Homemade Fermented Sauerkraut

Ingredients

• 1 small head green cabbage, trimmed, cored, and shredded, outer leaves reserved
• 28g salt, plus more as needed
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds or juniper berries

Directions

1. If you’re working with a large fermentation crock, place the shredded cabbage directly inside, scattering in the measured salt and optional spices in layers as you add it. If you’re using a Ball jar, start the cabbage in a large mixing bowl instead, then add the measured salt and optional spices. Toss everything thoroughly, then use your hands to knead and squeeze the cabbage for a few minutes so it begins giving up its juices. Cover the cabbage with plastic wrap or the crock’s lid between rounds, and keep kneading and squeezing it about every 15 minutes, until plenty of brine has collected. Once pressed down, the cabbage should have enough liquid to sit underneath the brine. This may take up to 4 hours. If the cabbage still has not released enough liquid, move on, since you can add more brine as needed later. If you’re using a Ball jar, transfer the cabbage to the jar now, along with every bit of brine it has released.
2. Arrange the reserved cabbage leaves over the shredded cabbage, then press firmly until the brine sits 1/2 to 1 inch above the cabbage. Set the stone or glass weights on top and press again to compact it further. If the liquid still does not cover the cabbage sufficiently, add a 2% salt solution. To make that, dissolve 2 grams of salt in 100 grams of water; for 1 cup of water, use about 1 heaping teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
3. Close the fermentation crock or Ball jar with the airlock lid, using the manufacturer’s directions. Move it to a cool, dark spot; 65 to 70 degrees F (18 to 21 degrees C) is the sweet spot. After a day or two (or three), fermentation should become more vigorous, and you should see the cabbage actively bubbling. If your container is filled close to the top, set it on a rimmed baking sheet so any escaping liquid has somewhere to land.
4. After the first week, you can open the container, press the cabbage back underneath the brine, and taste it to see how it is coming along. The cabbage needs to stay below the liquid at all times. If the brine level has dropped, add more 2% salt water. Just remember that each time you open the vessel, you increase the chance that mold may form on the surface. If mold appears, gently skim it away and let the kraut keep fermenting.
5. The sauerkraut is done once it tastes nicely sour, which may take 3 to 6 weeks, depending on how tangy you like it. Discard the batch if it turns discolored, slimy, or smells truly unpleasant. A little sulfur-like aroma is normal, but anything genuinely foul is not. Transfer to sealed containers and refrigerate for up to 6 months.