How to Make Sauerkraut in a Mason Jar (The EASY Way!)

Making sauerkraut doesn't have to be a big deal. Today, Rachel quickly demonstrates how to make sauerkraut in a mason jar. All you need is salt, water and cabbage - and if you're like us, you'll throw in some garlic too. This is the easy way to make sauerkraut and it doesn't take long to prepare. The hardest part is waiting for your sauerkraut to be ready!

How to Make Easy Sauerkraut in a Mason Jar

First, get some cabbages, sea salt or kosher salt (not iodized salt!), and a nice jar. Chop the cabbages up and stuff in the jar.

Cover with brine.

To make brine, mix non-chlorinated water (if available) with salt. We used a ratio of 4 tablespoons of salt per quart of water; however, if you are in a cooler climate that is excessive! You can often get away with just a tablespoon or two per quart.

Despite my best efforts, I have not had luck getting salt to "extract the juices from the cabbage" in enough quantity to work, despite that being related as the "proper" way to make sauerkraut in some recipes. Instead, we just dump in brine.

Note that we do not add vinegar. Just brine. Bacteria will proliferate in the mixture and make vinegar for you - and they're the magic ingredient that makes sauerkraut an exceptionally healthy food.

Once you've filled your jar with cabbage and covered with brine (not to the top!), cover with cheesecloth or a towel or a loose jar lid. Shake a few times per day and taste now and again to see if the kraut is turning sour. In our climate it's sour in three days, but in Tennessee it took a couple of weeks to really taste good. When it's nice and sour, eat it! If you want it to stay at the level of tartness it's currently at, put your kraut in the fridge.

You can use small or large jars, or big crocks. All will work. So long as you have salt and cabbage and the cabbage stays in the brine, you'll get good sauerkraut.

[davidthegood]

Anyone make their own sauerkraut before?

[winthropwinebuggler]

Felt like I was watching a post modern top gun video with that music.

Top Kraut.

[russellwild]

Whoah! I watched about a dozen other “how to make sauerkraut” videos on YouTube and they ALL insisted on a more complicated recipe involving exact measurements of salt and laborious massaging of the darned cabbage before bottling....Not necessary!....The simpler- than-simple recipe presented here works perfectly! THANK YOU.

[valliebeth]

Just tried my sauerkraut after about ten days and it’s awesome! Thank you so much! This was way better than no-water versions I’ve tried!

[keonesilva]

I tried this it works GREAT ! She shows the easiest, cheapest way to make great stuff. Love her

[caryngayfield]

My first time making my own and I used your recipe and it turned out fantastic. I think this mason jar brine technique keeps more of the natural crunch of the cabbage compared to other store bought sauerkrauts I have tried. Thanks

[christinebegg]

I wish I watched this before I started following the Ball directions. Next time. I knew it was easier than what the instructions they gave me. Thanks Rachel.

[nancyfahey]

A keeper. I've got a headache with all the videos out there. This is how I thought it should be. Simple and done. ✔

[lauraschwager]

Wow! I didn’t know you could make it with a brine! I’ve tried before using just sea salt, but wasn’t successful, so I haven’t tried again. I will definitely try this method! I love sauerkraut! Especially when it’s chock full of probiotics! Thank you Rachel!!!

[ccpperrett]

Yes, I made about 4 gallons. I would like to make in smaller batches and refrigerate. Thank you for the video. Now is the season!!!

[jevongullemann]

Very Nice video. No waffling talk. Just straight demonstration. I like it.

[SS-ygjw]

Music got me hyped. I'm gonna run to the supermarket to buy me some cabbage.

[GardensGuitars]

Excellent video, always enjoy your homestead and music adventures! Cool to see kraut made without fancy equipment like airlocks and weights. It is too tropical and humid where I'm at to grow cabbage, except in the dead of winter, but I will use this recipe to made collard kraut! Collards do fine with all the high temps and humidity, and they make great kraut! Cheers!

[sallykolinka]

Excellent recipe. I just finished my 1st batch. I water bathed the pints for 35 mins.

[qualqui]

Love watchin' Miss Rachel making the sauerkraut to the tune of IRIE Rock vibes, in the background! This method is easy, should have came here before I watched this British guy make some, according to him for each kilo of cabbage you add 1 tbspn. of seasalt, pink himalaya salt, sprinkle the salt on the cabbage and work the cabbage with your hands, when the salt has removed water/juice from the cabbage, you can bottle it up, pressing down, so as to remove any oxygen bubbles and let ferment, the longer its left toferment, the more acidic it will taste😋.

[theoldguy]

Good to see. You might consider getting a pounding stick to ram the cabbage down, which will cause more liquid to release. It is fascinating how you get such fermenting and tartness so naturally. Thanks for the video.

[BennyMortmaigne-kl]

You can close the lid on that type of mason jar tight. The rubber seal will allow gasses to escape but not air to enter.

[janebadon]

Thank you for making it so simple for us, Racheal!

[andreagriswold]

This truly is the easiest and also delicious! This is how I will make sauerkraut from now on!

[SouthFloridaSunshine]

That was great Rachel! And I love the jar you all used too. I have never tried to make my own as I am the only one who eats it in my house. I also like a dill and caraway one I get at WFM but it lasts me awhile. But Rachel and wow, that view make me want to try to make my own.