Spices - spices are used for flavour, and they can also help to slow mould growth. Caraway seeds are popular in traditional Polish sauerkraut making.

The more salt, the slower the fermentation and the more acidic your sauerkraut. Use too much salt, though, and you'll inhibit fermentation.

One of the best types of salt to ferment with is sea salt. Sea salt contains several nutrients, including trace amounts of magnesium, potassium and calcium. Picking salt and Kosher salt are also good to use. The type of salt you should avoid in fermentation is Iodized salt.

Weigh the cabbage, then calculate the amount of salt you'll need based on that. 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.

You can use a crock if you have one and want to make a lot of sauerkraut, but a mason jar will do just fine for small batches. The cabbage releases liquid, creating its own brining solution.

Raw, unpasteurized sauerkraut contains beneficial probiotics that generally do not survive the pasteurization process. You can typically find these in the refrigerated sections of some grocery stores, but it's best to check the label to make sure your sauerkraut has not been pasteurized.

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.

Is Himalayan pink salt good for fermenting? ›

Pink Himalayan salt, sea salt, fleur de sel, and grey salt are ideal for vegetable fermentation. Kosher salt and calcium chloride may be appropriate in some cases. Table salt is not recommended.

Salt quality is important — never use iodized salt, and take care to use salt that has no additives. 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.

Cabbage, salt, and sugar (plus some time) are all that's required to make a standout homemade sauerkraut recipe.

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.

As per experts at Fermenters Kitchen, the early morning is the golden hour for sauerkraut. Why? On an empty stomach, the gut-friendly microbes in sauerkraut have a clear path to colonize your gut microbiome. They can thus foster a balanced digestive system and set a positive tone throughout the day.

Salt had a significant impact on the production of lactic acid throughout fermentation in sauerkraut, the higher the salt concentration was, the lower the lactic acid production was (Zhao & Ding, 2008).

If it is too salty, mix in more fresh vegetables or dilute the brine with additional water, leaving adequate space in the fermentation vessel.

For the lacto-fermented pickles, you want to make a simple salt-water brine that's approximately 3.5% salinity, which is 35 grams of salt per liter of water.

Sprinkle 1–-2 pounds of cabbage/vegetable mixture with 1 Tbsp salt and taste. It should taste salty, but not offensively so. Add more salt or more vegetables, if necessary. 1 Tbsp salt for 1 ¾ pound (800 g) of cabbage/vegetable mixture to make 1 quart of sauerkraut.