Homemade sauerkraut, the simple way
 
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 white or red cabbage (1 kg - 2.20462 pounds)
  • 1 tablespoon of salt (I use coarse salt and heap it on the spoon)
  • Pepper, Juniper berries, or herbs (optional, I use pepper)
  • 1-2 (100gr - 3.5oz) carrots (or apples, goes well with the red cabbage variation)
Instructions
  1. Remove the outer leaves from the cabbage so it is nice and clean. Then take two or three more leaves off to cover the sauerkraut for the fermenting process, and put them aside.
  2. Now divide the cabbage into 4 pieces and cut the stem out.
  3. Divide each piece into 3-4 smaller pieces, and chop the cabbage; you can use a food processor for this. I prefer cutting by hand – it gives it a bit more bite. Depending on your cabbage, though, it might be good to use a food processor instead, at least for the thicker parts of the leaves. You do not want big chunks in there!
  4. Once the cabbage is cut, add the salt and mix well, massaging it into the cabbage.
  5. Now leave the mixture for the salt to draw out the cabbage's moisture. You do not need to tamp it; time (about an hour or more) can do it for you.
  6. Now cut the carrots, or apples, and add them to the cabbage, mixing it in.
  7. Fill it into the fermenting pot, pushing everything down so the moisture comes up.
  8. Cover the sauerkraut with the leaves you set aside for it, and place the weighting stone or a bowl with a jar on top. Pressure is important for keeping moisture up. It is important that your sauerkraut is fully covered with liquid.
  9. Cover the whole thing with a kitchen towel to protect it from dust, and leave it at room temperature (55–75°F) for about 6 days, depending on the temperature. A warmer place will speed up the fermenting process; a colder place might need a few more days. If you are making a double, triple, or more batches, it will need more time.
  10. About once a day, or whenever you remember, push the weight down a bit, so the air can be released.
  11. First, you will see bubbles, then after a few days, it will start to smell sour and delicious. Once the bubbling slows down, the sauerkraut is done.
  12. Refill the finished sauerkraut into jars, pushing it down so it is covered with liquid (very important!). Close the jars tightly and keep them in the fridge.
Recipe by Northern Homestead at https://northernhomestead.com/homemade-sauerkraut-the-simple-way/