Sauerkraut: Just Cabbage and Salt (lactofermented recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What is the salt ratio for lacto fermented sauerkraut? ›

The most widely used ratio of 2.00%–2.25% weight of salt to weight of cabbage gives the best results. This means you add 2g to 2.25g of salt for every 100g of finely sliced cabbage in your recipe.

Weigh the cabbage, then calculate the amount of salt you'll need based on that. You want 2% salt by weight, so 20 grams of salt for every kilogram of cabbage, or roughly one tablespoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt per pound of cabbage.

Bacteria are measured in colony forming units (CFUs). Studies suggest that sauerkraut and other fermented foods contain 1 million to 1 billion CFUs per gram/millilitre. A tablespoon serving of sauerkraut weighs roughly ten grams, which means it could give you between 10 million to 10 billion CFUs.

Certified organic is best as chemicals affect probiotic production. Make sure your sauerkraut is NOT heated, we don't want the probiotics killed with heat.

Too much salt delays the natural fermentation process. For every 5 pounds of shredded cabbage, mix in 3 tablespoons of canning salt.

Salt in fermentation encourages the growth of healthy bacteria, while at the same time kills off bad bacteria. We need to be precise when measuring the salt and water, especially when fermenting vegetables that will be submerged in brine. Too much salt may kill off all the bacteria, thus preventing fermentation.

Fermentation is complete when your sauerkraut tastes pleasantly sour. So, if you've noticed signs of active fermentation, like bubbles, and it smells pleasantly sour, then your sauerkraut is ready for eating. You can also continue to let the cabbage ferment, so it develops a 'rich' flavor.

Vinegar is an acidic medium commonly used in commercial pickles, sauerkraut and condiments to give the final product a sour, tangy flavor.

Too high curing temperature. Too warm storage conditions or stored for long period. Cabbage not trimmed and washed properly.

Although heat does kill the good bacteria living in your sauerkraut, it only happens at 46°C (115°F). So if you're cooking at a very, very low temperature, you should still retain a large amount of these probiotics. Another solution could be to add your sauerkraut or kimchi to a cooked meal near the end.

Is sauerkraut better than probiotic pills? ›

For one, fermented foods are far more potent than probiotic supplements. To give you an idea, 2 ounces of sauerkraut has more probiotics than 100 capsules. 4-6 ounces of fermented vegetables has around 10 trillion bacteria, compared to the average probiotic supplement that contains around 10 billion.

Sauerkraut is a highly nutritious, probiotic-rich food, and you are recommended to eat about a tablespoon or 10 grams per day. You may gradually increase the intake of sauerkraut up to six tablespoons or 60 grams per day if you are comfortable. However, you are recommended not to overconsume.

Danish Ballhead, Late Flat Head and Premium Late Dutch are good cabbage varieties for sauerkraut. Krautman is one of the most popular varieties for making sauerkraut, and growers are encouraged to try new varieties as well.

Too much sodium in your diet can lead to increased risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and congestive heart failure. To prevent these issues, limit yourself to one portion of sauerkraut per day and avoid processed foods to keep your sodium levels low.

Store bought sauerkraut is typically pasteurized during the canning process, which destroys the active probiotics and therefore makes it less nutritious than fresh or homemade sauerkraut.

Generally, we recommend using 2% of the weight or volume of the ingredients in salt in your lacto-fermentations. (See How to Choose Between Brining and Dry Salting to find out whether you should calculate from weight or volume). To remember: The less salt (1 to 2% salt), the faster the fermentation.

A salt concentration of 2% is better for sauerkraut fermentation because it leads to higher levels of lactic acid bacteria, faster decrease in pH, and higher accumulation of organic acids compared to other salt concentrations.

For the lacto-fermented pickles, you want to make a simple salt-water brine that's approximately 3.5% salinity, which is 35 grams of salt per liter of water.

Sprinkle 1–-2 pounds of cabbage/vegetable mixture with 1 Tbsp salt and taste. It should taste salty, but not offensively so. Add more salt or more vegetables, if necessary. 1 Tbsp salt for 1 ¾ pound (800 g) of cabbage/vegetable mixture to make 1 quart of sauerkraut.