Michigan State University Extension
Preserving Food Safely - 01600078
10/13/97

### SAUERKRAUT

    25
    lb. cabbage

    3/4
    cup canning or pickling salt

        QUALITY:   For the best sauerkraut, use firm  heads  of

    fresh
    cabbage.  Shred cabbage and start kraut between 24 and

    48
    hours after harvest.

        YIELD:  About 9 quarts

        PROCEDURE:   Work with about 5 pounds of cabbage  at  a

    time.
     Discard outer leaves.  Rinse heads under cold running

    water
     and drain.  Cut heads in quarters and  remove  cores.

    Shred
    or slice to a thickness of a quarter. Put cabbage in a

    suitable
     fermentation container  (see explanation following

    processing
     times) and  add  3  tablespoons  of  salt.   Mix

    thoroughly,
    using clean hands.  Pack firmly until salt draws

    juices
    from cabbage.  Repeat shredding, salting, and packing

    until
     all  cabbage is  in  the   container.  Be   sure  the

    container
    is deep enough so that its rim is  at least 4 or 5

    inches
    above the  cabbage. If juice does not  cover cabbage,

    add
     boiled and cooled  brine (1-1/2 tablespoons of salt per

    quart
    of  water).  Add  plate and  weights, cover  container

    with
     a  clean  bath  towel.  Store  at  70  to  75  degrees

    Fahrenheit
     while fermenting.   At temperatures  between  70

    and
     75  degrees  Fahrenheit, kraut will  be fully fermented

    in
    about  3  to  4 weeks; at  60  to  65 degrees Fahrenheit,

    fermentation
    may take 5 to  6 weeks.  At temperatures  lower

    than
     60 degrees Fahrenheit kraut may not ferment.  Above 75

    degrees
    Fahrenheit,  kraut  may  become soft.  If  you weigh

    the
     cabbage  down  with  a  brine-filled bag (6 tablespoons

    salt
    to 1 gallon of water), do  not disturb the crock  until

    normal
    fermentation is completed (when bubbling ceases).  If

    you
    use  jars  as weight,  you will have  to check the kraut

    2
    to 3  times  each week and remove scum if it forms.  Fully

    fermented
     kraut  may  be  kept   tightly   covered  in  the

    refrigerator
     for several  months or  it may  be  canned  as

    follows:

        Hot pack--Bring kraut and liquid slowly to a boil in  a

    large
     kettle,  stirring frequently.  Remove from  heat  and

    fill
    hot  jars rather  firmly with kraut and juices, leaving

    1/2-
    inch headspace.

        Raw  pack--Fill jars firmly with kraut, and cover  with

    juices,
    leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

    Adjust
    lids and process.

              RECOMMENDED PROCESS TIMES FOR SAUERKRAUT

                     IN A BOILING-WATER CANNER

                      Process Time at Altitudes of

    Style

    of
           Jar     0-         1001-       3001-      6001-

    Pack
         Size    1000 ft.   3000 ft.    6000 ft.   8000 ft.

    Hot
          Pints   10 min.    15 min.     15 min.    20 min.

    Hot
          Quarts  15         20          20         25

    Raw
          Pints   20 min.    25 min.     30 min.    35 min.

    Raw
          Quarts  25         30          35         40

    SUITABLE
    CONTAINERS, COVERS AND WEIGHTS FOR FERMENTING FOOD

      A 1-gallon container is needed for each 5 pounds of fresh

    vegetables.
     Therefore, a 5-gallon stone crock  is  of ideal

    size
    for  fermenting  about  25  pounds of  fresh cabbage or

    cucumbers.
      Food-grade  plastic  and  glass  containers are

    excellent
     substitutes  for  stone  crocks.   Other  1-to 3-

    gallon
    non-food-grade plastic  containers  may  be  used  if

    lined
    inside with a clean  food-grade plastic bag.  CAUTION:

    Be
    certain that foods  contact only food-grade plastics.  Do

    not
    use garbage bags or trash liners.  Fermenting sauerkraut

    in
     quart  and  half-gallon  Mason  jars  is  an  acceptable

    practice,
    but may result in more spoilage losses.

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