Best 7 Homemade Sauerkraut Recipes

EASY HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Mix cabbage, onion, sea salt, and garlic together in a bowl. Firmly pack mixture into a large, clean, food-grade plastic bucket. The cabbage will start to make its own brine as the salt starts to draw out the water of the cabbage.
• Fill a large, clean, food-grade plastic bag with water and place over the salted cabbage mixture so none of the cabbage is exposed to air.
• Allow cabbage to ferment in a cool, dry place, 1 to 4 weeks (depending on how tangy you like your sauerkraut). The temperature of the room you ferment the sauerkraut in should not rise above 70 degrees F (21 degrees C).

HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Quarter cabbages and remove cores; slice 1/8 in. thick. In an extra-large bowl, combine salt and cabbage. With clean hands, squeeze cabbage until it wilts and releases liquid, about 10 minutes. If desired, add optional ingredients., Firmly pack cabbage mixture into 4-quart fermenting crock or large glass container, removing as many air bubbles as possible. If cabbage mixture is not covered by 1-2 inches of liquid, make enough brine to cover by 1-2 inches. To make brine, combine 4-1/2 teaspoons canning salt per 1 quart of water in a saucepan; bring to a boil until salt is dissolved. Cool brine before adding to crock., Place crock weight over cabbage; the weight should be submerged in the brine. Or, place an inverted dinner plate or glass pie plate over cabbage. The plate should be slightly smaller than the container opening, but large enough to cover most of the shredded cabbage mixture. Weigh down the plate with 2 or 3 sealed quart jars filled with water. If using a glass container with a lid, cover the opening loosely so any gas produced by the fermenting cabbage can escape. Alternately, you can cover the opening with a clean, heavy towel. If using a crock, seal according to manufacturer's instructions. , Store crock, undisturbed, at 70°-75° for 3-4 weeks (bubbles will form and aroma will change). Cabbage must be kept submerged below surface of the fermenting liquid throughout fermentation. Check crock 2-3 times each week; skim and remove any scum that may form on top of liquid. Fermentation is complete when bubbling stops. Transfer to individual containers. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Combine water, 1/2 of the vinegar, and onion in a pot over high heat; add cabbage, sea salt, celery seed, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. Pour the remaining vinegar over cabbage mixture. Cover pot and bring water to a boil; cook mixture for about 3 minutes.
• Stir cabbage mixture and return lid to pot; cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender and wilted, 10 to 15 minutes more.

HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT PIEROGIES / PEROGIES - OLD FASHIONED RECIPE

Steps:

• Sauerkraut Filling: Rinse the sauerkraut well in warm water, squeeze dry, and chop very fine.
• Cook the onion in the fat or shortening until tender.
• Add the sauerkraut and cream.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Cook over low heat for 15 minutes or until sauerkraut is tender and the flavors blend.
• Do not over cook.
• Chill thoroughly.
• Mix the flour with the salt in a deep bowl.
• Add the egg, oil and water to make a medium soft dough.
• Knead on a floured board until the dough is smooth.
• Caution: Too much kneading will toughen the dough.
• Divide the dough into 2 parts.
• Cover and let stand for at least 10 minutes.
• Prepare the filling.
• The filling should be thick enough to hold its shape.
• Roll the dough quite thin on a floured board.
• Cut rounds with a large biscuit cutter, or as most old-world grandmothers did, with the open end of a glass.
• Put the round in the palm of your hand.
• Place a spoonful of filling in it, fold over to form a half circle and press the edges together with the fingers.
• The edges should be free of filling.
• Be sure the edges are sealed well to prevent the filling from running out.
• Place the pierogi on a floured board or tea towel and then cover with another tea towel to prevent them from drying out.
• COOKING: Drop a few pierogies into a large quantity of rapidly boiling salted water.
• Do not attempt to cook too many at a time.
• Stir VERY gently with a wooden spoon to separate them and to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
• Continue boiling for 3-4 minutes.
• The cooling period will depend upon the size you made it, the thickness of the dough and the filling.
• Pierogies will be ready when they are puffed.
• Remove them with a perforated spoon or skimmer to a colander and drain thoroughly.
• Place in a deep dish, sprinkle generously with melted butter to prevent them from sticking.
• Cover and keep them hot until all are cooked.
• Serve in a large dish without piling or crowding them.
• Top with melted butter- chopped crisp bacon and/or chopped onions lightly browned in butter.
• REHEATING: One of the great things about pierogies, is that they can be made in large quantities, refrigerated, frozen and reheated without lost of quality.
• Many prefer reheated pierogies as compared to freshly boiled ones.
• To re-heat, you can 1) pan fry pierogies in butter or bacon fat until they are light in color or 2) heat the pierogies in the top of a double boiler or in the oven until they are hot and plump or 3) deep fry them.

HOMEMADE FERMENTED SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Remove and discard the core of the cabbages, then finely shred.
• Combine 1/2 of the shredded cabbage with 1/2 of the salt in a large bowl; massage and squeeze for several minutes until the cabbage softens; it will be quite moist. Repeat with the remaining cabbage and salt. Leave cabbage at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight.
• Inspect two 1-liter (35-ounce) jars for cracks and rings or lids for rust, discarding any defective ones. Immerse in simmering water for about 10 minutes. Wash new, unused lids and rings in warm soapy water.
• Squeeze cabbage and discard any excess liquid. Mix in caraway seeds and transfer to the prepared jars. Wipe the rims with a clean cloth, then screw on lids. Set jars in a cool, dark place on a towel, as they may leak during the fermentation process.
• Ferment for 2 to 3 weeks, to taste. Once sauerkraut is ready, store jars in the fridge to slow the fermentation process. Sauerkraut will keep in the fridge for several months.

HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT WITH CRANBERRIES!

Steps:

• Now you have to understand that pickling cabbage takes time, BUT! it comes out very delicious. A family of two will eat 1.5 lbs of cabbage in 3-4 days during family dinners.
• I normally cook 1.5 lbs to 10lb. depending on the occasion that and mood.
• Pickling cabbage by this recipe takes 3-4 days. In my house it takes 3 days, in you house it may be ready sooner or slower, everything depends on the place and the temperature in your house. The cabbage has to "sit"in the dark and warm place and you have to choose a container for pickling that will keep the cabbage pressed and warm during the process of pickling.
• Shred the cabbage and the carrots. (carrots should be previously peeled and washed). Squeeze and mix carrots and cabbage, Put in a pickling container.
• Prepare the pickling mixture: preheat the water, when it starts boiling add: salt, sugar and bay leaves. Wait until it will start boiling again and turn the gas off. Cool the mixture and pour it into container with cabbage.
• Take the peppercorns and put it inside the cabbage as many as you wish. Press the cabbage and put into a dark warm place. (I put it on my fridge under a wok frying pan).
• Stir every days so that the juices would spred evenly.
• On day 3 or 4 check for readiness. The cabbage should have slight foam on top. Not a lot.
• If the cabbage is ready, take the handful of it squeeze and put in another clean container. When you put all the cabbage into a new container, put washed cranberries on top and cover with lid.
• Serving: To serve the homemade sauerkraut just finely chop the onion, take from your container as much cabbage as you need. add salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon of olive oil and mix everything very well.
• Serve with mashed potatoes and with a bird.
• Enjoy!
• P.S. you can cook soup or bake a pie with this sauerkraut, as well as make a lot of salads. Just let me show you in my next posts.

HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT WITH CRANBERRIES!

Steps:

• Now you have to understand that pickling cabbage takes time, BUT! it comes out very delicious. A family of two will eat 1.5 lbs of cabbage in 3-4 days during family dinners. I normally cook 1.5 lbs to 10lb. depending on t he occasion that and mood. Pickling cabbage by this recipe takes 3-4 days. In my house it takes 3 days , in you house it may be ready sooner or slower, everything depends on the place and the temperature in your house. The cabbage has to "sit"in the dark and warm place and you have to choose a container for pickling that will keep the cabbage pressed and warm during the process of pickling. Step 1. Shred the cabbage and the carrots. (carots should be previously peeled and washed). Squeeze and mix carrots and cabbage, Put in a pickling container. Step 2.Prepare the pickling mixture: preheat the water, when it starts boiling add: salt, sugar and bay leaves. Wait until it will start boiling again and turn the gas off. Cool the mixture and pour it into container with cabbage. Step 3. Take the peppercorns and put it inside the cabbage as many as you wish. Press the cabbage and put into a dark warm place. (I put it on my fridge under a wok frying pan) Step 4: Stir every days so that the juices would spred evenly. Step 5. On day 3 or 4 check for readiness. The cabbage should have slight foam on top. Not a lot. If the cabbage is ready, take the handful of it squeeze and put in another clean container. When you put all the cabbage into a new container, put washed cranberries on top and coverwith lid. Serving: To serve the homemade sauerkraut just finely chop the onion, take from your container as much cabbage as you need. add salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon of olive oil and mix everything very well. Serve with mashed potatoes and with a bird. Enjoy! P.S. you can cook soup or bake a pie with this sauerkraut, as well as make a lot of salads. Just let me show you in my next posts. Helen. http://helenscooking,info