Can we talk about the salt percentage for kimchi

I was reading a book from the library in Madison and it said to use 2% salt by weight for the cabbage, not the whole mix. I always just guessed before. Has anyone else tried this exact method for their kimchi?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_anna17d ago

So does that 2% rule mean you weigh the cabbage dry before you even wash it? I've seen that method but always wondered about the starting point.

schmidt.anna17d ago

Weigh it right after you shred it. I wash my cabbage first, let it drain in a colander, then weigh it. That way you're not adding water weight to your starting point. I tried the dry method once and my sauerkraut turned out way too salty. Using the weight after draining gives me a consistent result every single time.

xena_brown5015d agoTop Commenter

My friend Sarah got super into kimchi last year and followed that 2% rule to the letter, weighing her cabbage before washing. Ngl, it was a total fail, way too salty and harsh. She was so bummed. I told her about @schmidt.anna's tip for weighing after draining, and she tried it again. Her next batch was perfect, like restaurant good. It really shows how that starting weight makes a huge difference.