Step 1 - Weigh the cabbage to determine the amount of salt needed. 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of salt per pound of cabbage is needed.

Weighing the cabbage will give the most accurate amount of salt you need to add. This step can be skipped if you don't have a scale. Just use less salt for a smaller cabbage and more for a larger cabbage. Usually a head of cabbage is some where around 2-3 pounds. Since 3 teaspoons equal 1 tablespoons, I usually just aim for about 1 tablespoons to 2 tablespoons per head of cabbage.

Step 2 - Prepare the cabbage by removing the outer leaves and rinse cabbage head under water. Save one nice whole cabbage leaf to use later. Cut in half and remove the core of cabbage. Then slice the cabbage thinly with a knife or a mandolin slicer.

Save the core if you don't have glass fermentation weights.

Step 3 - Season the cabbage by placing the thinly sliced cabbage in a bowl and sprinkle the salt over top. With you hands, massage the salt into the cabbage. After about 3-5 minutes the salt will start to pull liquid from the cabbage. Once you can easily squeeze liquid from the cabbage and have a some brine in the bottom of your bowl, you can start packing the cabbage into a quart sized glass.

Step 4 - Pack the cabbage into a jar pushing it down with your hand or a kraut pounder. Pack it tight! Fill the jar until it is about 1 inch from the top. Take the outer leaf saved in the beginning and cut a piece that will fit in the jar. Place the leaf over the shredded cabbage and then place a glass fermenting weight on top. Pour the left over liquid brine in the bottom of your bowl into the jar and fill the jar so it covers over all the cabbage. Then screw on a fermenting lid (or a plastic lid) but not too tight as air needs to escape during the fermentation process.

If you don't have fermenting weight, use the core of the cabbage on top of the leaf to help keep everything submerged. This will help to keep the cabbage below the brine as it ferments reducing the risk of mold forming on top.

Step 5 - Ferment the cabbage. The sauerkraut will bubble up as it ferments and leak out the excess brine. Make sure to place the jars on a rimmed tray to catch the excess liquid. You may need to empty the tray a few times in the first couple of days. You may need to add some extra brine to the sauerkraut to keep it submerged (see step 6). Keep the sauerkraut at room temperature for a least 3 days or until it reaches the desired flavor. I find that in 2-3 weeks it reaches a great sour flavor.

Step 6 - Store the sauerkraut. Once your sauerkraut has finished fermenting, place the jar in the fridge. The liquid will usually shrink back down once placed in the fridge. Adding 2% salt water to the top will keep all the kraut "juicy". This equals about 1 teaspoon salt to 1 cup salt.