Store-bought canned sauerkraut (German for “sour herb”) is to homemade as canned spinach is to homegrown (although, truth be told, it is possible to buy some decent refrigerated sauerkraut these days). But it’s hard to find real, honest organic kraut, which has just two ingredients, no additives, no agricultural chemicals, and plenty of goodness.

You can use regular green cabbage, savoy cabbage, or even Chinese cabbage, but don’t use red cabbage as it turns an unappetizing color after fermentation.

SERVINGS

Makes about 3 quarts

INGREDIENTS

10 pounds green, savoy, or Chinese cabbage

6 ounces (11/2 cups) pickling salt or fleur de sel

PREPARATION

1.    Remove any tough outer leaves from the cabbage. Wash the cabbage and slice as thin as possible. If you have a mandoline, it will facilitate the process. Or you could use a food processor to shred the cabbage a bit at a time.

2.    Mix half of the cabbage with half the salt in a large bowl and let it stand in the kitchen until the juice from the cabbage appears—about 15 minutes. Pack this into a 2-gallon crock or jar (an old fashioned stoneware crock is most satisfying) until the juice covers the cabbage. Then repeat with the second half of the cabbage and salt, adding that to the crock, also. The cabbage must be entirely submerged beneath the brine. To make this happen, thoroughly wash a plate that will fit into the crock and cover the cabbage, push it down, and set a large plastic bag filled with water on the plate to weigh it down. If you need to add more liquid, make a brine from 3 tablespoons of salt for each quart of nonchlorinated water.

3.    Cover the top of the crock with a snug lid or second plate and a clean dish towel just so no insects can enter. Store the crock at a cool room temperature (ideally between 60 and 65°F). Long-time kraut makers say the cooler the temperature, the longer the fermentation takes and the better tasting the kraut will be. Some folks skim off any scum that forms on the surface of the brine on a daily basis, but that allows airborne yeasts and bacteria to enter, which would add unwanted flavors, so I let the crock ferment undisturbed for 3 weeks, at which point the fermentation should be finished. At this point, check the kraut to make sure bubbling has stopped, skim any scum off the liquid surface, pack it into quart jars, and store it in the fridge for no more than 3 months.

Tip

If the sauerkraut seems too sour for you, simply wash it in a colander. Many people eat the sauerkraut with no further fuss, but I think cooking it in a saucepan with some of its liquid for a couple of minutes enhances the flavor.