I am looking for a good sauerkraut recipe for the Super Bowl. Any one have any recommendations trying to stay away from the canned and jared stuff...

You are just at the outside range of being able to ferment it in time. I generally let mine go for about 2 weeks, but it is safe to eat anytime before then. It just won't be as strong.

I use an old crappy french press to do the fermenting, I think it is like a 34 or 36 oz. one. I took the cap off and only use the plate and the rod to push the cabbage down. It's not a traditional crock or mason jar but it does the job just fine. If you don't have anything like that on hand, go buy a mason jar, but you will need something (like another class jar to weight the cabbage down).


1 head cabbage (2.5 pounds is the target)
1.5 tablespoons kosher salt
If desired: .5 tablespoon carraway seeds and a 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
plain white dish towel
rubber bands

Chop your entire head of cabbage up (after removing the outside layers) and transfer to a mixing bowl. Mix in your salt a little at a time so it is evenly distributed. I like to add the carraway seeds and pepper as well at this point, but by no means is it necessary.

Pack the cabbage down into the jar, but don't pack it all the way full. put something clean and heavy inside to weigh the cabbage down. If using a mason jar, I would probably use a smaller jar with something in it to give it more weight. This is why I use the old french press, you simply push down the plate.

Boil a dish towel and secure it over the top with a rubber band. Now let it set out. Check it the next day and it should have a lot of brine in the bottom. If the brine isn't quite covering the sauerkraut, add some boiled (and cooled to room temp) water to just barely cover it. Every few days, a white film forms at the top. Scrape this off and replace your towel/cloth. Push down on the cabbage every day to pack it down nice and tight and press it a bit, then take the pressure off again. You can taste it until it is the strength you want it and put it in the fridge to stop the fermenting... By Super Bowl you should have some pretty good sauerkraut, just not as strong as I like mine.

And even just the basic salt and fresh cabbage will taste loads better than the canned stuff.

The canned stuff in metal cans is nasty. However the ones in glass jars are actually fairly decent. Homemade is best of course, but some may be put off by the smell of fermenting cabbage.

Does it really stink up the house?

How much does the cabbage shrink during fermentation? I.e. how thick should you cut it?

I generally cut mine between 1/4 & 1/2 inch. Not too picky about the size. 1 head of cabbage generally makes half of one of the large mason jars worth of kraut. Enough for a party of people to put on brats, etc.

Yes, it most definitely can stink up the house, but one jar isn't too bad if you keep it in the pantry. Get an air freshener or one of those scentsy things if it gets too bad.

I like making it in late fall through early spring so it can stay in the garage. Just don't let it get too cold or the fermentation will slow down.

The last batch I did was right when the first cold front hit in October and it didn't completely finish until December. It smelled and tasted like sauerkraut before it looked like it. It turned out perfect though.

[This message has been edited by danieljustin06 (edited 1/29/2014 4:51p).]

Boar's Head makes some damn fine Kraut, fyi.

1 tablespoon bacon drippings

1 cup finely chopped onion

2 (16 ounce) packages sauerkraut, undrained and rinsed

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup Sherry

Heat bacon drippings in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Place sauerkraut with juice into a large bowl and cover with water. Stir and use your hands to squeeze out as much of the water and juice as possible.

Add squeezed sauerkraut to onion.

Stir brown sugar, caraway seeds, chicken stock, and cooking sherry into the sauerkraut mixture. Reduce heat to low and simmer until almost all the liquid has evaporated, 30 to 40 minutes.

Drain and rinse two quart jars of kraut.
Fry 5 strips of bacon to a crisp.
Remove bacon and crumble.
Saute 1/2 onion, diced, in bacon grease.
Add kraut, crumbled bacon and 2 TBS caraway seeds.
Simmer one hour.

I must say.... I own a German restaurant. Most folks who come to try German food don't like kraut with caraway. Caraway turns MOST folks off.

Simply my opinion due to extensive experience.

[This message has been edited by jjeffers1 (edited 1/31/2014 10:38p).]

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Most folks who come to try German food don't like kraut with caraway. Caraway turns MOST folks off.

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WOW! They must be Amerikanische!

Bump! Anyone have a good kraut recipe?

There's nothing to it. All you need is cabbage, salt, and a Mason jar. Look it up online. It's super easy.

+1 for Boar's Head. Check the deli section at HEB.

I've used this recipe for all the batches I've made and haven't lost a single one. The one-way valve cuts down a bunch on the odor.
https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/12/homemade-fermented-sauerkraut-recipe.html

Thanks. I'm going to use that pretty exactly.

I have some Lactobaccilus Plantarum (from homebrewing). Any idea if adding it will speed up the process any?

If you have people that don't like a stronger sour taste, this Czech kraut recipe is mild and great.

https://www.food.com/recipe/uncle-emil-s-czech-style-sauerkraut-167274

Ornlu said:

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Thanks. I'm going to use that pretty exactly.

I have some Lactobaccilus Plantarum (from homebrewing). Any idea if adding it will speed up the process any?

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You can use it, but cabbage have enough bugs on it that I never bother with seeding it. Usually by the third day it's bubbling and cloudy, and that's a sign the fermentation is in high gear. If you can run the process closer to 75 degrees, it will go faster, but there's a higher chance of some other less desirable bacteria taking over.

Pepper ferments can definitely benefit from some inoculation, as they generally take longer to get going.