The Great Sauerkraut Experiment (Part 2)

It's been one week since I started the sauerkraut. Immediately after the last post I realized that the pot lid I was using to weight down the cabbage would not in fact work because it was ringed with metal. I replaced it with a smaller version of the original plate and used a plastic mayonnaise jar filled with water and sealed tight as a weight to hold the plate down.

This has been working wonderfully! I checked in on the kraut a couple of times during the week, making sure it was still covered in liquid. Today, I gave it a taste. It is seasoned perfectly and is beginning to pickle, though the brine is still very mild. As the weeks go by, it's going to develop a very nice flavor. I can't wait!

All natural brine - no liquid has been added to this cabbage.

I pressed the sauerkraut back down as tightly as I could, making sure that all of the cabbage was covered. Placing the plate and weight back on caused the brine level to rise even more, well covering the sauerkraut. I will check it again in a week or so. The whole process should take anywhere from 5-10 weeks, after which I will pack the sauerkraut in jars for storage.