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Easy and Inexpensive Homemade Sauerkraut

By Jody Smith

I already love canning and making many of my family’s foods myself, avoiding processed stuff- but lately I have had some health issues that caused me to look even more closely at what we are eating. Doing quite a bit of research I learned that fermented foods are one of the best things for digestive health. One super easy, and delicious (if you like cabbage) way to incorporate them is by making your own Easy and Inexpensive Homemade Sauerkraut! Eating just 2 tablespoons a day is said to make a major impact on your health! If you want to give it a try yourself, here is a recipe that produces a delicious sauerkraut!

Homemade Sauerkraut- Sauerkraut is great for your digestive health, but can be costly if you buy it often. Make your own and save money with this easy and inexpensive homemade sauerkraut recipe! | how to make sauerkraut, fermented food recipes, #homemade #recipe #sauerkraut #frugalLiving #ACultivatedNest

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to Amazon and/or Etsy, which means that I may earn a small commission from some of the links in this post. Please see our Disclosure Page for more information.

Even the healthier bagged varieties of sauerkraut at the grocery store can get quite pricey if you are eating them often, but this one costs only about $1 per jar depending on where you get your cabbage from. If you can stock up at your local farmers market- even better!

Easy and Inexpensive Homemade Sauerkraut

Ingredients:

1 head of cabbage
1 Tbsp. sea salt
2 quart Mason jars
cheesecloth
optional- water

Directions:

1. Peel off first couple outer leaves of cabbage and cut off stem.
2. Cut cabbage in half, and then again if you prefer smaller pieces.

Easy and inexpensive homemade sauerkraut

3. Slice into very thin ribbons, as narrow as you can cut.
4. Wash and sanitize your Mason jar well, I run mine through a dishwasher cycle for the heat.

Easy and inexpensive homemade sauerkraut

5. Place cabbage in a large bowl with sea salt.
6. Mix together with your hands, squeezing firmly as you go. Do this for about 5 minutes- this will aid the cabbage and salt in mixing together to break down. Your cabbage will start wilting and releasing its water- this is good!
7. Let it sit in the bowl for an additional 10-15 minutes to continue breaking down.

Easy and inexpensive homemade sauerkraut

8. Transfer cabbage to jar, pressing down firmly and packing it in. Add all the liquid in the bowl as well. I fill mine about ¾ of the way full with tightly packed cabbage. If yours did not produce enough water to keep it completely covered in the jar you will need to make some additional brine.
9. Add 1 tsp. of salt to 1 cup of water and pour as much as needed to be sure your cabbage is fully covered. You can press down your final layer with another smaller mason jar or a cup.
10. Cover the top with cheesecloth and set in a cool, dark place for 2-3 weeks. Make sure it remains covered in liquid. You do not want to cover with a lid yet, as the sauerkraut will be producing gas and it needs to escape.
11. Once ready, remove cheesecloth, replace lid and store in refrigerator for 6 months to a year. Enjoy!

Easy and inexpensive homemade sauerkraut

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Easy and Inexpensive Homemade Sauerkraut

  • Author: A Cultivated Nest
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Description

Sauerkraut is great for your digestive health, but is costly if you buy it often. Make your own with this easy and inexpensive homemade sauerkraut recipe!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 head of cabbage
  • 1 Tbsp. sea salt
  • 2 quart Mason jars
  • cheesecloth
  • optional- water

Instructions

  1. Peel off first couple outer leaves of cabbage and cut off stem.
  2. Cut cabbage in half, and then again if you prefer smaller pieces.
  3. Slice into very thin ribbons, as narrow as you can cut.
  4. Wash and sanitize your Mason jar well, I run mine through a dishwasher cycle for the heat.
  5. Place cabbage in a large bowl with sea salt.
  6. Mix together with your hands, squeezing firmly as you go. Do this for about 5 minutes- this will aid the cabbage and salt in mixing together to break down. Your cabbage will start wilting and releasing its water- this is good!
  7. Let it sit in the bowl for an additional 10-15 minutes to continue breaking down.
  8. Transfer cabbage to jar, pressing down firmly and packing it in. Add all the liquid in the bowl as well. I fill mine about ¾ of the way full with tightly packed cabbage. If yours did not produce enough water to keep it completely covered in the jar you will need to make some additional brine.
  9. Add 1 tsp. of salt to 1 cup of water and pour as much as needed to be sure your cabbage is fully covered. You can press down your final layer with another smaller mason jar or a cup.
  10. Cover the top with cheesecloth and set in a cool, dark place for 2-3 weeks. Make sure it remains covered in liquid. You do not want to cover with a lid yet, as the sauerkraut will be producing gas and it needs to escape.
  11. Once ready, remove cheesecloth, replace lid and store in refrigerator for 6 months to a year. Enjoy!

  About Jody: I am a Florida girl through and through living the semi-country, small town life.  I am making my way through it with my amazing hubby, 2 beautiful kids, 2 of the best Dachshunds to ever walk the face of the earth, massive amounts of coffee and a whole lot of Jesus.  I homeschool, craft, cook, scrapbook, garden, raid the thrift shops, snap 1,000’s of photos, and read when I can grab a spare minute (which is rare). You can find me blogging at Simply Southern Sunshine.

You might also be interested in:

All Purpose Homemade Muffin Mix Recipe| Replace your store bought muffin mixes. You'll save money & it's healthier for you. No weird ingredients, plus you can add in whatever you like - fruit, chocolate chips, nuts, anything!

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Filed Under: In the kitchen Tagged With: Homemade, homemade sauerkraut, Nesting Skills Series

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Comments

  1. Oliva Ohlson says

    September 17, 2015 at 12:06 pm

    We love sauerkraut especially homemade!!! Pinned! TFS

  2. Lori from LL Farm says

    September 17, 2015 at 1:48 pm

    I remember my dad making sauerkraut in a large crock when I was younger…what a great way you’ve shared to do. Thanks.

  3. Melanie says

    September 18, 2015 at 1:33 pm

    Perfect timing on this article – I’ve been wanting to make this and wasn’t sure exactly how to do so! Will be pinning so I can refer back to it. Thanks!

  4. Vickie says

    September 26, 2015 at 5:09 pm

    We can’t get enough sauerkraut around here. This recipes sounds right on! Thanks for sharing it at the #HomeMattersParty

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A Cultivated Nest makes no claims of “expert status” and the owner will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the use of the information found on this website. Posts may contain affiliate links. A Cultivated Nest is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. A Cultivated Nest is also a participant in the Etsy affiliate program via Awin. This means that I may earn a small commission from some of the links in my posts. Please see our Disclosure Page for more information.

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