Slice the cabbage into quarters and remove the core.
Slice the cabbage into thin ribbons and place in a large plastic or glass bowl.
Add salt and toss well.
Roughly massage the cabbage. I mean get in there like a deep-tissue massage!
Let the cabbage sit for a few hours.
Toss in the sliced jalapeños.
Pack the cabbage into your Mason jar, using your sauerkraut smasher to push the cabbage into the jar. Be careful to apply an ample amount of pressure but don't break the Mason jar!
Pour any brine that's left in the bowl onto the cabbage. You should have about a finger's width of liquid on top of the packed cabbage.
OPTIONAL: Add the grape leaf by pressing it over the surface of the cabbage. The grape leaf will keep everything submerged.
Add the pickle pebble to the jar.
Add the airlock top to the jar. If you aren't using an airlock or a vented top, you will have to burp the contents daily to relieve the pressure. Gas forms during the fermentation process.
Ferment for a minimum of 7-10 days at room temperature in a relatively cool location, away from direct sunlight. Sauekraut can be fermented for as long as three months. Longer fermentation times will give you a more complex flavor. I like to leave my cabbage fermenting for about a month.
Taste your sauerkraut! If you like the flavor, it's time to seal with a regular lid and store in the refrigerator. If you want to keep fermenting it, you can seal it back up and let the fermentation go on.
Store sauerkraut in the refrigerator for as long as you like the flavor. The fermentation process will continue, slowly in the fridge. Lacto fermentation is a method of preservation. Sauerkraut will keep for years. Although, in my house, it never lasts that long!
RECIPE TIPS
Eat a few tablespoons every day to help support digestive health. This sauerkraut is so much cheaper than a probiotic supplement.Variations of this kraut:Leave out the jalapeños if you want something less spicy.My Favorite Alternate Combinations: