Sauerkraut should be placed in jars shortly after fermenting. You can use both the hot and cold storage method (without having prepared them first), however the only type of canning to use is the hot water one. Read on to learn more.
Ingrediants
For 6 liters
- 11.25 kg of white cabbage
- 185 to 250 ml of preserving salt
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Prepare the sauerkraut for storage
Step 1. Clean everything
Wash everything you need with hot water and detergent. Dry well with a rag or paper towels.
- Sauerkraut is obtained from the fermentation of cabbage. In order for the good bacteria to begin fermentation, potentially harmful bacteria should be as little as possible.
- Also make sure your hands are clean.
- At this point, you can wash the preserving jars, but since it will take several days or weeks before you can put the sauerkraut away, perhaps it is better to wait to clean the jars the same day you intend to use them to put away the sauerkraut.
Step 2. Discard the outer leaves of the cabbage
Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage, which often look flabby and mushy. Also remove any leaves that appear to be damaged by insects or other things.
Use a maximum of 2.2kg of cabbage at a time. Don't try to work all the cabbage together, as this can make fermentation difficult
Step 3. Rinse the cabbage
Clean the cabbage by rinsing it under cold running water. Let it drain in a colander, or on top of several layers of absorbent paper.
Step 4. Cut the heart
Cut the head of the cabbage into quarters. The interior pieces are now on display, cut those too.
To make the cabbage easier to work with, you may also want to cut each head into eight
Step 5. Chop or chop the cabbage
Use a knife, food processor, or food processor to make neatly cut strips of cabbage from each quarter.
- Each strip should be approximately 1.5mm wide
- If you use a knife, cut each quarter or eighth, sideways, naturally separating the leaves into strips.
- You could also use a food processor with a slicing attachment, or a grater.
- Remove any particularly large or hard pieces from the pile of striped cabbage, and discard them.
Step 6. Mix the cabbage with the preserving salt
Put 45ml of salt for every 2.25kg of cabbage. Mix well to mix.
- Place the striped cabbage in a large stone bowl, large glass bowl, or large plastic food container. Do not use any type of metal or any other container not approved for food use.
- After mixing the salt and cabbage with your hands, let it rest for 15 minutes. During this time, the juice should begin to flow, and you should notice that the cabbage begins to wilt.
Step 7. Press hard
Use your hands or a wooden spoon to press down on the cabbage to release the liquid from the striped leaves to the surface.
- Repeat this process four times to use the remaining 9kg of cabbage. Sprinkle all the remaining salt on the cabbage evenly.
- Make sure there is at least 10cm of space between the cabbage and the edge of the container.
Step 8. Add brine if needed
If you are unable to squeeze out enough fluid to completely cover the surface of the cabbage, you should make a brine of water and salt to pour over the cabbage.
Prepare the brine by mixing 22.5ml of preserving salt and 1 liter of water in a saucepan. Boil the mixture over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the salt. Remove it from the heat, and let it cool to room temperature. Once cool, you can pour it over the sauerkraut
Step 9. Put on weights
Place a large plate, turned, on top of the cabbage mixture. Place sealed liter jars on the plate to act as a weight and hold it down. Keep pressing the cabbage.
- Cover the entire plate with a heavy, clean tea towel or rag.
- Let the dish rest in a cool place.
Step 10. Let the cabbage ferment
Check it daily. Gas bubbles form during fermentation, so once they stop forming, you can conclude that fermentation is complete, and the sauerkraut is ready to be enjoyed or placed in a jar.
- Fermentation can take from 3 days to 6 weeks. Bulk quantities like this usually take 3 weeks, and may even take the full six weeks.
- Keep sauerkraut out of direct sunlight. The ideal temperature is between 18 and 24 degrees Celsius.
- Every day, you should remove and discard the white matter that forms on the surface of the cabbage. This substance is a natural and healthy by-product of the chemical fermentation process, but it should be removed in any case to prevent too much of it from accumulating.
- If mold forms, remove it and throw it away immediately. Make sure the cabbage is completely submerged before continuing. Any part near the surface where the mold was should be discarded, but the rest is still fine.
Method 2 of 3: Hot
Step 1. Sterilize the jars
Fill a canning jug with water and let the water almost reach boiling point. Put the glass jars and lids in the water for a few minutes.
- If you are using jars with two-piece lids, sterilize the main part of the lid this way, but keep the metal band apart. This can be cleaned with hot water and detergent, but not in the canning water.
- Don't boil the water now.
- Remember that other types of canning cans are not recommended for sauerkraut.
Step 2. Bring the cabbage to a slow but steady boil
Place the fermented sauerkraut and their brine in a large stainless steel pot, and then move them to the stove. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- Stir frequently as it cooks.
- Don't let it start boiling quickly.
- Once the boil is constant and the sauerkraut is hot, remove it from the heat
Step 3. Fill the jars with hot sauerkraut
Remove them from the pot with a ladle and immediately transfer them to the jars you have prepared. Fill each jar well with sauerkraut and brine, leaving about 1.25cm of space between the sauerkraut and the top of the jar.
- If you don't leave enough space above it, the pressure in the jar may build up and cause it to burst during the storage process.
- Tap with your fingers on the sides of the jar, or with a metal utensil, to gently release the air bubbles trapped inside. Adjust the space at the top as needed, add brine if needed.
- Clean the rim of the jar with a clean cloth before putting on the lid and metal band. The closure should be as tight as you can using your fingers.
Step 4. Work on the jars
Gently place the jars of sauerkraut into the hot water canner using a special utensil. Let them boil, on average, 10 minutes for ½ liter jars and 15 minutes for 1 liter jars. Maybe you need to make adjustments based on altitude.
- At an altitude of 0 to 300 meters, calculate 10 minutes for ½ liter jars. Change to 15 minutes for altitudes between 300 and 1800 meters, 20 minutes for altitudes above 1800 meters.
- At an altitude of 0 to 300 meters, calculate 15 minutes for 1 liter jars. Change to 20 minutes for altitudes between 300 and 1800 meters, or 25 minutes for altitudes above 1800 meters.
Step 5. Put away the sauerkraut in the jar
Use a utensil to remove the jars from the water when they are ready. Remove the jars and allow them to cool to room temperature before placing them in a place for long-term storage.
- After 24 hours have passed, check the center button of each lid. It shouldn't move up or down when you squeeze it. If it does, the sauerkraut has not been canned properly and should be eaten within a week or so.
- Jars that are closed properly can be stored in a dark, cool and dry place for up to 2-3 years.
Method 3 of 3: Cold
Step 1. Sterilize the jars
Jars and lids must be sterilized before using them. Fill the canning jug with water and bring it to almost a slow boil. Put jars and lids in the water, completely submerged.
- Do not sterilize the metal band of the lids in this way. They can be washed with hot water and detergent.
- Do not boil the water
- After a few minutes, remove the jars and lids.
- Remember that other types of canning jars are not recommended for sauerkraut, only hot water.
Step 2. Fill the jars with cold sauerkraut
Fill the jars with raw and cold sauerkraut, with the brine, leaving 1.25cm of space at the top of the jar.
- Sauerkraut and the pressure in the jar can expand during the storage process. If the jars are too full, you could cause them to burst while they are in the canning.
- Use a metal spoon or your hand to gently tap on the side of the jars to push the air bubbles out of the inside. If you have to, add brine to get the right distance from the edge.
- Clean the rim of the jar with a clean cloth or paper towels.
- Close the jars with lids as best you can. Put on the metal band too.
Step 3. Work on the jars
Gently place the jars of sauerkraut into the hot water canner using a special utensil. Let them boil 20 minutes for ½ liter jars and 25 minutes for one liter jars.
- These processing times are only correct with an altitude of 0 to 300 meters. If you are higher up, you need to adjust the processing times.
- At an altitude of 300 to 900 meters, calculate 25 minutes for ½ liter jars. Change to 30 minutes for altitudes between 900 and 1800 meters, 35 minutes for altitudes above 1800 meters.
- At an altitude of 300 to 900 meters, calculate 30 minutes for 1 liter jars. Change to 35 minutes for altitudes between 900 and 1800 meters, 40 minutes for altitudes above 1800 meters.
Step 4. Put away the sauerkraut in the jar
Use a utensil to remove the jars from the water when they are ready. Remove the jars and allow them to cool to room temperature before placing them in a place for long-term storage.
- After 24 hours have passed, check the center button of each lid. It shouldn't move up or down when you squeeze it. If it does, the sauerkraut has not been canned properly and should be eaten within a week or so.
- Jars that are closed properly can be stored in a dark, cool and dry place for up to 2-3 years.
