How To Make Sauerkraut Brine: 3 Simple Methods
3 simple methods for how to make sauerkraut brine. The best sauerkraut fermentation results are achieved with 2% brine solution.
In this short article, written in response to a reader question, I’ll be covering the topic of how to make sauerkraut brine. When you are first starting out learning about how to make sauerkraut and other fermented vegetables, many new fermenters get confused about the brine solution, but in fact, it’s one of the simplest parts of the fermenting process (not that any of it is hard.
But, as always, when you go and do a web search on the topic, you’ll be presented with a number of ways to make brine. Luckily, they all basically do the same thing, just in a different way, with different ways to measure. So, I’ll offer you 3 methods. Firstly, the one I use and has worked wonderfully for me through my entire fermentation journey, and another 2 options, just in case you prefer those methods to measure quantities. All you need to do is choose the method you like and stick with it.
So let’s get stuck into how to make a salt brine for sauerkraut fermentation.
What Is Brine And Do I Need It For Making Sauerkraut?
Brine is a solution consisting of salt and water. Sounds simple, but brine can be used for making many things and for a range of reasons. Brines are used in the salting of certain cheeses like feta and halloumi, they add to the taste, but also inhibit the growth of molds and other bacteria that you would not want to multiply in your food.
Depending on the food you are preparing, in our case sauerkraut or other fermented vegetables, then a brine solution is required to inhibit the formation of unwanted bacteria and other micro-organisms. We use the brine to submerge our sauerkraut cabbage, generally weighed down with specially shaped stones in a fermenting crock. The brine solution stops any air from getting to the vegetables. This is what we want as fermentation is an anaerobic process that requires no oxygen.
What Is The Sauerkraut Brine Salt Ratio?
Typically, the salt ratio brine solution for sauerkraut is around 2%. This means that when the solution is ready, 98% will be plain water and 2% will be salt by volume. This is not a fixed number, you do not need to fret about it, and in fact, the first method I will be discussing does not require you to actually make a brine separately from the cabbage processing you will be doing.
Sauerkraut Brine Method 1 – My Preferred Method
You usually do not need to make up a large solution of brine when making sauerkraut. When you make sauerkraut you shred the cabbage, then add salt to it and leave it for a period of time. The salt draws the water from the cabbage, and after an hour or so, with a little massaging or the cabbage or pounding with a kraut hammer, you’ll end up with a good amount of brine water in the bottom of your bowl. This will form the basis of the brine that you will add to your plastic sauerkraut container, crock, or mason jar to cover your cabbage.
If you pounded away, squeezed the cabbage, it should be limp due to much of the moisture being drawn out. You will then squeeze out the cabbage and put it into your fermentation crock or jar. Press it down firmly, I use my kraut hammer, but an appropriately sized bottle works well to press it down. When the crock or jar is full to the appropriate level, you will likely see the brine /cabbage juice solution quite close to the top of the vessel. you then pour the remaining solution from your bowl on top of the cabbage.
If you did not get enough juice from salting and pounding your cabbage, you can add some with a little brine which you will make up separately.
If you are fermenting other vegetables, that do not release as much liquid when salted and are not squeezed or pounded (I’m thinking carrots or other vegetables cut into sticks or fermented whole) then make up enough 2% brine solution to cover them in the jars is a good idea. I’d use method 3 for that. See the next section.
How Do You Make A 2% Brine If Needed?
However, on occasions, there is not sufficient cabbage water/salt solution to cover your sauerkraut. In such a case you do need to make some additional brine to top things up so the cabbage is covered.
Method 2 – The ‘Don’t Fret’ method. Add a 1/2 teaspoon of unrefined salt to a cup of filtered water. Again, you can use a little hot water and top up with cold, or just use warm water, make sure the salt has dissolved, and then leave to cool. Use this to top up the liquid in your fermenting vessel so it covers the cabbage. I like 1 inch about the cabbage to make sure all air is excluded.
Method 3 – For those that like to measure. To get a liter of 2% brine, you will need a measuring jug to which you can add 1 liter (1000ml) of water. I prefer to use water from my water filter, but tap water will do, ideally not chlorinated. As you have 1000ml of water, you need to assess how many GRAMS of salt you need to add to get to a 2% brine solution.
Simple math is 1000 multiplied by 0.02 = 20. So, to great a 2% brine solution you would add 20g of salt to the 1 liter of water.
Note: You can use most salt for fermenting, but avoid normal table salt. Sea salt, Himalayan salt, kosher salt, all are fine. I wrote an article on the best salt for fermenting some time ago, it’s well worth a read.
Always take a little of your water, bring it to a boil, and add it to the salt. Stir until the salt crystals have dissolved and then add this solution to the rest of your 1 liter of water.
What If You Need Extra Brine For Sauerkraut?
This may happen, but just follow method 2 or 3 and knock up a little extra. Typically, you are only likely to need a cupful so the 1 cup and 1/2 teaspoon of salt method is generally the easiest and quickest.
When I make sauerkraut in my 5-liter fermentation crock, this usually uses 2 heads of cabbage and provides enough kraut to last a number of months. I’ve never needed to add more than a cup or two of extra brine to my sauerkraut crock. Occasionally, when transferring from crock to jars, one may want to add a little brine just to ensure that the cabbage is covered. You now have all the methods you need, from making a small amount to a liter or more.
Can You Make Sauerkraut Without Brine?
No. Brine is needed to prevent the formation of molds and fungal growth on your sauerkraut. Brine is a great inhibitor of these unwanted organisms. But, as mentioned previously in this article, when you have salted and pounded your cabbage, you will likely have all the brine you need to cover your new sauerkraut ferment. If not, then make up a little using the 2 methods provided. It’s also cool to make a little too much and keep some in the fridge, just in case you need to top up during the fermentation process.
There is a fake version of sauerkraut that people like Martha Stewart cook, which is just cabbage cooked in vinegar. It wilts and has a similar look, but it ain’t the real thing. The brine solution is essential for real sauerkraut and helps with the preserving process. Some people do wonder can you freeze sauerkraut? You can, but usually, it is not necessary as it has a long shelf life.
Will Too Much Salt Ruin Sauerkraut?
If you follow a recipe on how to make sauerkraut and use the recommended amount of salt per weight of cabbage, it is highly unlikely that you will have too much salt. If you need to add brine and follow the methods in this article, you will not end up with too salty a solution.
Yes, it is of course possible to add too much salt, and this would most likely end up with a finished product that just tasted far too salty. If by some mishap, you do add too much salt to the cabbage in the initial stages, then my recommendation would be to discard the cabbage/salt solution and to make up a liter or two of 2% brine solution to add to the crock. If push really came to shove, you could rinse the cabbage under cold water to remove some of the salt. But, to be honest, you’d have to have really screwed up, or just poured an entire bag of salt into the cabbage for this to happen.
To Summarize
The salt to water ratio for sauerkraut brine is not an exact science. It does not need to be. I am highly skeptical of the possibility that when people were fermenting cabbage and other vegetables many thousands of years ago, that they worried about fermenting quantities of salt to the water. I don’t even think electronic scales existed back then :-)
As you become more confident making sauerkraut, you’ll become a lot less stressed about doing everything perfectly. It is really not required, and as long as you ensure that your cabbage is actually in a brine solution, then your sauerkraut will be wonderful and delicious. Fermenting vegetables takes a little practice and just keeping an eye on things. There is no need for a degree in organic biology. My commerce diploma serves me fine :-)
