The first crock of sauerkraut

I started with one firm head of green cabbage and salt at about two percent of the cabbage weight. I sliced it thin, salted it, and waited until the shreds slumped and brine pooled in the bowl. No extra water this time.

The jar was a plain gallon glass jar. I packed the cabbage down until the brine rose over the top, tucked a whole leaf over the surface, and set a small weight on it. Anything sticking up into the air is the piece that spoils, so that leaf matters more than the brand of crock.

It sat at cool room temperature. I tasted a thread every couple of days. Day three was still raw and salty. Day seven had the clean sourness I wanted on camera, so that is the jar in the video. It lives in the fridge now, still slowly changing.

Next batch I want a pinch of caraway and a cooler corner of the kitchen. If you are following the video, the salting and the packing are the parts worth pausing on.