Traditional Homemade Sauerkraut

Ingredients

Cabbage

1 medium head

Salt

1.5 tablespoons (preferably sea salt or pickling salt)

Instructions

1. Remove and set aside the outer leaves of the cabbage.
2. Quarter the cabbage and remove the core. Slice each quarter into thin, shred-like strips.
3. Transfer the shredded cabbage into a large mixing bowl. Evenly sprinkle the salt over the cabbage.
4. Massage the salt into the cabbage for about 10 minutes, or until it starts to release liquid.
5. Firmly pack the cabbage into a clean glass jar, ensuring that the liquid from the cabbage rises above it. Leave about an inch of space at the top of the jar.
6. Place one of the reserved outer leaves over the sliced cabbage in the jar. This helps keep the shredded cabbage submerged in its juice during the fermentation stage.
7. Seal the jar with a lid, but not too tightly. The gases produced during fermentation need to escape. If using a canning jar, you can loosely screw on the lid, or for other types, cover it with a cloth and secure with a rubber band.
8. Store the jar at room temperature, away from direct sunlight, for 1 to 3 weeks. Begin tasting the sauerkraut after a week. Once it has achieved the tanginess you prefer, move the jar to the refrigerator. The sauerkraut will continue to ferment slowly in the fridge, but at a significantly slower pace.