Sauerkraut in a Crock (2 Ingredients)

Making sauerkraut in a crock is the easiest and most fool-proof way to get a delicious, probiotic-packed ferment every time!

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Course: Fermented Foods

Cuisine: German

Prep Time: 1

Cook Time: 21

Total Time: 21 1

Servings: crock

Calories: 7kcal

Author: Violet Parcha

Remove the outer leaves from the cabbages, core them, then slice them thinly.
Cabbage
Set aside 4-5 clean-looking whole outer leaves for later.
Weigh the shredded cabbage and add 2% of the cabbage weight in salt. Toss to distribute the salt throughout the cabbage.
Salt
Let the salted cabbage rest for about half an hour so the salt can begin drawing out the moisture.
Using a cabbage tamper, pound the cabbage until it's released about all of its juice.
Pack the cabbage into the crock as tightly as possible.
Cover the shredded cabbage with the whole cabbage leaves to minimize the amount of shredded cabbage floating on top of the brine.
Place the crock weights on top and press down firmly so they're completely covered with juice. Then remove as many of the floating cabbage pieces as possible.
Put on the lid and fill the moat with water. Then place the crock in a location between 60 and 75 degrees for about 2-3 weeks.
Once the cabbage is done fermenting, open the crock and scoop the sauerkraut into large mason jars.

You can ferment 5 pounds of shredded cabbage per gallon crock capacity. When you purchase cabbage, keep in mind that you'll need about 20% more weight than your crock can hold since you'll discard the core and outer leaves.
Fresh, juicy, organic cabbage works best, so make sure to buy it from a quality source.
When the cabbage has been packed into the crock, there should be a minimum of one inch of juice covering it. If you don't have enough juice, simply dissolve 2 tablespoons of salt in a quart of water, and pour in however much of the water you need.
If the temperature is warmer than 75 degrees, wrap the crock in a damp towel to keep it cool.
To avoid contaminating it, once you close the crock lid, don't open it until it's done.