Old Fashioned Sauerkraut With or Without Caraway Seeds

The Best Cabbage for Sauerkraut  

Over the years, so many students have asked me, “What is the best cabbage for sauerkraut?”

The answer is whatever highest-quality cabbage you have access to! Organic green cabbage is my favorite for classic, old-fashioned sauerkraut. But any green cabbage will do, like savoy and napa cabbage. Even chopped up bok choy works great with this recipe.

Can you make this sauerkraut with red cabbage?

Yes! Absolutely. The only thing to note is that red cabbage has a tad more sugar than green cabbage, so your sauerkraut may be even more sour in the end. I always tell my students to start with green cabbage the first few times they ferment. It’s an easier color to work with because you can more easily see if something went off. 

As long as you use the recommended amount of salt, keep everything submerged, and keep the lid clean, you shouldn’t have any issues with red cabbage.

How should my sauerkraut look and smell while it ferments??

Temperature affects how quickly sauerkraut ferments. This timeline is applicable between 70-80°F. If your home is colder, the process will be slower. If your home is warmer, it will be faster.

• 24 – 48 hours: All contents in the jar should be submerged beneath the brine. The brine will be pretty clear, but will start to get a bit murky, and you’ll see little bubbles forming in between the cabbage pieces. There won’t be a ton of bubbles until about day 3, though. (This is stage one of fermentation, and there’s not much going on that you can see)
• 48 hours – 10 days: After 72 hours, you should start to see lots of bubbles. You need to burp the jar if you are using a rust-proof mason jar lid (as I recommend). Sauerkraut at this stage should change color from light green to pale olive. You will also notice the brine becomes very cloudy. Leuconostoc bacteria begin to thrive, producing lots of carbon dioxide, lactic acid, and acetic acid. You can open the jar whenever to ensure everything is submerged and the lid stays clean. If anything is floating to the surface, scoop it out with a clean spoon. If the lid looks dirty, wash it with hot, soapy water, then put it back on the jar.
• 10-21 days: Bubbles in the brine will decrease as the sauerkraut leaves stage two and enters stage three of fermentation. The brine will be quite cloudy and start to develop a pleasantly sour smell. You’ll probably start to see sediment at the bottom of the jar, and the bubbles will stop completely. Lactobacillus species are most abundant. Feel free to taste test and pop the jar in the fridge now if you like how it tastes. Or, let the sauerkraut ferment longer for a sourer, more complex flavor!
• 21 – 28 days: Lactobacillus makes up the majority or all of the microbial population now. They produce copious amounts of lactic acid, making the sauerkraut smell even more pleasantly sour. At this time, you can smell, taste, and refrigerate! The sauerkraut should have a pH of 4 or below and is now super probiotic and well preserved.

Old Fashioned Sauerkraut Tips

• During the first few days of fermentation, carbon dioxide and bubbles will be produced. Sometimes jars will become very full of liquid, which can seep out. Keep the jar in a bowl of dish to catch spills.  Remove the lid and tamper everything back down using a gloved hand, tamper, or spoon. You can rinse the lid with hot, soapy water to keep it clean. Ensure everything, including the weight, is submerged below the brine and replace the lid to continue fermenting.
• Always trust your sense of smell: Fermented cabbage should smell pleasantly sour and like strong cabbage. Never eat anything that smells repulsive or yeasty. 
• Never eat anything with mold growing on it: You shouldn’t encounter this problem if you follow the directions. If you are super wary of mold, or have had trouble with it while fermenting in the past, throw some chopped fresh garlic in the sauerkruat. Two cloves will do. Through reader feedback on my recipes, I’ve found that sauerkrauts with garlic have the lowest rate of problems.
• Taste test at three weeks: If you prefer the sauerkraut to be more tart and sour, let it ferment at room temperature longer.