Classic Caraway Sauerkraut

Name: Classic Caraway Sauerkraut
Prep time: 42 min
Total time: 42 min
Yield: 16 servings
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 3 lb (about 1 large head, trimmed weight 2 lb 13 oz) (1400 g) green cabbage, outer 2 leaves removed and 1 whole clean leaf set aside; quartered, cored and thinly shredded (⅛-inch / 3 mm). Weight is after trimming and coring.; 3 tbsp (28 g) kosher salt (non-iodized, no additives), weigh it: 28 g is 3 tbsp Diamond Crystal or about 2 tbsp Morton; 2 tsp (5 g) caraway seeds, whole; 1 cup (250 ml) filtered or boiled-and-cooled water, room temperature, chlorine-free (optional); 1½ tsp (5 g) kosher salt (non-iodized), dissolved in the water to make a 2% top-up brine (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crisp, tangy, naturally fermented German-style sauerkraut made with just cabbage, salt and caraway. A precise 2% salt ratio keeps the ferment safe, crunchy and reliably sour.

Prep: 42 min
Cook: —
Wait: 7 days
Total: 7 days
Makes: About 1½ quarts (1.4 L), roughly 16 servings of ¼ cup

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Ingredients

16 servings

3 lb (about 1 large head, trimmed weight 2 lb 13 oz) (1400 g) green cabbage, outer 2 leaves removed and 1 whole clean leaf set aside; quartered, cored and thinly shredded (⅛-inch / 3 mm). Weight is after trimming and coring.
3 tbsp (28 g) kosher salt (non-iodized, no additives), weigh it: 28 g is 3 tbsp Diamond Crystal or about 2 tbsp Morton
2 tsp (5 g) caraway seeds, whole
Only if needed
1 cup (250 ml) filtered or boiled-and-cooled water, room temperature, chlorine-free (optional)
1½ tsp (5 g) kosher salt (non-iodized), dissolved in the water to make a 2% top-up brine (optional)

Equipment (8)

Digital kitchen scale
Large sharp knife or mandoline for shredding
Very large mixing bowl (at least 5-quart / 5 L)
2-quart (2 L) wide-mouth glass jar
Fermentation weight, or a small zip-top bag filled with brine, or a small clean glass jar that fits inside the mouth
Lid, airlock lid, or clean cloth with rubber band
Rimmed plate or small tray to catch drips
Clean wooden spoon or tamper

Steps

Before you start

Plan on at least 7 days of fermenting at 65–72°F (18–22°C); 10–14 days gives deeper flavor. Warmer rooms ferment faster and taste less complex.
Use a digital kitchen scale. Salt at 2% of the cabbage's trimmed weight is what makes the ferment safe and crisp, and volume measures vary by salt brand.
Use non-iodized salt with no anti-caking additives (kosher or pickling salt). Iodized salt can cloud the brine and slow fermentation.
Wash the jar, weight and your hands with hot soapy water and rinse well. Everything must be clean, but not sterilized.

1
Clean your equipment
- Wash the jar, fermentation weight, bowl, spoon and your hands with hot soapy water and rinse thoroughly.
- Set the jar upright on a rimmed plate.
- Remove the 2 tough outer cabbage leaves and discard; rinse the head and pull off 1 more clean, intact leaf and set it aside for covering the kraut later.
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Ready when: Everything looks and feels free of soap residue.
Tip: Skip antibacterial sprays; they can leave residue that hinders the good bacteria.
2
Core and shred cabbage
- Quarter the head through the stem and cut the dense white core out of each quarter at an angle.
- Slice each quarter crosswise into thin ribbons about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick.
- Place the shreds in the large bowl and weigh them; you want about 1,400 g.
- Adjust the salt to 2% of your actual weight if it differs (for example, 1,200 g needs 24 g).
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Ready when: Shreds are thin and fairly uniform, with no thick chunks of core.
Tip: Thinner shreds release brine faster and ferment more evenly.
3
Salt the cabbage
- Sprinkle 28 g kosher salt evenly over the shredded cabbage and toss with your hands for about 30 seconds.
- Let it sit for 15 minutes so the salt starts drawing out water.
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Ready when: Cabbage looks slightly wilted and damp, with liquid beginning to pool at the bottom of the bowl.
4
Massage until brine forms
- Squeeze, knead and crush the cabbage firmly with clean hands for 5–8 minutes.
- It will shrink in volume, turn glossy and translucent, and release a lot of liquid.
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Ready when: A handful squeezed over the bowl drips steady liquid, and a pool of brine sits at the bottom of the bowl.
Tip: If it seems dry, rest it another 10 minutes and massage again; older cabbage needs more time.
5
Mix in caraway
- Sprinkle 2 tsp caraway seeds over the cabbage and toss until evenly distributed.
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Ready when: Seeds are scattered throughout with no clumps.
6
Pack the jar tightly
- Transfer the cabbage to the jar a handful at a time, pressing down hard with your fist or a tamper after each addition to remove air pockets and bring the brine up.
- Pour in all the brine from the bowl.
- Leave at least 2 inches (5 cm) of headspace at the top, since the kraut will bubble up.
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Ready when: Brine rises above the cabbage by at least ½ inch (1 cm) when pressed down.
Tip: If brine doesn't cover the cabbage, stir 5 g salt into 250 ml water and add just enough to submerge it.
7
Cover and weigh down
- Fold the reserved cabbage leaf and tuck it over the top of the shreds so it keeps loose bits from floating.
- Set the fermentation weight on top so everything stays fully below the brine.
- If you used the top-up brine (water and 5 g salt), add only enough to cover.
- Close with an airlock lid, or a loosely set lid, or cloth and rubber band.
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Ready when: No cabbage pokes above the brine.
Tip: Anything exposed to air can grow mold; keep it submerged. A tightly sealed lid can build pressure, so loosen it or use an airlock.
8
Ferment at room temperature
- Place the jar on its plate away from direct sunlight at 65–72°F (18–22°C).
- Each day, press the cabbage down to keep it submerged and release gas; if you use a standard lid, loosen it briefly to burp.
- Expect bubbling and cloudy brine by day 2–3 and a pleasantly sour smell.
- Skim any white film (kahm yeast) if it appears; it is harmless but can taste off.
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Ready when: After 7 days, brine is cloudy, bubbly and tangy-smelling, and the cabbage is soft-crisp and translucent.
Tip: Discard the batch if you see fuzzy mold in blue, green, pink or black, or if it smells rotten rather than sour.
9
Taste and decide
- On day 7, use a clean fork to pull out a bit of kraut and taste.
- If you want it more sour, reseal, keep submerged and ferment up to 14 days, tasting every 2 days or so.
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Ready when: Tastes clearly tangy and salty-sour with crunchy-tender texture.
Tip: Warmer rooms finish sooner; cooler rooms can take 3 weeks.
10
Chill and store
- Remove the weight and top leaf and discard the leaf.
- Close the jar with a regular lid and refrigerate.
- The flavor mellows and improves over the first week in the fridge.
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Ready when: Jar is cold and sealed, with kraut covered by brine.

Good to know

Tips

Always weigh the salt: 2% of the cabbage weight is the safe, crisp sweet spot. Less risks spoilage; more slows fermentation and tastes harsh.
Keeping the cabbage under the brine is the single most important step for preventing mold.
Bubbling, a sour smell and cloudy brine are normal signs of healthy fermentation, not spoilage.
Set the jar on a plate, since brine can overflow during active fermentation.

Make ahead

"Ferment up to 2 weeks ahead, then refrigerate. It keeps improving in flavor for the first few weeks."

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate in the jar, submerged in brine, for up to 6 months. Do not store at room temperature once fermented. Serve cold or at room temperature, or warm gently in a pan (high heat reduces the probiotics). To freeze, drain and freeze in airtight containers for up to 6 months; texture will be softer, so use it for cooking.

Substitutions

green cabbage → red cabbage. Gives vivid purple kraut; it can take a few extra days to soften. Keep the same weight and salt ratio.
caraway seeds → juniper berries or dill seeds. Use 6–8 lightly crushed juniper berries or 2 tsp dill seeds for a different traditional flavor, or omit for plain kraut.
kosher salt (non-iodized, no additives) → fine sea salt or pickling salt. Always go by weight (28 g); fine salts are much denser by volume.
filtered or boiled-and-cooled water → distilled water. Any chlorine-free water works. Boil and cool tap water first to dissipate chlorine.