Here is everything you need. Two ingredients. Cabbage and salt. I use pickling salt because I always have tons of it, but Kosher is great too. Table salt not so good, why? I dunno, just never used it and I dont know anyone that does. Cabbage was $2 and that whole bag of salt that will last you for a year or more was maybe $1.50.

That mini crock there is just one of those utensil caddies you can get anywhere. I think it was 4 bucks. It works great for a small batch like this. 

A plate or lid that fits in the crock,, anything will work. 

The rolling pin is just for packing the cabbage down, a potato masher works just fine too.

Thats all the equipment. Instead of the crock you can use a kool aid pitcher a bowl or whatever.. its not very fussy. For larger batches I use a 5 gallon bucket with the lid trimmed to fit inside.

Quarter and core your cabbage. Slice it into thin strips. I do a quarter at a time. you see why in next pic.

Make a layer off cabbage in crock 2-3 inches and sprinkle a little salt on top. This picture is almost too much salt.

Pack the layer down. just smash it down in there. Do the rest of the cabbage the same way. Cabbage, sprinkle of salt, smash it down.

The salt starts drawing out the water almost immediately. This is what you want. You want to keep the cabbage under this water. 

 Thats what the lid is for. Just to keep the cabbage from floating up

Put a small weight on the lid to keep it under the liquid. Dont need to squish it. Just keep from floating.

Put it somewhere normal room temp. Dont really matter too much. Basements are great. Kitchen cupboard. Its all good.

let sit 2-3 weeks. If it starts molding or anything, Dont panic! Its no big deal..Thats just the way it works.  just spoon it off. The stuff under water is perfectly fine.

A month is good 2 months is great. After a month its ready. Dont need to do anything to it. Just dig in there, take out what you need , put the plate and weight back on and its good to go.

If you wanna can it. Thats just about as easy. 

Drain and keep the juice maybe add a little water is needed. Bring to a boil. 

Pack your heated jars tight with the kraut, fill the jars with the hot liquid and water bath for 20. Done.

This size batch makes 4-6 pint jars of course depending on size of cabbage.

(oh and those jars next to the kraut? Fermenting limes. Thats another day.. but its exactly this process as well)