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1
Combine all of the ingredients in a very large bowl.
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2
Squeeze the cabbage to release some liquid.
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3
Press a heavy plate on the cabbage to weigh it down and let stand at room temperature, tossing and squeezing the cabbage 4 or 5 more times, until it has released enough liquid to cover, about 4 hours.
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4
Pour the cabbage and its liquid into a clean ceramic crock or tall glass container.
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5
Top the cabbage with a clean plate that just fits inside the crock.
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6
Place a glass or ceramic bowl on the plate and put a heavy can in the bowl; the cabbage should be completely submerged in its brine by at least a 1/2 inch.
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7
Cover the crock with a clean kitchen towel and set it in a cool, dark place to ferment for about 6 weeks.
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8
Every 3 days, clean and replace the plate that sits on the cabbage, carefully skimming any foam or mold that forms on the surface of the liquid.
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9
Discard the cabbage and its liquid if it's foul-smelling, or if anything brown, moldy or slimy has penetrated below what can easily be scraped off the surface.
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10
If too much liquid evaporates before the sauerkraut is sufficiently fermented, dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt in 1 cup of spring water and add it to the crock.
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11
When the sauerkraut is ready, it should have a light crunch and a bright, pleasantly tangy taste, with an acidity similar to that of a lemon.
