Thinly slice the cabbage.
Put in a large bowl and sprinkle about half of the sea salt over the cabbage.
Start kneading and massaging the cabbage with your hands until the leaves start to glisten and a brine starts to develop. This may take about 10-15 mins.
Taste the cabbage. It should be salty, but tasty. Add more salt if needed.
Pack the crock or jars with the kneaded shredded cabbage.
Use a tamper to push it all the way down and get rid of air pockets. This will also get the brine to go above the veggie.
Add a follower like a cabbage leaf to keep the bits below the brine.
Then add a weight on top of the cabbage leaf.
Attach the airlock and set out of direct sunlight and allow to ferment for 6 days.
HELPFUL HINTS:
- If using red cabbage…WEAR GLOVES! Your hands will turn purple if you don’t. (I learned this the hard way!)
- If you find the cabbage is not producing enough brine, there are a few things you can do:
- First, let the cabbage sit out for about an hour. Sometimes it takes time for the salt to break down the cabbage to release the brine. Then try massaging it some more. You will notice a lot more brine in the bowl.
- If it is because the cabbage is older and therefore not as fresh, try adding another vegetable into the mix that may be able to give off more liquid. Some examples are grated carrots, onions, or even cucumber.
Ingredients
Directions
Thinly slice the cabbage.
Put in a large bowl and sprinkle about half of the sea salt over the cabbage.
Start kneading and massaging the cabbage with your hands until the leaves start to glisten and a brine starts to develop. This may take about 10-15 mins.
Taste the cabbage. It should be salty, but tasty. Add more salt if needed.
Pack the crock or jars with the kneaded shredded cabbage.
Use a tamper to push it all the way down and get rid of air pockets. This will also get the brine to go above the veggie.
Add a follower like a cabbage leaf to keep the bits below the brine.
Then add a weight on top of the cabbage leaf.
Attach the airlock and set out of direct sunlight and allow to ferment for 6 days.