Canning Sauerkraut

Canning sauerkraut is an easy way to preserve cabbage right on the pantry shelf.  While plain cabbage is not approved for canning, it can be put up in a simple water bath canner once it’s fermented into sauerkraut.

Canning sauerkraut is a great way to store cabbage for the long term.  When cabbage is fermented into sauerkraut, it becomes acidic enough for water bath canning, and it also becomes more digestible and nourishing along the way.

I know the die-hard fermentation lovers out there are thinking, but doesn’t canning kill the probiotics?!?!?

Yes, it does.

Once canned, sauerkraut no longer contains live cultures, but believe it or not, the “probiotics” aren’t the only good reason to make sauerkraut.  Fresh probiotic sauerkraut has its place, but so does home canned sauerkraut.

This recipe follows the process for fermented sauerkraut in the Complete Guide to Home Canning, which is the USDA publication maintained by the National Center for Home Food Preservation.  It’s a two-part process: first the cabbage ferments in a crock for 3 to 6 weeks, and then the finished kraut is canned in a water bath canner.

Reasons for Canning Sauerkraut

Home-canned sauerkraut may not be probiotic anymore, but it still has plenty of benefits.

Turning cabbage into sauerkraut makes it more digestible, and it also increases protein and vitamin content.  Sauerkraut, believe it or not, actually has more protein than the cabbage started with, as the Lactobacillus work to convert the sugars within the cabbage into more nutrition.

Most historical recipes for sauerkraut first preserved the cabbage through fermentation, then cooked it before serving.  These days, we tend to use it as a condiment on top of hot dogs, but back in the day, it was part of the cooked main course.

Think sausage and sauerkraut hash, or a full-on sauerkraut soup.

Neither of those uses are probiotic, but they’re still incredibly nourishing, and they allow you to enjoy nutrient-dense sauerkraut all winter long, and in much larger portions than you’d get when using it as a mere condiment.

If you live in a hot climate, canning sauerkraut is one of the most practical ways to store cabbage, as you likely don’t have a cool basement root cellar and refrigerator space is always limited.  Sauerkraut will keep quite a while if kept cool, but that’s not exactly an option in the heat of summer in Texas.

Reasons Not to Can Sauerkraut

Of course, while canning has its place, be aware that the canning process is a sterilization process.  The sauerkraut will no longer be probiotic, and if that’s your main goal in making sauerkraut, then I’d suggest storing it in the refrigerator for long-term use.

Sauerkraut will keep for months in the refrigerator, and quite a long time if just kept in a cool place like a basement.

(There are a number of other non-probiotic recipes for canning cabbage in traditional relish recipes that are most commonly called chow chow or piccalilli, like Southern Chow Chow or New England Piccalilli.  They’re great options if you’re looking for a way to preserve cabbage on your pantry shelf.)

Making Sauerkraut for Canning

If you’re planning on making your own sauerkraut with the intention of canning it, there are two main things to consider beyond the actual ingredients: the amount of space and the amount of time needed for the cabbage to ferment.

Just the other day I saw someone excitedly post to a food preservation group that they’d acquired 5 cases of cabbage for a few dollars, and that they planned to spend the day canning sauerkraut.  The thing is, you can’t buy cabbage today and can sauerkraut tomorrow.

Before the canning stage, you’ll need to prepare the cabbage for sauerkraut and then let it ferment, a process that takes 3 to 6 weeks depending on the ambient temperature surrounding the fermentation container.  Basically, the cooler the temperature, the longer it takes for adequate fermentation to occur.

According to the Complete Guide to Home Canning from the National Center for Home Food Preservation, “Sauerkraut fermentation can take place under variable temperature and time combinations. For obtaining a good quality sauerkraut at home, the USDA recommendation is to store at 70º to 75ºF while fermenting.  At temperatures between 70º and 75ºF, kraut will be fully fermented in about 3 to 4 weeks; at 60º to 65ºF, fermentation may take 5 to 6 weeks.  At temperatures lower than 60ºF, kraut may not ferment.  Above 75ºF, kraut may become soft.”

Be sure that your sauerkraut is fully fermented before canning.  The acidity developed in the fermentation process is what makes the sauerkraut safe for canning, so this process can’t be rushed.

Best Type of Cabbage for Canning Sauerkraut

But first things first!  Choosing the type of cabbage for your sauerkraut.  Start with firm, disease-free, mature heads, ideally processed within 24 to 48 hours of harvest.  There are several types that can be used to make fermented sauerkraut, with the most popular and readily available varieties being:

• Green cabbage (also called white cabbage) has a pleasant texture that will stay crunchy even after being fermented and canned.  Green cabbage has a “clean” taste and is a good variety to use when it’s your first time making fermented sauerkraut.
• Red cabbage (also called purple cabbage) has an earthier flavor and contains more nutrients than green cabbage, particularly vitamin A, C, and iron.  Red cabbage has also been found to contain more antioxidants than other types of cabbage.
• Napa cabbage is typically used for kimchi, another type of fermented cabbage preparation, and has a softer texture and milder flavor than other varieties of cabbage.
• Savoy cabbage tastes similar to green cabbage, but the green leaves are textured and softer.  While it’s possible to ferment and can sauerkraut made from Savoy cabbage leaves, there’s a higher risk that the leaves will turn overly soft (and even mushy) during the fermentation process and canning stage.  I’d recommend choosing Savoy cabbage if you already have experience making fermented sauerkraut.

Ingredients for Canning Sauerkraut

Beyond the cabbage itself, the only other ingredient you’ll need to make fermented sauerkraut is pickling salt (also called canning salt).  Pickling salt is unique in that it doesn’t contain anti-caking agents, which means it dissolves easily and results in a clear, non-cloudy brine.

The salt isn’t optional here, and it’s not just for flavor.  The ratio of 3 tablespoons of pickling salt to every 5 pounds of shredded cabbage is what allows the right bacteria to thrive while keeping spoilage organisms in check, so don’t reduce it.

For this recipe, which yields about 9 finished quarts of fermented sauerkraut, I’m going to use roughly 25 pounds of whole cabbages and 3/4 cup of pickling salt in total.  Instead of attacking all 25 pounds at once and being surrounded by a mountain of shredded cabbage, I like to work with 5 pounds at a time.

You’ll also need a fermentation vessel large enough to hold everything.  I like to use a fermentation crock, and as a general rule, you’ll need about 1 gallon of crock capacity for every 5 pounds of cabbage, plus a bit of extra headroom.  A food-grade plastic bucket or large glass container works too, along with weights to keep the cabbage submerged.

How to Make Sauerkraut for Canning

Discard the outer leaves first and rinse the cabbage heads under cool water.  Using a sharp chef’s knife, cut each cabbage head into quarters and carefully remove the woody core.  To thinly shred the cabbage into ribbons the thickness of a quarter, you can use a sharp knife, a food processor with a shredding attachment, or an inexpensive kitchen mandoline (but please, watch those fingers!).

Fill a fermentation container of your choice with 5 pounds of the shredded cabbage (bonus points if your crock comes with its own wooden pounder, and if not, you can use a wooden spoon with similar results).  Add 3 tablespoons of pickling salt to every 5 lbs of shredded cabbage in the crock and mix thoroughly with clean hands.  Using a wooden fermentation pounder or wooden spoon, pound the salted cabbage until the salt begins to draw juice from the cabbage.

Keep repeating these steps, working in 5 pound batches, until the crock is packed with all the salted cabbage.  The fermentation container should be deep enough that there are 4 to 5 inches of the container left above the cabbage.  The shredded, salted, and pounded cabbage should release enough juice to completely cover the cabbage in its own natural brine.

If the juice doesn’t completely cover the cabbage, top it off with a weak brine made by dissolving 1 1/2 tablespoons of pickling salt in a quart of boiled water, cooled to room temperature.  Weight the cabbage down with fermentation weights (or a plate topped with sealed jars of water) so that everything stays submerged, and cover the whole container with a clean towel.

If you’re confused at all about the process, I’d suggest reading my guide that covers how to make sauerkraut, or more specifically, how to make sauerkraut in a crock.

Depending on the size of your fermentation vessel, there’s a good chance you’ll need more than one crock, which means you’ll need more space, so keep this in mind during the initial planning stages.

How Long to Ferment Sauerkraut?

If sauerkraut is left to ferment at warmer temperatures (between 70° and 75°F, which is what the USDA recommends), it will take about 3 to 4 weeks for the cabbage to ferment.  If the temperatures are slightly lower, between 60° and 65°F, the fermentation process will likely take 5 to 6 weeks.

Avoid fermenting the cabbage at temperatures higher than 75°F, as this will result in mushy, inedible “sauerkraut.”  On the other hand, temperatures lower than 60°F are too cold for proper fermentation to occur.

Why are these temperatures so important?  In order for sauerkraut to be safely canned, it must be acidic enough, which naturally happens during fermentation.

On the topic of acid: While it’s technically possible to can pickled cabbage in white or cider vinegar, it wouldn’t have any of the amazing nutritional benefits from fermentation, and the taste would likely be pretty unpleasant.

You can expect to see signs of fermentation at around one week.  Look for small bubbles, as they’re easy to miss, and if the temperature is on the lower end, you might not see them at all.  If the brine level drops below the cabbage at any point, top it off with more of the weak brine (1 1/2 tablespoons of pickling salt per quart of boiled, cooled water) so everything stays submerged.

If you’re weighing the cabbage down with fermentation weights or a plate and jars, check the kraut 2 to 3 times each week and skim off any scum that forms on the surface.  (If you’re using a brine-filled bag as both weight and seal, leave the crock undisturbed until the bubbling stops.)  Keep the container covered with a clean towel the whole time.

When is Sauerkraut Done?

Begin sampling the sauerkraut fairly early on.  There are no hard-and-fast rules about when sauerkraut is finished, as it mostly comes down to personal preference.  Generally speaking, the longer the cabbage is allowed to ferment, the more complex the flavor.  As mentioned above, depending on the ambient temperature, the sauerkraut is ready for canning after 3 to 6 weeks of fermentation.

You’ll know fermentation is complete when the bubbling has stopped, and the kraut has a pleasantly tangy, sour flavor throughout.  Once the fermented sauerkraut is to your taste, it’s time for canning.  Of course, you can always tightly cover the sauerkraut and store it in the refrigerator for several months in lieu of canning.

If you’re not familiar with fermenting tools and equipment, I’d suggest reading this beginner’s guide to lacto-fermentation.  You can find more information specific to sauerkraut in this post on how to make sauerkraut as well as this one on making large batches of sauerkraut in a crock.

How to Can Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is ready to be canned in a water bath canner using either a raw pack or a hot pack once the fermentation process is complete (in other words, to your particular liking).

Start by preparing a water bath canner, filling it about half full of water and bringing it up to a simmer.  Wash your jars, lids, and rings in hot soapy water and keep the jars hot until you’re ready to fill them.  Since every processing time for sauerkraut is 10 minutes or longer, there’s no need to sterilize the jars first, they just need to be clean and hot.

Canning Sauerkraut with Raw Pack

To use the raw pack method, firmly fill the prepared jars with the unheated sauerkraut, leaving 1/2 inch headspace at the top.  Cover the contents of the jar with brine from the fermentation crock, maintaining that same 1/2 inch headspace.

Canning Sauerkraut with Hot Pack

For canning sauerkraut using a hot pack, slowly warm the cabbage and the brine in a large, heavy-bottomed stock pot, stirring frequently until the contents come to a boil.  Remove the pot from the heat.  Again, firmly fill each jar with the sauerkraut and cover with hot brine, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.

The hot pack method has a shorter processing time, and I find it also packs more kraut into each jar, so it’s the method I usually reach for.

Regardless of the method used, remove any air bubbles with a chopstick or bubble tool, wipe the rims, and seal each jar with two-piece canning lids until fingertip tight.  Load the jars into a prepared water bath canner, making sure they’re covered by 1 to 2 inches of water, and process for the time indicated below.  Make sure to consider the altitude you’ll be canning at, as this can affect processing times.

When the timer goes off, turn off the heat and let the jars sit in the still-hot water for another 5 minutes.  Using a jar lifter, carefully remove each jar from the canner.  Place the jars on a clean towel, leaving at least an inch of space between each jar, and let the sauerkraut come to room temperature (this usually takes anywhere from 12 to 24 hours).

At this point, you can check the seals on each jar, storing any unsealed jars in the fridge, where they’ll keep for up to 3 weeks.  Remove the bands from the sealed jars and store the canned sauerkraut in a cool, dry location away from direct light.

How Long Does Canned Sauerkraut Last?

Unopened canned sauerkraut will easily last for 18 months if stored away from light, dampness, and heat.  Once opened, it should be stored in the refrigerator and eaten within 1 week.  Of course, you’ll find that canned sauerkraut can often last much longer than that, as long as it doesn’t change color or develop any offensive smells.

Using Canned Sauerkraut

Beyond a topping for hot dogs and hamburgers, there are plenty of ways to make use of canned sauerkraut.

You can use it as a base for this Polish casserole, which also contains pasta, kielbasa, and shredded Swiss cheese.  For a warming winter bowl of comfort, why not make a traditional sauerkraut soup recipe?

Bratwurst and sauerkraut are a natural pairing, so try serving it with your favorite spicy mustard and a side of pickles.  Last but not least, a homemade reuben sandwich doesn’t get much better than when it’s been made with canned sauerkraut from your own pantry.

Other Ways to Store Sauerkraut

If you’re looking for other ideas for storing fermented sauerkraut that don’t involve canning, you can always try keeping it in a cool back closet, in the refrigerator, or in a not-too-damp basement.  It’ll continue to ferment slowly, and it’ll get more acidic over time, but it should last many months so long as it’s kept in a cool, dark place.

If you live in a hot area, like much of the American West, it’s better to either keep your sauerkraut in the refrigerator or can it so you can keep it on the pantry shelf.

No matter which method you choose, the most important thing to remember is that the sauerkraut must be submerged under its liquid at all times.  When any part of the sauerkraut is exposed to air, it will begin to mold and spoil.  Be sure to keep the brine topped off if you’re storing fresh sauerkraut.

(This isn’t an issue when canning sauerkraut, as the jars are sealed and they won’t lose liquid over time.)

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