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Fall Is the Time to Make Sauerkraut

With a little preparation (and a bit of patience) you can have a batch of homemade sauerkraut ready in time for your New Year’s Day table.

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Updated:

September 14, 2024

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In Pennsylvania it is popular to eat pork and sauerkraut on New Year’s Day. There are different stories about how this custom came about. Three of the most common are the following: that German families (who were prevalent in PA) considered it a New Year’s tradition; that pigs “look forward” as they root for food (similar to how we look forward to the new year); and that eating the dish will give us blessings as numerous as the sauerkraut strands. However, there is a more practical reason for eating sauerkraut on New Year’s Day: Simply put, the end of December is when cabbage harvested in the fall and prepared as sauerkraut is finished fermenting.

Making your own sauerkraut at home is not complicated. There are two basic ingredients: salt and cabbage. Over time, the naturally occurring bacteria in the cabbage ferments its natural sugars and produces acid, which, in turn, creates the distinct sauerkraut flavor and preserves the product.

If you’ve ever wanted to make your own sauerkraut, follow these steps to make a tasty, healthy batch:

Sanitation

While it is true that the goal when making sauerkraut is to grow bacteria, we want certain, not all, bacteria to grow. As always, when preparing any kind of food in the kitchen, start with clean countertops and utensils. Wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds, then dry them with a single-use towel. It is important to thoroughly wash the container—including the lid or weight—that you will use to ferment the sauerkraut.

Choosing the Cabbage

Use freshly harvested cabbage that is free of blemishes and disease. Produce that has visible mold should be discarded.

The best varieties of cabbage for making sauerkraut are those that mature late in the season. If you grow your own cabbage, it is best to harvest it after the first frost. Frost triggers the plants to make more natural sugar as a defense mechanism against the cold temperatures. This increased sugar helps the fermentation be more successful.

Preparing the Cabbage

Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage and discard them. Some recipes recommend saving these leaves to use as a cover for the fermenting sauerkraut, but the outer leaves are more likely to be contaminated with mold spores and should not be used for this purpose.

Rinse the cabbage heads under running water while rubbing them gently with your hands. This will remove any bacteria that may have been introduced at the farm, at the store, or in your refrigerator.

Remove the hard center core and slice the cabbage into thin pieces that are the thickness of a 25 cent coin. You may use an electric slicer, a mandolin or v-slicer, or a sharp knife. Note the target thickness of a 25 cent coin; some mandolins cannot be adjusted that thin. Another caution when using a knife to slice: Many sauerkraut makers begin by making even, thin cuts, but as time goes on and fatigue sets in, the slices can become too thick. Maintaining thin cabbage slices is important to ensure good fermentation and a consistent final product.

Mixing the Sauerkraut

To keep pathogens (bad bacteria) from growing and to set the conditions for the good bacteria to grow, follow the ratio of 5 lb of cabbage to 3 Tbsp of canning and pickling salt as outlined in Penn State Extension’s “Preserving Food at Home” guide. It is important to use canning and pickling salt because it contains pure sodium chloride with no minerals or anti-caking additives. Its crystals are also a consistent size. Other salt products measure differently and do not have the same sodium chloride content. Canning and pickling salt is easy to find at local grocery stores. Sometimes it is with other salts in the baking aisle, and sometimes it is with the seasonal items with other canning supplies.

Use a tool or your hands to mix and pound the cabbage. This combined with the added salt will start to soften and release liquid from the cabbage. If you are preparing more than 5 lb of sauerkraut, work in 5 lb increments to ensure thorough mixing and tamping.

Choosing a Container

Enamel-lined stone crocks are the traditional fermentation vessel; however, any food-grade container may be used. Do not use galvanized metal containers or lead-glazed crocks. If you are unsure of the suitability of a container, you can purchase large food-grade plastic bags at a restaurant supply store to use them as liners. Do not use trash bags.

Fill the container with the crushed cabbage to within 3 to 4 inches of the top.

Covering and Weighing the Cabbage

If the natural juices do not cover the cabbage, make a brine solution by boiling 1.5 Tbsp of canning and pickling salt mixed with 1 quart of water. Allow the solution to cool before adding it to the cabbage.

The cabbage should be completely submerged in the brine solution. To do this, use commercial glass fermentation weights. Alternatively, a glass plate with a heavy jar or can placed on top may be used. A food-grade plastic bag filled with brine solution also makes a suitable weight and cover as long as you do not fill the bag with plain water. If plain water were to leak out, it would change the brine ratio.

Fermentation

The optimal temperature for fermenting sauerkraut is 70–75°F. At this temperature, it will take 3 to 4 weeks to ferment. If you store the sauerkraut between 60°F and 65°F, it will take up to 6 weeks. Do not store it above 75°F; if you do, the product will likely spoil.

Check the container a few times each week and remove any visible scum. At the end of the fermentation period, open the container and check for mold, a slimy texture, or an unusual odor. If any of the three is present, discard the sauerkraut.

Fully fermented sauerkraut should be tart and have a firm texture—and it will likely taste saltier than store-bought.

Storage

Fully fermented sauerkraut can be refrigerated for several months, but be sure to monitor it for mold growth. You may also freeze sauerkraut. These two methods will preserve the fermentation bacteria (probiotics), which is a reason some people choose to consume homemade sauerkraut. There is emerging research that shows the importance that probiotic bacteria, such as those found in sauerkraut, can have on a person’s gut health; however, more research continues to take place. Regardless, sauerkraut is not a “cure-all” food. For overall health, be sure to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, fat-free and low-fat dairy, whole grains, and protein foods.

If you are not as concerned with the potential probiotic benefits, you may also can your sauerkraut. Follow the directions in Penn State Extension’s “Preserving Food at Home” guide.

Serving

Sauerkraut may be eaten cold, heated and served as a side dish, or cooked with other ingredients (such as pork). Some people find home-fermented sauerkraut to be too salty. To correct this, do not alter the ratio of salt when making sauerkraut. Simply rinse sauerkraut under running water before serving or cook it with other ingredients, like potatoes and meat, and add less salt to season the dish.

Copies of the “Preserving Food at Home Resource Guide” —which includes methods for preserving many other types of produce (as well as nutrition and storage tips)— are available online or by calling Customer Service at 877-345-0691. Penn State Extension also offers, at no cost, the fact sheet “Let’s Preserve: Fermented Pickles and Sauerkraut.” If you have specific questions about preserving fruits, vegetables, and meats, you can call your local Extension office to speak with a food safety educator. Customer Service can provide the phone number for your local Penn State Extension office.