Sauerkraut in a Jar

I love that some of cousins actually respond to emails. I had forwarded this link on Sauerkraut in a jar and the following is the emails that resulted from it from one of the cousin's.  I will be making this but following her ideas when I find some organic cabbage! 

 Very interesting but I don't put all that stuff in it. I only use onions,salt  and a tiny bit of spice. Might be interesting his way
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yeah, you are right.. Mom just used cabbage and salt..  I was interested in seeing the color of the end product as I buy sauerkraut at the Polish/German store and the German sauerkraut is a dark  brown.  Mom's was a light color.. I do buy jars of Ukrainian Sauerkraut salad as they call it and it has onions and carrots.. another one which I really like has beets in it.. very tasty with the cabbage, carrots, onions and beets.

I have been wanted to do sauerkraut in a jar but would only do it  the way mom did it.. Don't know where her special rock for the crock is!!! LOL  I was surprised that they had the lids on

Let me know if you try it.

I don't do the kraut in the crock anymore, too stinky. I now do it directly in jars. I also put in a little oil and vinegar and it stays very light coloured. 

So is it similar to how he does it, except for all the spices and carrots? How much salt per jar?  How long does the Sauerkraut keep like that?


When I do it I make a few jars. I shred the cabbage ( must be Copenhagen) in my big bread dish (made out of enamel).  I shed it fine, not like the one he did that looks even too coarse to use in a salad.  I add thin shredded onions, a little spice and enough pickling salt to make it "salty".  Mix and squeeze to get the juices out.  Then I add a bit of vinegar and oil.  Put in jars but do not overpack , about 3/4 full.  If not enough juices from cabbage I may top it with distilled water boiled, cooled and salted ( always pickling salt).  The jars I set in a big plastic bag lined with paper in case of spilling over.  I do not put the rings on tight cause when its working it could explode.  Check often and add more of the boiled, cooled, salted  water if needed to keep cabbage covered.  Jars should be sterilized before filling with the cabbage. Are you thinking of making some? 

No one in a grocery store would know one cabbage from another.  Mom used to buy the ones in the fall, about Sept. when they first came in at a real good price.  They arent flat but they are solid and the "rib" is not thick like the later ones. ( Super Store).  Otherwise a farmers marke might be helpful.

Interesting. Didn't know this. I googled pictures of them. They are like you said "round head". I remember mom planting the flat head cabbage, but seems to me she did plant round head ones and the name Copenhagen certainly is familiar.  Should have paid more attention.

I think maybe the flat heads are looser and meant for cabbage rolls. I didn't pay attention either.