Homemade Red Sauerkraut

Homemade Red Sauerkraut- how to ferment red cabbage at home and why it’s just so darn healthy for you. Use it on top of brisket, sandwiches, tacos, anything!!

Why Make Your Own Sauerkraut?

Dill pickles. Fermented beets. This homemade red sauerkraut. Jews freaking love fermented foods! And recently I was inspired by new friends and bloggers to try it for myself. But what the heck is fermentation? Good question! By combining veggies or fruits with salt, the juices are extracted and lactic acid builds up and kills the bad bacteria that can spoil the food. Are you are left with is tasty, slightly sour food! Plus, it’s healthy for you to boot. What more could you ask for? Oh yeah, in the case of this sauerkraut, the cabbage turns neon pink. Quite possibly the world’s perfect food?

How to Make Red Sauerkraut

It’s easy to make your own red sauerkraut! First, prep your cabbage. Wash your cabbage and peel away any ugly pieces and reserve a few of the nicer layers. Then cut in half, and cut each of those pieces in half so you have quarters. Remove the hard core from each piece. Then slice thin.

You are going to need a few special items for this project. Make sure to use canning salt, as other salts will leave sediments and discolor your fermented food, and a fermentation jar like this jar. I ended up adding a little fresh ginger to mine too, but you could add jalapeño or apple or carrots or anything! Put the shredded cabbage (and optional other items) in a large bowl with salt and massage the cabbage to extract the juices until it begins to soften and shrink in size.

Pack the cabbage and juices in the jar a little at a time and squish down as much as you can, extracting more juices and blocking out any air. If the cabbage isn’t submerged under water, boil some salted water and let cool and pour over the cabbage to cover it. Then top with extra cabbage leaves to block out remaining air. Air is the enemy. And hangovers. Air and hangovers.

Tightly seal lid and leave in a dark place at room temperature for 1-3 weeks. I covered mine in a towel to protect it. Check it every day to make sure the cabbage is still submerged and skim any gunk. Start tasting after 7 days. In the cool winter, fermentation will take longer than in the hotter summer. In my opinion the longer it sits the better! Once it tastes the way you like, store in the refrigerator. It should keep for a few months once refrigerated.

Add to anything! Brisket, Reuben sandwiches, latkes. Yum!

Can You Make Sauerkraut with Red Cabbage?

Absolutely! Red cabbage ferments exactly like green cabbage, using the same two ingredients: cabbage and salt. The flavor is a bit earthier, the texture stays nice and crunchy, and the color is out of this world. Red cabbage leaves are a little tougher than green, so slice them thin and give them a good long massage with the salt.

Why Does Red Sauerkraut Turn Pink?

Red cabbage gets its color from natural pigments called anthocyanins, which change color depending on acidity. As the cabbage ferments, the good bacteria produce lactic acid, and the purple cabbage slowly shifts to a bright magenta pink. It’s basically a science experiment you can eat. (It’s also why red cabbage can turn blue-ish if you cook it with something alkaline.)

Ingredients and Equipment

• Red cabbage: about 3 pounds, which is usually one large or two small heads. Save a few of the nice outer leaves.
• Pickling or canning salt: pure salt with no iodine or anti-caking agents, which can cloud the brine and affect fermentation.
• Optional add-ins: fresh ginger, sliced jalapeño, grated apple or carrot, or a teaspoon of caraway seeds.
• A glass jar with a tight lid: a 1/2 gallon mason jar or a fermentation crock.
• Something to keep it submerged: the reserved cabbage leaves work, or use a fermentation weight or a small water-filled zip-top bag.

How Much Salt Do You Need?

This recipe uses 2 tablespoons of pickling salt for 3 pounds of cabbage, which works out to roughly 2 to 2.5 percent salt by weight. That’s the sweet spot. Enough salt keeps the bad bacteria out and the cabbage crunchy, while still letting the good lactic acid bacteria do their thing. If you use kosher salt instead, weigh it, since different brands measure very differently by the spoonful.

How Long Does Red Sauerkraut Take to Ferment?

Anywhere from 1 to 3 weeks, depending on how warm your kitchen is and how sour you like it. Room temperature around 65 to 75 degrees F is ideal. In a warm summer kitchen it ferments faster, and in the winter it can take longer. Start tasting after 7 days. When it’s tangy enough for you, move it to the fridge, which slows fermentation way down.

Is It Working? What’s Normal and What’s Not

Fermentation can look a little weird the first time, so here’s what to expect:

• Normal: bubbles, a cloudy brine, liquid seeping out of the jar, and a pleasantly sour smell. All signs your sauerkraut is alive and well.
• Also usually fine: a flat white film on top of the brine. That’s typically harmless kahm yeast. Skim it off and make sure the cabbage is still under the brine.
• Not okay: fuzzy mold (especially blue, green, black or pink fuzz), a slimy texture or a rotten smell. When in doubt, throw it out and start a fresh batch.

The most important rule: keep the cabbage under the brine. Air is the enemy. (And hangovers.)

Fermentation Safety Tips

Fermenting at home is safe and has been done for thousands of years. The salt and the acid from the good bacteria keep the bad stuff out, as long as you set them up to win. A few rules to follow:

• Start clean. Wash your jar, lid, bowl, weights and hands in hot soapy water and rinse well. You don’t need to sterilize anything, but it should be squeaky clean.
• Use glass or food-safe containers. Stick to glass jars or ceramic fermentation crocks. Avoid metal containers like aluminum, which can react with the salt and acid, and don’t use non-food-grade plastic.
• Don’t cut back on the salt. The salt is what keeps harmful bacteria from growing before the good bacteria take over. Stick to about 2 tablespoons per 3 pounds of cabbage, and use pickling or canning salt.
• Keep everything under the brine. Cabbage that sits above the liquid is where mold starts. Press it down daily, and if the brine runs low, top it off with cooled salted water (about 1 teaspoon salt per cup of water).
• Mind the temperature. Ferment at cool room temperature, ideally 65 to 75 degrees F, out of direct sunlight. Too warm and it can turn soft and funky fast.
• Let the gas out. If your jar is sealed tight, open it briefly once a day so pressure doesn’t build up. Fermentation lids with airlocks do this for you.
• Use a clean utensil every time. Never dip in with fingers or a fork that’s been in your mouth.
• Trust your senses. Good sauerkraut smells pleasantly sour. Fuzzy mold (blue, green, black or pink), a slimy texture or a rotten smell means toss the whole batch. Don’t just scrape it off. When in doubt, throw it out.
• Refrigerate when it’s ready. Once it tastes right, move it to the fridge and keep it there. It will last a few months.
• Check with your doctor if needed. Homemade sauerkraut is raw and unpasteurized, so if you’re pregnant or have a weakened immune system, ask your doctor before eating it.

How to Store Homemade Sauerkraut

Once it tastes the way you like, seal the jar and store it in the refrigerator. It will keep for a few months, slowly getting a bit more sour over time. Always use a clean fork to take some out.

How to Use Red Sauerkraut

Pile it on brisket, tuck it into a Reuben sandwich or a beet Reuben, or serve it next to crispy latkes for a bright, tangy contrast. It’s also great on hot dogs and sausages, in grain bowls, on avocado toast, or straight out of the jar with a fork. No judgment here. If you love fermented and pickled things as much as I do, try my horseradish pickles and pickled cauliflower and beets next.

Homemade Red Sauerkraut FAQ

Do I need a special fermentation crock?

Nope. A clean glass mason jar works great. Fermentation lids and weights make things easier, but the reserved cabbage leaves do the job of keeping everything under the brine.

Can I use regular table salt?

It’s best not to. Iodized table salt and salts with anti-caking agents can cloud the brine and may slow fermentation. Stick with pickling salt, canning salt or a pure sea salt without additives.

Why isn’t my sauerkraut bubbling?

Give it time. Bubbling often starts after 2 or 3 days and is slower in a cool kitchen. Try moving the jar somewhere a little warmer. As long as the cabbage is submerged and it smells clean and sour, it’s working.

Do I need to open the jar while it ferments?

If your jar is sealed tight, gases build up, so open it briefly once a day to let the pressure out. You’ll be checking on it daily anyway to make sure the cabbage is still submerged. Set the jar on a plate in case any brine bubbles over.

Is homemade sauerkraut probiotic?

Raw, unpasteurized sauerkraut like this one contains live bacteria from fermentation. Most shelf-stable store-bought sauerkraut is pasteurized, which kills them. To keep the live cultures, add your sauerkraut to dishes after cooking rather than heating it.

What does red sauerkraut taste like?

Tangy, salty and crunchy, like classic sauerkraut, with a slightly earthier, sweeter flavor from the red cabbage. Add-ins like ginger or jalapeño give it extra zing.

Can I use the leftover brine?

Yes! The pink brine is full of flavor. Use it in salad dressings, splash it into soups, or add a little to a Bloody Mary.

Homemade Red Sauerkraut

Amy Kritzer

Make your own fermented red cabbage- it's easy!

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Course Side Dish

Cuisine Jewish

Ingredients

  

• 1 glass jar with a air-tight lid
• 3 pounds red cabbage
• 2 Tablespoons pickling salt
• Fresh ginger jalapeño, apples, carrots, etc (optional)

Instructions

 

• To prep cabbage, wash the cabbage and peel away any ugly pieces and reserve a few of the nicer layers. Then cut in half, and cut each of those pieces in half so you have quarters. Remove the hard core from each piece. Then slice thin.
• Put the shredded cabbage (and other items if using) in a large bowl with salt and massage the cabbage to extract the juices until it begins to soften and shrink in size.
• Pack the cabbage and juices in the jar a little at a time and squish down as much as you can, extracting more juices and blocking out any air. If the cabbage isn’t submerged under water, boil some salted water and let cool and pour over the cabbage to cover it. Then top with extra cabbage leaves to block out remaining air.
• Tightly seal lid and leave in a dark place at room temperature for 1-3 weeks. I covered mine in a towel to protect it. Check it every day to make sure the cabbage is still submerged and skim any gunk. Start tasting after 7 days. In the cool winter, fermentation will take longer than in the hotter summer. In my opinion the longer it sits the better! Once it tastes the way you like, store in the refrigerator. It should keep for a few months once refrigerated.
• Add to anything! Brisket, Reuben sandwiches, latkes. Yum!

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Mazel!

Amy