Homemade Sauerkraut

When we put cabbage into the garden I didn't have much more of a thought than seeing if I could grow cabbage. How would anyone know otherwise? So, as I watched the cabbage grow throughout the summer I was amazed at how they went from these loose leaves growing into a head type of shape. We checked on it several times throughout the summer and I was getting excited about having three heads of cabbage actually growing in the garden!  

A few weeks ago we had some store bought sauerkraut which I like to cook up with some brown sugar and sliced apple to serve along side either brats or pork chops. It dawned on me that maybe I could make sauerkraut with my cabbage. So I started to search Pinterest for recipes and landed on The Prairie Homestead pin and got interested - in the recipe AND the website. 

The recipe was easier than I thought and required no cooking! Well, that was a happy moment for me because I have been known to make a mess doing anything new. The least amount of items in use at anytime is best for me. I still made a fair size mess, but it was fun!

I was a little skeptical that all of the cabbage would fit in a quart size mason jar. Seriously - there was a lot. As soon as I started mooshing the cabbage into the jar, my skepticism turned into surprise and I had NOTHING left in the bowl after spooning and mooshing. Well, I had some of the liquid left over which I used to fill up the jar a bit more before storing it. 

Now the hard part will be to leave it be until it's time to open it up to try it out. I will need to "burp" it here and there, but otherwise it's a waiting game. I better take a look at the part where it needs to be burped!

I am hopeful that this will turn out and that instead of buying pouches or jars of kraut I can just make my own when the hankering strikes. 

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