Kimchi Salt Ratio: Napa Cabbage Salt and Time
Published
Salt napa cabbage at about 2.5 percent of its weight. For 3 lb (1.36 kg) of cabbage that is 34 g (1.2 oz) of salt, which is 1/4 cup of Diamond Crystal kosher, 2 1/2 Tbsp of Morton kosher or 2 Tbsp of table salt. The cabbage sits in the salt for about 2 hours and is then rinsed and drained.
The calculator shows 2 to 5 days of fermentation at 65 to 70°F (18 to 21°C). That is the room-temperature time from one recipe, and the chili paste and its salt are not calculated.
Quick answer
For kimchi, use salt equal to 2.5% of the vegetables' weight: 34 g (1.2 oz) for 3 lb (1.36 kg). Ferment for 2 to 5 days, depending on the room temperature.
- Diamond Crystal kosher, for 3 lb (1.36 kg)
- 1/4 cup
- Morton kosher, for 3 lb (1.36 kg)
- 2 1/2 Tbsp
- Table salt, for 3 lb (1.36 kg)
- 2 Tbsp
- Ferment window
- 2 to 5 days
- depends on room temperature, see the table in the guide
Warnings
Colorado State Extension says that for safety kimchi should reach a pH of 4.6 or below before it is eaten. University of Georgia Extension says early in fermentation the pH may not be low enough to block certain pathogens, so refrigerate promptly, and that after about 2 weeks the pH is typically below 4.6.
Colorado State Extension says kimchi should be stored refrigerated. University of Georgia Extension says a storage temperature of 41°F (5°C) or below helps ensure safety and quality.
Discard kimchi that shows surface mold (Colorado State Extension). University of Georgia Extension says to discard it if it shows mold, an off-putting odor unlike the normal fermented aroma, or an unusual texture.
Press the salted vegetables down and weigh them so they stay under the juice they release for the whole ferment. Vegetables that stick out of the liquid are exposed to air, which lets mold and yeast grow.
Do not reduce the salt below the amount shown. The National Center for Home Food Preservation says salt is vital to the safety and texture of fermented vegetables and not to cut back on the salt required, and the Inyo-Mono Master Food Preserver Program (UC Cooperative Extension) says it is unsafe to reduce salt in lactofermented vegetables.
Fermenting is not canning. This calculator gives no canning instructions. Do not can the fermented result unless you follow a tested canning procedure from the National Center for Home Food Preservation or a university extension service.
Notes
Do not use metal containers or earthenware with cracks or chips (Colorado State Extension). Use coarse, non-iodized salt (Colorado State Extension).
University of Georgia Extension lists kimchi at 498 mg of sodium per 100 g and advises people on low-sodium diets to eat it in moderation or ask a healthcare professional.
The 2 to 5 days is the room-temperature time from America's Test Kitchen's napa cabbage kimchi recipe, before the kimchi goes to the refrigerator. It is a recipe time, not a safety time.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults limit sodium to less than 2,300 mg per day. Brined and fermented food contains added salt.
Salt percentage
The calculator models only the salt for the napa cabbage, applied dry to the cabbage and measured as a percentage of the cabbage weight. The seasoning paste and the other ingredients (chili, garlic, ginger, green onions, fish sauce, rice flour) and any salt in them are not calculated. Maangchi's recipe also uses Korean radish; the America's Test Kitchen recipe has no radish. Weigh the cabbage after coring and cutting, before salting, and weigh only the cabbage.
| Strength | Salt percentage | Salt per pound of food | Time at room temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry-salted napa cabbage, about 2.5% Salt on the cabbage for about 2 hours, then rinsed and drained; this is the cabbage salting only. | 2.5% of food | 11.3 g (0.4 oz) 1 1/2 Tbsp Diamond Crystal kosher 2 1/4 tsp Morton kosher 2 tsp Table salt | 2 to 5 days |
Weigh the salt when you can. The same volume of different salts weighs different amounts.
There is one strength, the dry-salted napa cabbage at about 2.5 percent. It is the cabbage salting only, and the amount is the salt applied before rinsing, which differs from the salt left in the finished kimchi.
Recipes differ on how much salt goes on the cabbage. America's Test Kitchen uses 1/4 cup of Diamond Crystal per 3 lb of napa cabbage, about 2.5 percent at 2.8 g per teaspoon. Maangchi uses 72 g per 6 lb, which is 2.65 percent. The Oregon State Newell recipe uses 1 tablespoon of pickling salt per about 2 lb with 1 to 2 hours of salting and no rinse, about 2 percent. Oregon State and Colorado State Extension give the final salt concentration of kimchi as 2 to 5 percent.
The America's Test Kitchen recipe also says to use 3 tablespoons of Morton kosher salt where it uses 1/4 cup of Diamond Crystal for its 3 lb cabbage. At the teaspoon weights used here (Diamond Crystal 2.8 g, Morton kosher 4.8 g), 3 tablespoons of Morton is about 43 g, about 3.2 percent of the cabbage, against about 2.5 percent for the Diamond Crystal amount. The calculator keeps 2.5 percent and shows about 2 1/2 Tbsp of Morton for 3 lb (1.36 kg) of cabbage, so it is lower than the recipe's Morton figure. Weigh the salt.
Colorado State Extension dips the cut cabbage in a brine of 1/2 cup of coarse salt per gallon and then salts it with 1 cup of coarse salt for 6 to 8 lb of cabbage over 3 to 6 hours, rinsing 3 to 4 times. No source states the weight of that coarse salt, so the calculator models only the dry-salt method.
Warning
Do not reduce the salt below the amount shown. The National Center for Home Food Preservation says salt is vital to the safety and texture of fermented vegetables and not to cut back on the salt required, and the Inyo-Mono Master Food Preserver Program (UC Cooperative Extension) says it is unsafe to reduce salt in lactofermented vegetables.
Salt by weight of cabbage
| Vegetables | Salt by weight | Diamond Crystal kosher | Morton kosher | Table salt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 lb (0.91 kg) | 22.7 g (0.8 oz) | 2 1/2 Tbsp | 1 1/2 Tbsp | 1 1/2 Tbsp |
| 3 lb (1.36 kg) | 34 g (1.2 oz) | 1/4 cup | 2 1/2 Tbsp | 2 Tbsp |
| 4 lb (1.81 kg) | 45.4 g (1.6 oz) | 3/8 cup | 3 Tbsp | 2 1/2 Tbsp |
| 6 lb (2.72 kg) | 68 g (2.4 oz) | 1/2 cup | 1/4 cup | 1/4 cup |
| 8 lb (3.63 kg) | 90.7 g (3.2 oz) | 5/8 cup | 3/8 cup | 3/8 cup |
Weigh the salt when you can. The same volume of different salts weighs different amounts.
| Room temperature | Time |
|---|---|
| 65°F (18°C) | 2 to 5 days |
The salt is listed by weight first. The calculator uses 2.8 g per teaspoon for Diamond Crystal, 4.8 g for Morton kosher and 6 g for table salt, so the same volume of different salts weighs different amounts. The guide to kosher and table salt in brines covers the difference. The calculator takes weights from 1 lb (0.45 kg) to 8 lb (3.63 kg).
How to salt and ferment kimchi
- Cut and weigh the cabbage. Quarter the napa cabbage or cut it into 2 to 3 inch pieces, and weigh it.
- Salt it. America's Test Kitchen moistens the cabbage with cold water, layers it with the salt and lets it sit about 2 hours, tossing every 30 minutes.
- Rinse and drain. America's Test Kitchen washes and drains the cabbage. Colorado State Extension rinses it 3 to 4 times and drains it for at least 30 minutes.
- Add the seasoning paste. Mix the paste into the drained cabbage. The paste is not calculated here, so follow the recipe you use for its amounts.
- Pack the container. Press the kimchi down so it stays under its liquid. Colorado State Extension fills the container about two thirds full to leave room for gas and bubbling.
- Ferment at room temperature. America's Test Kitchen keeps it at 65 to 70°F (18 to 21°C) away from direct sunlight and tastes it daily after 2 days.
- Refrigerate. Move it to the refrigerator once it tastes the way you want. Colorado State Extension says that for best quality kimchi should be eaten within 2 weeks.
Warning
Press the salted vegetables down and weigh them so they stay under the juice they release for the whole ferment. Vegetables that stick out of the liquid are exposed to air, which lets mold and yeast grow.
Note
Do not use metal containers or earthenware with cracks or chips (Colorado State Extension). Use coarse, non-iodized salt (Colorado State Extension).
How long kimchi ferments
The time comes from one recipe, America's Test Kitchen's napa cabbage kimchi, which ferments for 2 to 5 days and tastes the kimchi daily after day 2. Other sources give 1 to 4 days, and the calculator uses the longer minimum, 2 days. Kimchi times are not like the times for sauerkraut, which are NCHFP times for plain shredded cabbage.
Note
The 2 to 5 days is the room-temperature time from America's Test Kitchen's napa cabbage kimchi recipe, before the kimchi goes to the refrigerator. It is a recipe time, not a safety time.
Safety
Warning
Colorado State Extension says that for safety kimchi should reach a pH of 4.6 or below before it is eaten. University of Georgia Extension says early in fermentation the pH may not be low enough to block certain pathogens, so refrigerate promptly, and that after about 2 weeks the pH is typically below 4.6.
Warning
Colorado State Extension says kimchi should be stored refrigerated. University of Georgia Extension says a storage temperature of 41°F (5°C) or below helps ensure safety and quality.
Warning
Discard kimchi that shows surface mold (Colorado State Extension). University of Georgia Extension says to discard it if it shows mold, an off-putting odor unlike the normal fermented aroma, or an unusual texture.
Warning
Fermenting is not canning. This calculator gives no canning instructions. Do not can the fermented result unless you follow a tested canning procedure from the National Center for Home Food Preservation or a university extension service. The brine food safety guide covers food safety for brines in general.
Note
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults limit sodium to less than 2,300 mg per day. Brined and fermented food contains added salt.
Note
University of Georgia Extension lists kimchi at 498 mg of sodium per 100 g and advises people on low-sodium diets to eat it in moderation or ask a healthcare professional.
Related guides
The salt in the table is the salt applied before rinsing, so it is not the final concentration. The brine percentages guide explains a percentage of food versus a percentage of water. The general method for vegetables is in how to ferment vegetables, and the fermentation salt percentage chart compares the percentages used for many vegetables. The fermented root vegetables guide covers radishes fermented alone in a water-based brine.
Kimchi calculator
Enter your own weight, choose your salt type, and get the salt by weight and volume and the time.
Open the kimchi calculatorFrequently asked questions
How much salt do I use for kimchi?
For the napa cabbage, the calculator uses about 2.5 percent of the cabbage weight: 34 g (1.2 oz) for 3 lb (1.36 kg). The seasoning paste and any salt in it are not calculated.
How long does the cabbage sit in salt?
America's Test Kitchen salts the cabbage for about 2 hours, tossing every 30 minutes, then washes and drains it. Colorado State Extension salts for 3 to 6 hours and rinses 3 to 4 times.
How long does kimchi ferment at room temperature?
The calculator shows 2 to 5 days at 65 to 70°F (18 to 21°C). That is the room-temperature time in one recipe, America's Test Kitchen's napa cabbage kimchi, and it is a recipe time, not a safety time.
Why do I rinse the cabbage after salting?
America's Test Kitchen and Colorado State Extension both rinse and drain the cabbage after salting. The salt amount shown is the salt applied to the cabbage, not the salt left after rinsing.
Does kimchi need to be refrigerated?
Yes. Colorado State Extension says kimchi should be stored refrigerated and, for best quality, eaten within 2 weeks, and University of Georgia Extension says 41°F (5°C) or below helps ensure safety and quality.
Can I can kimchi?
Fermenting is not canning, and this page gives no canning instructions. Do not can the result unless you follow a tested canning procedure from NCHFP or a university extension service.
Sources
- Baechu Kimchi (Napa Cabbage Kimchi) (America's Test Kitchen)
- Understanding and Making Kimchi (Colorado State University Extension)
- Homemade Kimchi: A Science-Based Guide to Safe Fermentation, Circular 1362 (University of Georgia Cooperative Extension)
- General Information on Fermenting (National Center for Home Food Preservation)
- Tongbaechu-kimchi, Napa Cabbage Kimchi (Maangchi)