Making Sauerkraut

We've been blessed with wonderful, large cabbage.  We grew 40 of them and now I get to make sauerkraut.  I've never made it before and I don't really like it, but I've been told that homemade tastes better than storebought.  So here goes...

Get approximately 20 lbs. of cabbage-

(pay no mind to the date on these pictures)

Next you chop it up five pounds at a time and add three tablespoons of salt to each five.

You could use a kraut cutter-

But as you can see, mine is old and needs sharpening so I just used a knife-

After you have salted five pounds and stirred it, let it set several minutes.  It should get wilty.  While it was setting, I cut another bowl full of cabbage.  After it gets wilty, put into crock-

Pack it down with a wooden spoon or your fist-

Continue to fill the crock with the salt and cabbage mixture until it is about 3-4 inches from the top-

If the liquid isn't at the top and going over the cabbage, make some more.  One quart of water to 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt.  Bring to a boil and then let it cool.  Pour over cabbage so there is brine up to the top of the cabbage.  I ended up making about 2 more quarts of brine.  Next cover the cabbage with cheesecloth.-

Then it will need to be weighted down.  I used a plastic bag filled with water.  This will keep air out and form itself to the top of the cabbage.-

Store in a cool place.  Remove and discard scum from the top every day.  It takes 3-6 weeks for fermentation to be complete.  To can it after it's done-bring it to a simmer-not a boil- and put into hot jars.  Put on lids that have been heated.  Put in hot water bath for 30 minutes.  This is for quarts.

I'll let you know how it turns out.  I've never done this before.