How to Make Homemade Sauerkraut (GAPS, Paleo)

Learn How to Make Homemade Sauerkraut with this homemade sauerkraut recipe – it is delicious, full of probiotics and easy on your budget! Homemade sauerkraut has become a staple being on the GAPS diet and the whole family loves it.

Being on the GAPS diet, I have been making quite a bit of homemade sauerkraut. Learn how to make homemade sauerkraut and enjoy the delicious taste of homemade without breaking your budget.

Like many things, quality sauerkraut that is commercially prepared does contain probiotics that are good for you but, you pay for the convenience. It is soooo much cheaper to learn how to make homemade sauerkraut yourself.

I’m telling you  – making it yourself is really, really easy!

Maybe I am just a purist at heart but besides the savings of making homemade sauerkraut, there is just something satisfying about doing it yourself!

It’s so satisfying to chop up the ingredients and see every individual part come together. It’s the joy of cooking, for sure.

But it’s also the joy of control. I love knowing what is going into my food – and, what’s not!

How to Make Homemade Sauerkraut Video

Watch me and learn how to make homemade sauerkraut, step-by-step, in the following video. See just how easy it is – YOU can do this! Following the video, there is also a photo tutorial.

How to Make Homemade Sauerkraut Video Resources

I love seeing what other people use and why they like a product. So, here are the items you see me using in the video.The following links take you to Amazon and Ebay.

• Cuisinart Food Processor – I have been using this same food processor for several years and it is holding up beautifully. It is easy to clean and the motor is plenty strong to hold up to my use with a large family.
• Long Wooden Spoon and Long Wooden Spatula – Both of these wooden utensils are great for making sauerkraut and I use them for many other jobs in the kitchen as well.
• 1 Gallon Jar for Sauerkraut – This is a great size for making sauerkraut and I also use them to store other things in my pantry in.
• 1/2 Gallon Mason Jars – These are great to store foods in and even pantry items – I absolutely love them!
• Wide Mouth Plastic Lids – These are great because they fit the mason jars, you can store them and they will not rust!
• Polish Pottery – I use a large Polish Pottery bowl for mashing and mixing my sauerkraut and love it! I bought most of my Polish Pottery when we lived in Switzerland but, when I am looking for something new or need to replace an item, I watch Ebay.

These are the food resources I recommend:

• Sea Salt – I have two sources of sea salt I like this Sea Salt and I also buy it from Starwest Botanicals. Sometimes, I can find it cheaper at Costco but if not, these are my online sources.
• Kefir Grains – These are the grains to use to begin to make kefir. If you know of someone who already makes it, ask them because since the grains multiply and grow, they will probably be glad to share with you.
• Vegetable Starter Culture – This is the Paleo friendly starter. It works very well, tastes great and does not produce the slightly cloudy juice that kefir does. I just prefer to save the money and use kefir.

How to Make Homemade Sauerkraut – Photo Tutorial

Using a food processor, shred the cabbage and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle salt over the cabbage and stir. Using a spoon or a wooden pounder, stir and mash the salted cabbage for 10 – 15 min. This allows the juice to be released from the cabbage.

Place the cabbage in a wide mouth  jar.

At this point, mix the whey (kefir) into 1 cup of water and pour over the cabbage.  Mix and press the cabbage down firmly until the juice comes to the top of the cabbage. You may add more water if necessary. The top of the cabbage should be at least 1 inch from the top of the jar. Cover tightly.

I multiply this homemade sauerkraut recipe ingredients until I have enough to fill a 1 gallon glass container. Once you have the cabbage in the jar, place a small glass bowl on top of  it to weight it down and keep it submerged in the juice.

Finally, I place the lid on the jar and leave it at room temperature for about 1 week. You will see bubbles rising as it ferments.

Tips – How To Make Homemade Sauerkraut

• The sauerkraut made from this homemade sauerkraut recipe may be eaten immediately or placed in the refrigerator for several weeks.
• After 7 days, I transfer the sauerkraut from the fermentation jar to 1/2 gallon wide mouth jars with plastic lids that will not rust. I then store it in the refrigerator and if possible leave it for 2 – 4 weeks.
• The sauerkraut mellows as it ages so be sure to taste it every few days to find out when you like it the best. Some in our family like it with a stronger taste than others.
• The younger children especially prefer it aged a bit longer. But everyone has their own taste when it comes to sauerkraut. Feel free to experiment and play around to see what length of time you prefer.

Enjoy!

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5 from 4 votes

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How To Make Homemade Sauerkraut

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Total Time

25 mins

 

Makes about 1 quart but can be easily doubled, tripled, quadrupled...

Course: fermented

Cuisine: American

Keyword: fermented foods, homemade suaerkraut, how to make homemade suaerkraut, probiotic foods

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 68 kcal

Author: Cultured Palate

Ingredients

• 1 medium cabbage
• 1 Tbsp dill seed or weed
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 4 Tbsp kefir use vegetable starter for Paleo friendly

Instructions

1. Using a food processor, shred the cabbage and place in a large bowl.
2. Sprinkle salt over the cabbage and stir.Using a spoon or a wooden pounder, stir and mash the salted cabbage for 10 - 15 min. This allows the juice to be released from the cabbage.
3. Place the cabbage in a wide mouth mason jar.

4. At this point, mix the kefir (or vegetable starter) into 1 cup of water and pour over the cabbage.

5. Mix and press the cabbage down firmly until the juice comes to the top of the cabbage.You may add more water if necessary. The top of the cabbage should be at least 1 inch from the top of the jar.

6. Cover tightly.
7. Leave it at room temperature for about 1 week. You will see bubbles rising as it ferments.

Recipe Notes

Tips - How To Make Sauerkraut

• The sauerkraut may be eaten immediately or placed in the refrigerator for several weeks.
• After 7 days, I transfer the sauerkraut from the fermentation jar to 1/2 gallon wide mouth jars with plastic lids that will not rust. I then store it in the refrigerator and if possible leave it for 2 - 4 weeks.
• The sauerkraut mellows as it ages so be sure to taste it every few days to find out when you like it the best. Some in our family like it with a stronger taste than others.
• The younger children especially prefer it aged a bit longer. But everyone has their own taste when it comes to sauerkraut. Feel free to experiment and play around to see what length of time you prefer.

Nutrition Facts

How To Make Homemade Sauerkraut

Amount Per Serving

Calories 68 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 1g 2%

Cholesterol 1mg 0%

Sodium 1214mg 51%

Potassium 340mg 10%

Total Carbohydrates 10g 3%

Dietary Fiber 4g 16%

Sugars 5g

Protein 5g 10%

Vitamin A 6.6%

Vitamin C 69.8%

Calcium 9.7%

Iron 7.4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*Homemade Sauerkraut Recipe adapted from “Nourishing Traditions” by Sally Fallon

I may receive a commission if you purchase through links in this post.

Dina-Marie, RN and founder of Cultured Palate has learned the importance of diet for health - the hard way! As the mom of 10, and leaving the corporate world to start a vineyard, she knows the value of simple living and you can too! Dina-Marie and Cultured Palate's medical advisors, Dr. Dalton and Dr. O'Connor, want you to have accurate information at your fingertips.