Do you know how to make delicious sauerkraut? You need to prepare in advance for sauerkraut season. Therefore, I will show you a recipe for very tasty homemade sauerkraut. I got it from my grandmother, so there is no doubt about its correctness.
Homemade sauerkraut turns out very tasty, you'll just lick your fingers! The recipe has been tested for so many years!
Today you can find many different options for its preparation. My method can be considered classic - it turns out tasty and crispy. A portion of sunflower oil and chopped onions will turn it into a divine dish.
Sauerkraut for the winter at home - how much salt
The main question that interests all housewives. This is really important. If you add salt, the dish will not be tasty. If you don’t report it, then everything will turn sour. The classic norm is 1 level tablespoon per 1 kilogram.
What you need to make sauerkraut
- Winter cabbage . Summer varieties are not suitable for pickling. I choose flat, flattened “specimens” that look like cabbage rolls. They are exactly what you need for fermentation, they won’t let you down.
- Salt. Regular stone, but not sea or iodized. There is no need for unpleasant surprises in this matter.
- Carrot. Grated on a Korean grater, it will give the finished dish an appetizing appearance and pleasant taste.
- Black and allspice peppercorns . I definitely add it for taste and piquancy.
- Hot pepper in pods. Ingredient optional, for those who like it “spicier”.
- Bay leaf. A small amount of it will add its own touch of taste.
- Dill seeds. At will for an amateur. Some people can't imagine the taste without it.
When is the best time to salt cabbage in October 2017
The best time for pickling is when the Moon is waxing. You should not neglect this rule, so as not to look for the reason for the failure later. Therefore, we arm ourselves with the lunar calendar and select dates. In October these days are October 1-3 and October 23-31.
Number of products
- Shredded cabbage mass – 1 kg
- Carrots – 2 pcs.
- Rock salt – 1 tbsp. without top
- A few peas of black and allspice
- Bay leaf – 1-2 pcs.
- Dill seeds and hot pepper (optional)
Grandma's way of pickling crispy cabbage
Tip: At this stage, if desired, you can add cranberries, thinly sliced apples or bell peppers.
- Add pepper, bay leaf and dill seeds.
- Transfer to a glass or enamel bowl. This could be a glass jar, an enamel pan. Aluminum cookware is not suitable for these purposes.
- Now the main thing is to compact the vegetable mixture very tightly into the bowl. Help yourself with your fist or a pusher, as you wish. Place the mixture as tightly as possible; when pressed, juice should appear.
Advice: hands and work utensils must be clean, otherwise bacteria and microorganisms may enter.
- Cover the top with a saucer or plate and cover with gauze to prevent debris or midges from getting in. Place something heavy on top as a weight. This could be a jar of water, cereal, or a special clean stone for such purposes (oppression).
- Leave in a warm place for two to three days. The dishes need to be placed in a bowl, because the fermentation process will begin and the juice may overflow. If foam appears, it means you did everything right. It should be removed with a clean spoon, and the contents of the dish should be pierced with a thin stick twice a day. Don't let the unpleasant smell of fermentation scare you, that's how it should be.
Advice: be sure to pierce, otherwise everything will be ruined.
As you can see, nothing complicated. You just need to know some of the subtleties that I talked about. It makes an excellent dish; it can be added to vinaigrette, cabbage soup, cabbage soup, and salads. Try, cook with us, and you will succeed in the best possible way! See you soon, I look forward to your visit!
Discussion: 5 comments
Post your results, Alevtina. Let everything work out perfectly!
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It's always nice when a recipe turns out well. Come visit :)
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Sauerkraut is very healthy; I always prepare a couple of three-liter jars for the winter. This year I bought a wooden tub of 10 liters, I will experiment, they say it tastes better in wood.
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Your recipe turned out wonderful cabbage! That’s how I felt that the waxing moon and it was time to ferment the cabbage)))) But it was like this: I was standing, so I was chopping cabbage “to stew,” and then I really felt the taste of sauerkraut, and seasoned with homemade aromatic sunflower oil... mmm .. So wanted! I remembered that I saw your recipe, and went to look at it) And at the same time I stewed the chopped cabbage for new cabbage) And I bought some fresh butter at the market. And today, after three days, our crispy cabbage is ready! Cheers cheers! I went with boiled potatoes, no, I just flew away) But there was also something left to hide in the refrigerator)))) Thank you for the details and subtleties, it doesn’t seem to be anything complicated, but you gave useful advice. And everything turned out as it should) And last season I only got the right sauerkraut a couple of times, and the rest of the times it was either too soft or over-salted. And this one is just right! I hope it will always work out now ;)
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The most important thing in salting cabbage is absolutely not to salt it during the full moon.
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Greetings to all cooking lovers! Today I’m writing not one, but 9 recipes for classic sauerkraut. It would seem that there could be something new here: chopped, salted, crushed and compacted into a suitable container. And then wait for everything to ferment there. But there are some nuances that you definitely need to know about when you start such a responsible task. And I described everything in detail, read on carefully.
In the classic version, cabbage is fermented with a small amount of carrots and salt. Carrots contain natural sugars that speed up the fermentation process, so there is no need to use granulated sugar. In most cases, this white vegetable is quite juicy, so it is fermented in its own juice without using water. But there are recipes when the workpiece is filled with brine. These options will also be discussed in this article.
Ingredients:
- cabbage - 3 kg, shredded (about 3.5 kg forks)
- carrots - 300 gr.
- salt - 3 tbsp. no slide
Cooking method:
1. Don’t take too many carrots, one large one will be enough. If you do not use this root vegetable at all, the finished salad will be bitter. Grate the peeled carrots on a coarse grater.
2. The cabbage needs to be chopped. Ideally, the pieces should be of medium thickness, about 5 mm. It is convenient to use special knives with two blades for these purposes.
3. Place the chopped vegetables in a large bowl and add salt. With clean hands, crush the contents of the dish well so that the juice begins to release (salt will speed up the process of juice separation).
You can mash the cabbage on the table, and then put it in a saucepan.
4. Place the mashed fruits in a saucepan (or in a jar) and press them firmly with your hand (or a masher). Apply in portions and press down. When the vessel is filled to the top, enough juice will already be released to completely cover the entire cabbage.
5.If you do it in a saucepan, then you definitely need pressure so that all the vegetables are covered with liquid. Place a plate on top and place any weight on it (a stone, a jar of water or c).
6.In the first hours, it is important to place the workpiece in a warm place so that the fermentation process begins. To activate this process, you can place a container with vegetables in warm water (about 30 degrees). And then just leave the cabbage to ferment in the kitchen, maybe not far from the stove, for 3 days.
7. To avoid bitterness in the finished dish, you need to release the gases that form. To do this, twice a day, remove the plate and pierce the cabbage with a wooden stick to the very bottom in several places. At the same time, you will see bubbles of carbon dioxide coming out. After a day, the brine will become cloudy and foam will appear, this is normal, don’t worry.
When fermenting in heat, lactic acid is actively produced, which will act as a preservative and preserve vegetables for several months. The main thing is to store the cabbage in a cool place after fermentation is complete.
8.If the starter is in a jar, place the glass in a deep plate. During fermentation, the juice will foam and flow out of the container. And if you leave the jar just on the table or on the floor, then in the morning you will get a not very pleasant surprise in the form of a puddle. If you make the preparation in a pan and fill it to the top, then also place it on a tray or baking sheet with sides.
9.After three days, the juice should drop, fermentation ends, there are no more bubbles, the brine becomes more transparent. This means it’s time to refrigerate the cabbage. It’s better to put it in jars and cover with nylon lids.
The fermentation time will depend on the room temperature. If it’s hot, then everything may be over in 2 days; if it’s cool, it may take 5 days. To preserve this yummy food all winter, place it in a sterilized container.
10. Keep the snack in a jar in a cold place for another 2-3 days and you can eat it. The easiest way to eat it is a crispy salad with onions and sunflower oil. Also cook delicious - a very satisfying dish for winter and autumn days.
Ferment delicious homemade cabbage in a saucepan: recipe with caraway seeds
By adding caraway seeds to sauerkraut, you will get a new pleasant aroma. It is this spice that is often placed in this preparation. If you wish, you can also add some dill seeds, bay leaves and allspice. Too many different spices can ruin the taste of the finished dish, so it’s better to stick to minimalism in this matter.
Ingredients:
- cabbage - 4 kg
- carrots - 3 pcs. average
- cumin seeds - 2 tsp.
- salt - 1 tbsp.
- sugar - 1 tbsp.
Preparation:
1.If you read the previous recipe, then you already know that all the steps are very simple. The carrots need to be grated on a coarse grater, and the cabbage should be chopped in any convenient way.
2. Place the white cabbage in a large basin or simply on the table. Sprinkle with sugar and salt. With clean hands, knead everything well. Add cumin seeds and stir again. At the end, add the carrots to the total mass and remember a little more so that the juice begins to stand out.
3.Place the vegetable mixture into an enamel pan, compacting it.
Vegetables should lie very tightly. Cover the entire surface with cabbage leaves to protect it from dust.
4.Now you need to put the workpiece under pressure. To do this, place a plate on the cabbage and place a jar of water. Almost everything, wait for the ripening to finish. This may happen in 2-5 days. At a temperature of 22 degrees you will need to wait three days.
5.But every day, morning and evening, it is necessary to release gas bubbles so as not to end up with a bitter product. This is done with a long wooden stick or a thin knife; the cabbage is pierced in several places. After piercing, put it under pressure again.
6.When the gas stops being released, transfer the fermented vegetables into jars, cover with lids and put in the refrigerator. After cooling, you can eat this snack. But after a few days the taste will be more intense. So it makes sense to wait a little.
Sauerkraut in jars with beets without sugar - step-by-step recipe
Recently I wrote how to do it. And in that case, the cutting of vegetables was large. In this recipe, the white cabbage is cut into fairly thin, long strips. And beets paint it a bright pink color, very appetizing.
Ingredients:
- Late varieties of cabbage - 1 large cabbage
- beets - 1 pc. average
- carrots - 1 pc. average
- garlic - 1 clove
- dill seeds - 1 tbsp.
- salt - 1 tbsp.
- cranberries or lingonberries - optional for decoration before serving
Cooking method:
1. Peel the carrots and beets and grate them on a fine grater (you can also use a coarse one). Chop the cabbage into strips.
By the way, it’s convenient to do this with a vegetable peeler, but first you need to practice a little. The result is beautiful, long stripes.
2. Place all the cuttings in a large bowl, add dill seeds and a finely chopped clove of garlic (you don’t have to add garlic). Add salt to taste. In fact, enough salt is added so that the salad is slightly saltier than when prepared fresh.
3. Using your hands, stir all the products until smooth, remembering them well.
4.Place the mashed vegetables into a jar, compacting them well. Cover the top with gauze or a lid (but not tightly) and leave to ferment in a warm place for 2-3 days. At least once a day, make punctures to the bottom with a knife or wooden skewer in several places.
The cabbage needs to be covered with juice. To do this, you can put a load in the form of a glass bottle of water. Or crush vegetables several times a day with a potato masher.
5.Place the finished salad in the refrigerator and after a day you can eat it. It turns out not only tasty, but also healthy. If desired, in addition to dill seeds, you can add coriander or cumin (1 tsp of these spices will be enough).
Classic recipe for making sauerkraut with cranberries in a bucket
To improve the taste when fermenting, add sour berries to the cabbage - cranberries, lingonberries. Thus, the usefulness of this workpiece increases. I suggest you try cooking vegetables with bright red berries.
Ingredients:
- cabbage - 8 kg
- carrots - 3 kg
- salt - 150 gr. (6 tbsp)
- cranberries - 0.5 kg (can be frozen)
How to cook:
1. In fact, you can ferment cabbage in any container - a jar, pan, bucket, barrel. Here are the ingredients for one ten-liter bucket. If you want to make less, please reduce the products proportionally.
About 3 kg of cabbage will fit in a three-liter jar, and 5 kg in a 5-liter pan, respectively.
2. Peel the carrots and grate them on a coarse grater. If you have a large amount of work, you can use the services of a food processor. The cabbage needs to be chopped into long strips. To do this, take a large knife (be sure to be well sharpened), a shredder, or again a food processor. Remove the top leaves, but do not throw them away, they will be useful later.
3. Wash the enamel bucket well. Place the remaining upper sheets at the bottom, which will protect the lower layers of the workpiece from pathogenic microbes.
4.Take a large bowl, mix a third of the cabbage, carrots and salt in it. While stirring, crush the vegetables well with your hands so that they begin to release juice. Transfer the resulting mixture into the prepared bucket and compact it thoroughly. Place half of the cranberries on top.
6.Cover the top with a wide dish and place pressure. In this case, the juice should completely cover the workpiece. Leave in a warm place to ferment for 3 days. The very next day the brine will become cloudy and carbon dioxide will begin to be released. To release these gases, pierce the cabbage in several places with a wooden stick, reaching to the bottom of the bucket, twice a day throughout the fermentation period.
7.When the gases have ceased to be released, you need to put the vegetables in the cold, because in the heat they will simply spoil. On average, this happens on the fourth day (everything will depend on the temperature). To store, transfer the cabbage into glass jars, cover them with lids and put them in the cellar or refrigerator. Can be served after 2 days of cooling.
Before placing the cabbage in a glass container, it is recommended to lay it out on a table or in a basin and fluff it up. Ventilate to get rid of the unpleasant odor.
8. Sauerkraut can be added to vinaigrette, cabbage soup, or made into salads with the addition of green and onions, herbs, sugar, and vegetable oil. As you can see, preparing such a preparation is not difficult, and you will get a lot of benefits and taste.
By the way, we recently tested store-bought sauerkraut for quality. It turned out that almost all of it contains additives that are harmful to health. Therefore, draw your own conclusions and cook for yourself.
A quick way to ferment cabbage with brine in a 3-liter jar
Classically, cabbage ferments for about 3 days, give or take, depending on the temperature in the room. This is a quick recipe; the finished salad can be eaten within a day. And its difference from previous recipes is the presence of brine with the addition of water.
Ingredients:
- white cabbage - 1 pc. large
- carrots - 1 pc.
- sahra - 1 tbsp.
- salt - 1 tbsp.
- black peppercorns - 10 pcs.
- bay leaf - 3-4 pcs.
- boiled water - 1 l
Preparation:
1. Wash and chop the vegetables. Carrots - on a coarse grater or grater for Korean dishes. Chop the cabbage into long strips, about half a centimeter wide. Place the prepared foods in a bowl and remember them carefully. At the same time, they will decrease in volume and release juice.
2.Add spices, bay leaves and peppercorns to the overall suppressed mass and stir. If you don't like the flavor of these seasonings, don't use them. Place the vegetable mixture in the jar, pressing it down.
It is advisable to pour boiling water over the glass before laying it.
3.Make the simplest brine. For it you need to dissolve salt and sugar in cold boiled water. Pour this marinade over the cabbage and press down well again. Cover the top with a lid or napkin and leave in a warm place for a day.
4.The next day, try what happened. But know that sauerkraut is getting tastier every day, you may need to wait a little longer. Store this preparation in the refrigerator.
How to ferment cabbage for the winter in its own juice. Classic recipe for 10 kg
This is a classic recipe for sauerkraut, which ferments in its juice. A large quantity is prepared at once to provide for the winter. This preparation is stored well, but only in a cold place. I recommend preparing this recipe in November, when stable cold weather sets in and you can move the jars to the cellar or to an unheated loggia.
You can add all the additives that I mentioned in this article according to your taste and desire: bay leaf, peppercorns, caraway seeds, sour berries, apples, beets, dill seeds.
Ingredients:
- cabbage - 10 kg
- carrots - 1.5 kg
- salt - 250 gr.
Cooking method:
1. Peel all the carrots and grate them. Shred the cabbage. Since the amount of vegetables is large, to speed up the work you can use a food processor or a special grater, as in the photo.
2.Take a large container for fermentation. This can be a bucket or a large saucepan with a capacity of 10-20 liters. In a bowl, mix cabbage, carrots and salt in parts. There is no need to crush it too much, just stirring will be enough. Pour the vegetables into the prepared clean container and press them well with your hand so that they lie tightly. Continue placing the vegetables into the bowl in parts, compacting them.
There will be no juice right away; it will appear a little later, the next day. But the snack according to this recipe will turn out very crispy.
3.Do not fill the container to the top. During fermentation, the cabbage will rise and juice may leak out, so leave some free space for these processes. Cover the top of the workpiece with white cabbage leaves, place a plate and place a weight.
4.Keep the cabbage warm for two days. When bubbles begin to appear (within a day or less), pierce the workpiece with a wooden stick daily to release the gas. If this is not done, the finished product will be bitter.
5.After 2-3 days, place the fermented vegetables in clean jars and put them in a cool place, maybe on the balcony. Keep it in the cold for another 5 days, after which you can already eat this juicy, tasty and crispy snack. Also use this cabbage to make pies, stew it, put it in vinaigrette and cabbage soup. In general, bon appetit!
Recipe for sauerkraut in a barrel without brine with sugar
If you have a wooden barrel, then use it to ferment vegetables, as our grandmothers did. This recipe uses black bread to speed up the fermentation process, which adds a pleasant aroma to the finished snack. Take only late varieties of cabbage, and when ready, store it in a cold place, but make sure that the temperature does not fall below zero degrees.
Ingredients:
- cabbage - 10 kg
- carrots - 1 kg
- salt - 250 gr.
- sugar - 50 gr.
- black peppercorns - 15 gr.
- rye bread - 50 gr.
Preparation:
1. The barrel needs to be prepared in advance. To do this, wash it and fill it with warm water (up to 40 degrees) overnight. This way the wood will swell and be as airtight as possible.
2.Now proceed to the most labor-intensive process - chopping the vegetables. The cabbage needs to be chopped, but not too finely or thinly, otherwise it will be too soft when finished. Grate the carrots on a coarse grater or cut into strips using a food processor.
Do not chop all the vegetables at once, do it in parts and mix, as the volume is large.
3. Now you have chopped one cabbage (without the top leaves and stalks) - put the pieces in a basin (a little more than kg). Add a couple of carrots, a tablespoon of salt and a teaspoon of sugar. Also add 3-5 peppercorns. Mix with your hands and you can try. If you want, add salt or sweeten to taste.
4. Place a piece of stale rye bread at the bottom of the barrel. It can also be replaced with a tablespoon of rye flour.
5. Cover the entire surface of the bottom with cabbage leaves, covering the bread.
6.Place the mixed vegetables into the barrel and press down very well with your hands, compacting. Thus, continue to make the preparation, mixing cabbage with carrots and spices in parts. Do not fill the barrel to the very top, leave room for oppression.
When the entire container is filled, press down the future snack with your hand. If juice comes out, it means everything is done correctly and well.
7. Cover the entire workpiece with gauze folded in two layers or with cabbage leaves. Cover with the small lid that comes with the barrel or plate. Place the pressure and close the barrel with its original lid. After 12 hours, vigorous fermentation will begin (you just need to leave the vegetables warm), carbon dioxide will begin to be released and lactic acid will form.
8. Once a day, pierce all the vegetables to the bottom to release gases and get rid of the unpleasant smell (before this, remove the pressure, after piercing, put it back on). Keep the workpiece warm for 2 days.
9.On the third day, take the cabbage outside or onto the balcony, where the temperature is on average 8 degrees. Keep the sour snack in this mode for another 3-4 days, remembering to pierce it daily.
10. The juice of the finished sauerkraut will subside and will not be visible on the surface. Bubbles will no longer come out when pierced, and the snack will taste crispy.
11.Now store the finished cabbage in a cool place. This could be a street, if there is no frost yet, or a cellar. Try this recipe and get valuable vitamins in winter.
Cabbage in brine, pickled with apples
If you have never made sauerkraut with apples before, then you need to correct this gap. It is apples that give this snack its special aroma and taste. In addition, according to this recipe, the fruit and vegetable mixture is filled with brine, which in about a week will be very tasty and rich. It will be done in a three-liter jar, which everyone has on the farm.
Ingredients for 3 liters:
- cabbage - 2.3 kg
- carrots - 3 pcs. average
- apples - 4-6 pcs. average
- water - 2 l
- salt - 2 tbsp.
- sugar - 2 tbsp.
The amount of water is indicated with a small reserve so that it is definitely enough.
How to cook:
1. This recipe is very simple, any novice housewife can prepare delicious cabbage using it. First, boil water, add salt and sugar and dissolve them. Let the brine cool to room temperature.
2.Mix cabbage, shredded into medium pieces, and grated carrots in a large container. Add 1 tsp. salt from the total amount, stir again, mashing the vegetables a little. There is no need to press hard, as in recipes without brine.
3.Cut the apples into large slices or halves. The method of cutting apples can be any way, it all depends on preference.
4.In a clean jar, washed with soda or mustard powder, begin laying cabbage in layers (you need to tamp it down with your hand) and apples. The top layer should be vegetable.
5.Pour the cooled brine into the filled jar. Place the mixture in a bowl or saucepan to allow the juice that will rise during fermentation to drain. Cover the top of the jar with a lid (not tightly) or gauze. Leave in a warm place for 2-3 days. During this time, twice a day you need to pierce the cabbage with a wooden skewer so that gas bubbles come out.
When pierced, the brine will go down, so you will need to add the juice that flowed out of it into the pan into the jar.
6.The cabbage should be covered with liquid throughout the fermentation process. For this purpose, you can put a small pressure - a small jar of water or a glass bottle. After two days, try what happened. If there is still not enough crunch, or too much acid, then let the snack sit for another day. Next, put it in the refrigerator for storage.
Such wonderful cabbage can be served both on a festive table and on an everyday basis. Pickled apples will also be very tasty, try it. When stored in vegetables, mucus and unpleasant odor do not appear.
How to cook sauerkraut with horseradish, beets and garlic: video recipe
This recipe differs from the others in the way the cabbage is cut. Usually this vegetable is chopped into strips. Large pieces are also fermented here. For taste, color and aroma, beets, garlic and horseradish are added. And all this wealth is filled with brine.
Let me clarify right away: first, this winter preparation needs to be put under pressure for 2 days and kept at room temperature. Next, put it in a cool place (for example, a refrigerator) for another 3 days without removing the pressure. In total, after 5 days (possibly later), the vegetables will ferment and can be eaten. After five days, remove the pressure and cover with a lid.
These are the ways to ferment cabbage in the classic way. As you can see, there are quite a lot of them, there is plenty to choose from. The main thing is not to be lazy and delight yourself with such a healthy and crispy preparation. I wish everyone a delicious winter!
First recipe below- just such a valuable pickled option. For leisurely fermentation, it is actually quick-cooking. Crispy cabbage slices will be ready after 2-3 days of infusion in a jar at room temperature.
We have included a second sample in the article. Ultra-fast with hot marinade. It no longer has the benefit of natural fermentation because the marinade contains vinegar. It is a preservative and does not form “live bacteria” with it. But the savory vegetables are ready for sampling after 12 hours.
Choose an awesome snack according to your taste and goals and cook it often all winter long!
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Instant sauerkraut without vinegar
Super crispy recipe for everyone who loves tasty and healthy food. Sourdough in a marinade, which includes only salt and spices, they can be adjusted to taste. The finished cut is without oil, so it requires seasoning with something as useful as possible. For example, extra virgin olive oil. All .
With a short effort and a couple of days of patience, you will get a traditionally excellent ingredient for winter salads, sour soups and stews with meat.
- Preparation time: 30 minutes for preparation + 2-3 days for fermentation. We test for readiness after 2 days of infusion in a warm place.
- Calorie content per 100 grams is no more than 40 kcal.
We need:
- Cabbage - 2.5-3 kg
- Carrots - 3 pcs. and more medium sizes
- Water - 1 liter
- Salt (without additives) - 2 teaspoons
- Spices - to taste
- We have 6 allspice peas, 2 bay leaves, 1-2 hot peppers.
Important details:
- You can add as many carrots as you like. We love it when there is a lot of it. This gives the brine a pleasant warm shade and adds sweetness to the cabbage.
- Spices can also be adjusted to suit your needs. More hot pepper means more spiciness. And also cumin, cloves, ginger and even turmeric. This classic fermented recipe responds well to many experiments.
- Our proportions of ingredients will give traditional and juicy salad without too much spice. Brine can also be enjoyable as a separate drink.
Let's prepare the vegetables.
Finely chop the cabbage. The Berner grater always helps us out. Many housewives love a special manual shredding knife (or manual shredder). You can buy it right now during the fermentation season at any market in the aisles with barrel pickling.
Chop the peeled carrots to taste. Don't forget that there is not only a coarse grater. In this recipe we use medium.
Combine the cabbage and carrot slices and mix, fluffing them up at the same time. Convenient to work with your hands.
We will have brine in water, and not fermentation in our own juice. Without grinding, the cabbage will be as crunchy, delicious, and textured as possible.
Place the mixed vegetables in the jar halfway and tamp lightly. Put spices on top. In our case, this is 1 bay leaf, 3 allspice peas and 1 small hot pepper. Place the remaining chopped vegetables on top of the spices in the jar and repeat the set of spices again.
You can add cloves or remove the pepper if you don’t like even a hint of spiciness. These experiments will remain within the boundaries of traditional tastes.
Let's prepare the marinade, pour in the vegetables and let them ferment under supervision.
Water at room temperature (!).
It is beneficial to prepare 1.5 liters of brine for a 3-liter jar. The proportion for 1 liter is 2 teaspoons of salt. You need pure salt without additives. Accordingly, for 1.5 liters of water - 3 teaspoons. We pour spoons without the top and try.
Our goal is a solution slightly saltier than the ideal soup. Usually 3 level teaspoons are enough if the salt is extra fine. But there are different brands of salt, and coarse grinding is not as salty.
Stir the salt in the water until completely dissolved and pour the cabbage into the jar, covering the slices. We take a fork and pierce the vegetables deeper allowing the brine to penetrate to the very bottom.
You can use a long wooden stick, making a nod to the principles of natural fermentation. Strict Zozhevists and fans of Ayurveda strongly recommend working with fermented products only with wood or ceramics.
If such restrictions seem like unnecessary hassle, look for a long, two-pronged fork for turning fried foods. She will allow go even deeper in a dense layer of vegetables.
- Use any instrument to make simple movements: in depth and spread the cutting, bubbles came. And so on in several places of the vegetable mass.
Add brine almost to the top - 1 cm before the neck of the jar. Usually a few bubbles form at the top, like foam.
Place the jar in a bowl so that the inevitable foam from fermentation can drain out of the jar carefully. Place a fork nearby which will remind you of the need to pierce the slices from time to time. This will allow the air bubbles formed during pickling to be constantly released to the top.
We pierce vegetables 2-3 times a day.
Keep the jar at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
If your house is warm, it will take less time until it's ready. If the conditions are sporty (+/- 20 degrees), then 3 days is the standard period. Next, put the vegetables in the refrigerator to stop fermentation, otherwise the cabbage will turn out too sour.
- We advise you to try cutting at the end of 2.5 days and proceed according to your own preferences for readiness.
We get good sauerkraut and quite a lot of liquid that has flowed through the neck of the jar. As soon as the cabbage is ready, cover the container with a nylon lid and put it in the cold.
We once tried a version with honey.
On top of the cabbage, add 2 heaped tablespoons of coarse salt and the same amount of honey. Fill with water at room temperature. Follow the recipe above. Try it after 2 days to see if it’s ready (i.e., is it time to put it in the refrigerator). Honey cabbage is also very tasty and is suitable for anyone who is not allergic to honey.
Marinate quick classic cabbage in 12 hours
This savory guest of our meals is called “Provençal”. It is not only quick to cook, but also looks very impressive. How useful it will be during the holidays! If you've been overdoing it on alcohol, a tasty pickle drink is a popular first aid remedy for the morning after New Year's Eve.
- Preparation time: 30 minutes for preparation + 1 day for marinating. We test for readiness after 12-14 hours.
- Calorie content per 100 grams - no more than 100 kcal.
The result of some simple work is a fully prepared salad, already seasoned with oil. It can be easily stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month, but can be eaten in a couple of sittings. So good!
We need:
- Cabbage - 3 kg
- Carrots - 300 g or to taste
- Garlic - 4-5 large cloves or to taste
- Red bell pepper - 2-3 pcs. medium size (can be frozen)
For hot marinade per 1 liter of water:
- Salt (rock, coarsely ground) - 2 tbsp. spoons
- Sugar - 1 glass
- Vinegar, 9% - 80 ml
- Little vegetable - 1 cup
Important details:
- 1 glass - 250 ml
- Among the spices, the best decoration for a marinade is cumin, 5-10 grams. You can also add allspice (6-7 peas) and cloves (1-2 pcs.).
- Carrots and garlic can be adjusted to taste. A proportion that many people like: for 1 kg of cabbage - 1 medium carrot and 1 bell pepper.
- Frozen sweet red peppers pickle just as well as fresh ones. If you have it, feel free to use it.
- Convenient and safe cooking - in an enamel or stainless steel pan.
The preparation is simple and quick.
Shred the cabbage as thick as we like in salads. Knead with your hands in a spacious bowl, lightly, without fanaticism. Carrots - cut into strips using a knife or grater ala Berner. Or a democratic option: three on a coarse grater. Grind the garlic into thin slices. Cut the pepper into strips 0.5-0.8 cm thick or into cubes about 1 cm. Combine the vegetable cuts and mix well. Again, it is most convenient to work with your hands.
Prepare the marinade.
We start cooking when the vegetables are chopped and mixed. Heat 1 liter of water on the stove, add salt and sugar to it, pour in the oil and stir until the bulk ingredients are completely dissolved. As soon as the liquid boils, pour in the vinegar, make a couple of movements with the spoon and turn off the heat. Be sure to cover with a lid to prevent the vinegar from evaporating.
Preface
Sauerkraut for the winter is one of the most delicious, healthy and popular pickles. They love it as a separate dish and without it it is impossible to prepare some others (vinaigrette, cabbage soup, etc.) that are truly tasty. Sauerkraut is healthier than fresh cabbage - not only does it retain all the vitamins and microelements present in the vegetable cut from the garden, but it also adds active healing substances formed during the fermentation of the product.
Of course, you can ferment absolutely any cabbage. However, to prepare a truly tasty dish, you should follow some recommendations for choosing this vegetable. First of all, it should be noted that it is best. Moreover, not every variety is suitable, and when purchasing or selecting a head of cabbage cut from the garden, you need to pay attention to its appearance.
You should use mid-late, or better yet, late varieties of white cabbage. The early ones are worse in that their heads are loose and contain much less sugar, which is necessary not only for the good taste of the product, but also for fermentation during pickling. Therefore, the best period for fermenting cabbage is mid-to-late autumn, when the forks of late varieties of this vegetable ripen and acquire the required density.
You should only choose really well-ripened forks - they will contain sufficient sugar. It is best to take larger heads of cabbage, slightly flattened and almost pure white. Their impressive size will indicate sufficient maturity. However, the head of cabbage should not be too large either. Firstly, it will not be very convenient to cut it, and secondly, it is possible that such a vegetable was “fed” with fertilizers that accelerated its growth.
When choosing forks, you need to pay attention to the upper outer leaves covering them. They should be light green. If they are almost white, then most likely the heads of cabbage were frozen, and the seller, wanting to hide this, removed the top leaves.
The stalk should be without damage or signs of rot, dense and white. The leaves should be free of any inclusions, spots or holes. The smell of the head of cabbage should be vegetable and fresh. If it smells rotten, you need to choose another fork.
Selection of utensils for fermentation
The best utensils for fermenting any vegetables are wooden. Previously, oak barrels or tubs were used. If cabbage is fermented in such a container, it will additionally acquire a pleasant aroma and taste.
A worthy replacement for oak dishes is enameled. An important condition for its use is that the enamel on the entire inner surface of the container should not have any chips or cracks. You can use enamel tanks, pots and even buckets. Clay containers are also suitable.
If you have a basement or cellar, you must definitely take dishes of impressive size. Only in large quantities can cabbage be fermented truly well.
Steel, aluminum and plastic containers are completely unsuitable.
The lactic acid released from cabbage during pickling and the brine itself will react with metal or plastic. Because of this, the workpiece will have an unpleasant aftertaste, and the formation of harmful and even dangerous substances may occur.
When there is no basement or cellar and you have to ferment cabbage in the apartment, it is best to use glass jars. Their volume must be at least 3 liters.
Ingredients and their ratio
The main ones are cabbage, carrots and salt. We take as much cabbage as we are going to ferment. Carrots - at your own discretion. It gives sauerkraut a sweetish, pleasant taste and makes it more aromatic, juicy and crispy, and the appearance of the dish served on the table is more attractive. In the classic recipe, you take 1 kg of carrots per 10 kg of cabbage and that’s enough. But you can do more, as is offered in various other cooking options. If you use too many carrots, they will overwhelm the taste of the cabbage.
Salt is a separate conversation. The main thing is that it should not exceed 25 g per 1 kg of vegetables. Otherwise, the result will not be fermentation, but pickling. The second requirement for salt is that it must be non-iodized. It is better to use coarse, but fine grinding is also possible. Iodized salt will make the cabbage not very tasty, not as crispy, and may become unpleasant to eat - slippery.
You can ferment cabbage with the addition of various spices and seasonings: dill seeds, bay leaves, black pepper, cloves, horseradish and others. They will give the preparation a pleasant aroma and piquant taste. However, you need to be careful when adding them. If you overdo it, the spices will overwhelm the natural flavor of the cabbage.
Sugar is often added, especially if the cabbage is unripe or of early varieties. It is usually taken in the same proportions as salt - up to 25 g per 1 kg of vegetables. Firstly, sugar improves fermentation, and secondly, cabbage sauerkraut with it turns out to be more pleasant and delicate in taste, sometimes even sweetish, and also less sour.
Some people sauerkraut with the addition of fruits and/or berries, for example, plums, apples, lingonberries, cranberries. These ingredients give the product a pleasant sour taste. You can add beets. The cabbage will acquire a ruby color and an unusual taste.
How to properly cut vegetables
You can ferment cabbage whole by dividing the head of cabbage in half or into several parts, cutting the leaves into large or small squares, triangles or rectangles, and also chopping it into narrow strips. The last option is most often used. This way the vegetable ferments faster and more evenly. Moreover, you need to chop it quite finely, but you shouldn’t chop it too much either. Otherwise, the chopped pieces will soften during fermentation and the cabbage will turn into porridge and will not be crispy.
You can shred with a sharp knife. Even better - a special shredder designed for chopping cabbage. With its help, this vegetable will be cut correctly and quickly.
Using a grater to chop heads of cabbage is strictly not recommended. The pieces of leaves will turn out too small and crushed, they will no longer be crispy and juice will be released from them prematurely.
Regardless of the recipe, carrots can be grated on a regular grater with large or medium meshes. Korean-style carrots are often used for cooking.
If the recipe requires adding other products, then the berries are left whole, the plums too, or they are cut in half, but in any case the seeds are removed. and the beets are cut at your discretion: in half, into several parts or into slices, plates. Small and small ones are best left whole.
Methods and temperature conditions for fermentation
There are two main methods, conventionally called wet and dry. In the first case, the cabbage is mixed with carrots and spices when they are used, and then placed tightly in a fermentation container or placed in layers with other products (apples, berries or others), if they are in the recipe. Then everything is poured with boiled brine, cooled or hot. If sugar is added, it is dissolved along with salt during boiling.
Using the dry method as the basis for the recipe, first mix or even grind the cabbage with salt and mash it a little so that it releases juice. Then mix with carrots. This is usually done in an enamel cup in portions. Take 1 proportional part of cabbage, salt and carrots, mix them and place them in a fermentation container, compacting them as shown in the video. Then do the same with the next portions. At the same time, other products (apples, berries, or others) are placed in the container in layers, if they should be present. The cabbage is not filled with water or brine, but is fermented in its own juice, which is released during fermentation.
If the recipe calls for sugar or spices, they are added while mixing the cabbage and carrots. You should not crush or compact the vegetables too much, otherwise the preparation will not turn out crispy.
Regardless of the method and recipe for fermentation, the next thing to do is cover the cabbage with clean gauze or cloth and press down with pressure (weight). To do this, place an enamel lid or plate of a suitable size on it in a wide container, and place a load on top - a washed natural stone or a jar of water. Metal objects will not work. If the cabbage is fermented in a jar, then you can leave nothing in at all or use a small jar of water.
The first few days - usually three days, sometimes more - the cabbage should be fermented at room temperature. During this period of vegetable harvesting, constant monitoring is required. It is necessary to regularly remove the foam formed as a result of fermentation and pierce the cabbage in several places with a clean wooden kitchen utensil to allow the gases released to escape. If you don’t do all this, then you can forget about a tasty, and even more so, crispy snack. The preparation will turn out bitter and soggy.
When the foam stops forming and the brine becomes lighter in color, the cabbage can already be eaten, although it is still under-fermented. The container with it should be placed in a cool, dark place. It’s better to go to the cellar, but in the absence of one, you can go to the refrigerator. To ferment completely, the cabbage must stand there for about another month. And then it is stored there for up to 9 months. The optimal temperature for further fermentation and subsequent storage is 0–+2 o C.
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