White Labs Kitchen & Tap fermented sauerkraut

Makes about 1½ quarts

One head green cabbage (about 3 pounds), trimmed, cored and shredded. Reserve outer leaves whole.
28 grams grey sea salt
1 teaspoon juniper berries and/or caraway seeds (optional)

Add shredded cabbage to a large mixing bowl, sprinkling in the measured sea salt, seeds and berries to your own taste. Mix well, then squeeze/massage cabbage until it begins to release its liquid. Do this every 10-20 minutes, covering the bowl with plastic wrap in between, until enough liquid is produced to cover the cabbage. This can take two to four hours.

Pack cabbage into a 64-ounce Mason jar with all its accumulated brine. Lay reserved cabbage leaves on top and press down until brine rises at least 1/2 inch above cabbage. Add weights and push down to compress. If you need more brine, top it off with a 2 percent sea salt solution. (Dissolve 2 grams of salt in 100 grams of spring water.) Seal jar with an airlock lid following manufacturer’s instructions. Place in a cool, dark place — a temperature of 65 to 70 degrees is ideal. After one to three days, the fermentation process should be very active, and the cabbage should be bubbling away. (If you do not have an airlock, leave your jar lid on very loosely to allow gas to escape.)

After the first seven days, open the jar and push the cabbage down below brine — it is essential that it always stays submerged. Feel free to taste to monitor its progress. If the brine gets low, top it up with more 2 percent sea salt water. If there’s mold growing on the surface of the brine, simply scrape it off and continue to ferment. The sauerkraut will be ready in three to six weeks, depending on how sour you like it. If the cabbage becomes discolored or slimy or there is a truly offensive smell, throw it away and try again. Once the sauerkraut is to your liking, refrigerate it in a sealed container for up to six months.