Packed with texture and a little spice, it can turn a a so-so sandwich into a winner.

Have you even had real sauerkraut?

Its a live ferment, unlike what you’re able to buy from a store.

All thats left is the cabbage.

This is a fine chiffonade, so to speak, thats going to make a light but crunchy sauerkraut.

Now add your cabbage and take note of how much it weighs.

Thats how much salt you need.

Weigh out the salt and then sprinkle it onto the cabbage.

Now, here’s the most important part: massage it into the leaves.

Let the bowl sit on the counter for an hour, covered by a tea towel.

Now we need to find a vessel to ferment in.

Jars are ideal for this, but a covered glass storage container will do.

Using your clean hands, start packing the cabbage in.

Use your fist to smash it in there, if you have to.

Even as youre doing this, the cabbage will release more liquid, which we want!

But cabbage floats, which is why some people use fermentation weights.

wrap up the bag’s zipper most of the way, leaving an inch or two open.

end the zipper.Et voila, a homemade fermentation weight.

If you are using a covered vessel, it is important to “burp” the vessel every day.

If you’re using a vacuum bag, the bag will inflate.

The final kraut-down

You decide when the sauerkraut is ready.

That may sound intimidating, but it’s not.

There is no perfect amount of doneness.

Sauerkraut continues to ferment unless it is placed in the fridge, which will slow fermentation down.

Some people enjoy a more fermented sauerkraut and some people enjoy a less fermented version.

This is about what you like.

Layer that sauerkraut on your sandwich, add some cranberry sauce or Russian dressing, and enjoy!

Weigh the cabbage, and multiply the weight by .02 to get the salt measurement.

Weigh out that calculated amount of salt and then add it to the cabbage.

Spend 10 minutes massaging the salt into the cabbage.

Cover the cabbage with a tea towel and leave for an hour.

Add seasonings to the cabbage, including any seeds like fennel, coriander, caraway, or celery seed.

Use one tablespoon per head of cabbage of any seed you enjoy, and then mix into the cabbage.

Pack the cabbage into a clean glass container.

Burp the sauerkraut, checking it daily for fermentation.

Taste every day starting on day five, and when ready, place in refrigerator.