How to Make Sauerkraut Recipes 

If you know how to make sauerkraut recipes, you probably know they require no canning or freezing. Kraut is a healthy food; the lactic acid that is formed when it ferments is nutritious. Some people complain of the salt in it, but I always drain all the juice from the kraut before cooking and never add additional salt to the recipe.

HOW TO MAKE SAUERKRAUT

If you are learning how to make sauerkraut recipes, basically, the ratio is 3 tablespoons of salt to five pounds of cabbage. Shred the cabbage very thinly and weigh it out. (No guess work) Measure the salt also. Too much salt may encourage wild yeast to grow and too little salt may make the cabbage mushy.


In canning kraut as in all canning foods, use a clean crock or a container made of glass, enamel or stainless steel. Mix some of the cabbage with some salt and layer it in the container. Press it down with a wooden mallet or wooden block.


Divide the salt equally with each batch of cabbage when layering; continue to layer it in the crock, pressing down on each layer. When the container is filled and all salt is used, cover with a sterile cloth. Tuck the cloth in around the edges of the container and weight it down. (Maybe a plate with a heavy jar on top)


Set kraut in a place where the temperature is 70F degrees or less. Ideally it should be 65F degrees. After 24 hours, enough brine should develop to cover the cabbage. If it does not, mix 2 ½ teaspoons of salt per each 1 cup of cold water and add this to the container. Cover again; it will take as long as ten days for the cabbage to ferment. As it ferments, the sauerkraut will bubble and may overflow. It is done when this fermentation (bubbling) ends.


Check every day to see if a scum has formed. Change the sterilized cloth and plate every day. Taste the kraut when you check it. When it is partially done, you might want to take some out to cook and try. To store the kraut without canning, keep it at a temperature under 40F degrees. It should last all winter. To can from this point, heat the kraut to just below boiling point. Pack in hot sterilized jars. Add enough hot juice to fill the jars leaving ½ inch head space. Seal jars and process quart jars in boiling bath for twenty minutes.

SAUERKRAUT IN JARS

How to Make Sauerkraut RecipesHow to Make Sauerkraut Recipes
  • White cabbage
  • Kosher salt

Shred the cabbage very fine, saving some of the leaves for top of jars. Pack the shredded cabbage into sterilized canning jars. Use a wood stomper to pack in firmly. When the jars are filled to 1 ½ inches from the top add one tablespoon salt. Fold one cabbage leaf and place it in the jar on the top of the cabbage. Fill the jar with cold water to ½ inch of the cabbage top. Cap the jar loosely.


Place filled jars on several layers of newspapers to ferment. When juice has stopped bubbling, refill with cold water and re-cap. Store jars in a cool dark place. Sauerkraut will be ready in 2 to 4 weeks.

Have you ever thought about what is the difference between canning sauerkraut and canning cabbage. The basic difference is that sauerkraut recipes have a lot of salt in them which causes the cabbage to ferment and turn into sauerkraut after a while. Canning cabbage does not require any salt at all but I choose to put ½ teaspoon into each quart jar. Also, sauerkraut recipes do not need to be processed at all; actually it will ferment in a crock without any canning at all while cabbage needs to be processed in a pressure cooker. Another minor difference between canning cabbage and canning sauerkraut is the way the cabbage is cut. For sauerkraut recipes the cabbage should be sliced very thinly on a slicer. For cabbage recipes you can cut the cabbage in larger pieces just like you would when you cook it.

CANNING CABBAGE

  • Wash and prepare the cabbage as you would for cooking.
  • Cut cabbage into desired size pieces.
  • Boil 3 minutes; pack into hot jars leaving 1 inch at the top.
  • Cover with boiling water leaving 1 inch head space.
  • Adjust lids and screw on caps.
  • Process quarts 35 minutes at 10 pounds pressure in pressure cooker.

NOTE: Cabbage usually discolors a little bit when canned and the flavor becomes a little stronger.

BAKED SWEET SAUERKRAUT RECIPE

This recipe has a little “twist” from most sauerkraut recipes with the added sugar. The long baking time allows the top to caramelize and the liquid to cook up. Use a flat dish to bake it in allowing for the evaporation.

  • 2 Cups canned sauerkraut (Do not drain)
  • 2 Cups canned tomatoes chopped (Do not drain)
  • 1 Cups sugar
  • 6 Slices raw bacon cut in 1 inch pieces
  • ½ Teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 325F degrees; grease a flat 2 quart baking dish.

Combine and blend thoroughly all ingredients; spread evenly in baking dish.

Bake uncovered 2 hours and 15 minutes or until the top turns deep brown and liquid has cooked away.

CABBAGE CASSEROLE RECIPE

  • 2 Quarts canned cabbage
  • 1 Large finely chopped onion
  • 2 to 3 Cloves minced garlic
  • 2 Cans canned mushroom soup (condensed)
  • 3 Cups shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 1 ½ Cups Italian bread crumbs
  • Butter

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Sauté onion and garlic in a little cooking oil.

Add mushroom soup, 1 ½ cups shredded cheese and blend well; stir until cheese melts.

Drain cabbage and add to soup mixture; pour into greased casserole baking dish.

Sprinkle top of casserole with bread crumbs, dot with butter and top with remaining cheese.

Bake about 15 to 20 minutes or until brown and heated through.

CABBAGE PICKLE

This pickled cabbage is similar to sauerkraut recipes.

  • 6 Pounds hard cabbage
  • 12 Green bell peppers
  • 3 Quarts white onions
  • 1 Cup salt
  • 1 ½ Quarts cider vinegar
  • 1 Cup water
  • 5 Cups sugar
  • 2 Ounces pickling spice (In spice bag)
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons celery seed
  • 1 Teaspoon turmeric

Cut all vegetables fine; sprinkle with salt and let stand overnight.

In the morning drain off all liquid; add 1 cup water to the vinegar.

Let all ingredients come to a full boil; pour over the vegetables and cook for 25 minutes.

Pour into clean sterilized jars and seal tightly; makes 8 to 10 pint jars.

COLD PICKLED CABBAGE

This is another pickled recipe very similar to sauerkraut recipes.

  • 8 Pounds cabbage
  • 6 Green bell peppers 
  • Salt (To taste, maybe 1 cup)
  • 1 Pint horseradish
  • 6 Sweet red bell peppers 
  • 4 Pounds sugar
  • ½ Pound whole white mustard
  • 2 Ounces celery seed
  • ½ Gallon vinegar
  • 6 Large onions 

Grind cabbage and green peppers; sprinkle with salt and set aside.

Grind red peppers and add remaining ingredients.

SQUEEZE cabbage and green peppers as dry as possible; mix with other ingredients.

Fill sterilized jars and seal cold; THIS STAYS GOOD indefinitely.

SAUERKRAUT STEW RECIPE

Try one of your favorite sauerkraut recipes to make this delicious stew.

  • 32 Ounces sauerkraut
  • 3 Tablespoons shortening
  • 1 ½ Cups water
  • ½ Cup white wine
  • 1 Medium diced onion
  • 1 Grated apple
  • 3 Whole cloves
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • Salt/ pepper and sugar to taste

Sauté onion in melted shortening in a Dutch oven; drain kraut and simmer with onion for 5 minutes.

Add water and white wine to Dutch oven; add bay leaf, cloves and apple and simmer 45 minutes.

Stir in potato and simmer another 10 minutes; add seasoning to taste and serve.

4 Servings