How to Store Sauerkraut to Keep It Tasty

How to choose

Seaweed is sold fresh, canned or dried. Fresh and pickled seaweed is used in the form of salad with various additives and sauces. You can also make salads from dried kelp, add it to first courses and cold appetizers.

• When buying a dried product, you need to make sure that it does not crumble or become moldy. The surface of kelp leaves should be smooth. In this case, the leaves should not stick together.
• When purchasing, carefully study the composition of the product and check the date of manufacture. If seaweed contains preservatives and other additives, it is better not to buy it.
• If the kelp is brown in color and its leaves are too thin, it is still very young. Such a plant does not yet contain a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals. Its use for medicinal purposes will be ineffective.
• Mature kelp of good quality has a rich green color and leaves no thinner than 1.5 mm.

Storing seaweed is allowed only when it is absolutely fresh. If oxidation processes, mold deposits and other signs of a spoiled product are noticeable, it should not be stored or consumed.

Can it be frozen?

Sauerkraut is often frozen. At the same time, its shelf life increases significantly. In this state, she is able to “hold out” for more than eight months.

The defrosted product is somewhat inferior in taste, but retains most of its beneficial properties . After thawing, the product must be stored according to standard rules (at low positive temperatures).

The vegetable cannot be re-frozen, since in this case not only a large amount of biologically active substances is lost, but also the organoleptic properties noticeably deteriorate.

About the benefits of pickled cabbage

Before talking about the advantages of pickling cabbage over other methods of preparing it, you need to show why this vegetable is so useful. And it really has many beneficial properties!

Firstly, cabbage is a rich source of various vitamins. In particular, it perfectly eliminates the lack of vitamin C in the body (especially in cold winter!), even better than citrus fruits. Calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, manganese, iron, zinc, iodine, phosphorus - all these useful micro- and macroelements (and this list is not finished yet!) are contained in cabbage. Accordingly, if you regularly include the product in your diet, you will have an abundance of vitality, and your immunity will increase.

The vegetable is also a leader in the amount of protein, and it also contains pectin, a substance that helps cleanse the body and improve digestion. The fruit also has a good effect on blood circulation due to the large amount of folic acid.

It is not for nothing that cabbage is considered a medicinal plant: it is recommended for use by people suffering from cardiovascular and peptic ulcers, gastritis, high cholesterol, diabetes, problems with blood vessels and vision. It is absolutely calorie-free - 100 grams of the product contains only 28 kilocalories, so it is also used in the fight against obesity. There is more glucose in it than in citrus fruits, and the amount of fructose is higher than in carrots and potatoes.

Cabbage can be used to heal not only from the inside, but also from the outside. So, the leaf of this vegetable heals bruises no worse than burdock or plantain. They also apply it to swelling and make poultices.

Choosing the right cabbage

For salting and pickling, the cabbage head must be firm and elastic. This is easy to check: you need to take the vegetable in your hands and lightly squeeze it. The appearance of any deformation eloquently indicates immaturity, which means that this product is unlikely to be suitable for harvesting - there are no vitamins in it yet. In addition, unripe cabbage will simply soften, turning into slimy, tasteless fibers.

A fresh head of cabbage is always bright green, with a white cut. The dark brown color indicates that the vegetable has been waiting in the wings for a long time. The length of the stalk should be approximately 3 centimeters, and the cabbage itself should weigh at least one kilogram.

Any damage, stains, cracks indicate that the head of cabbage is of poor quality; there is no need to take such a vegetable - there will be no benefit or taste from it. Fresh cabbage only smells like cabbage, so you can – and should! - smell her.

Bulgarian cabbage with aspirin

Prepared Ingredients

• This is a simple recipe without vinegar.
• This preparation will take you only half an hour, and in five days you will be enjoying the dish you made with your own hands.

First of all, you need to make a brine:

• When the water boils (1.5 liters), add 100 g of salt, 2 bay leaves, 5 pieces of black pepper.
• Take a head of dense cabbage, cut off the seal near the stalk
• This recipe requires the addition of dill.

• Cut the cabbage in half and then into large pieces
• It is better to prepare such cabbage not in three-liter jars, but in plastic buckets.
• Cut the head of cabbage into large pieces, cut the carrots into large strips
• Place vegetables in a plastic bucket in layers, topping them with dill. fill with marinade and paint 4 aspirin tablets on top
• Close tightly and place in the cellar.
• After two weeks the cabbage is ready

How to properly prepare containers

The glass container in which pickled vegetables are rolled is washed with soda, rinsed, and after drying, sterilized in one of the following ways:

• in the oven;
• in a microwave oven;
• in a basin or pan;
• in a steamer.

Jars with a volume of 0.5 or 1 liter are heated for 10 minutes, in the microwave - 3 or 5. Three-liter containers need to be sterilized for half an hour, tin lids are disinfected in boiling water.

Cabbage varieties for storage

For her beauty, large size, and ruffles of leaves, she is popularly called the “garden lady.” People immediately noticed that, under the same conditions, some specimens can last until spring, while others deteriorate in the first month. As a result of selection, late cabbage varieties were selected and stored. The main characteristics of late varieties are:

• growing season 120-160 days;
• frost resistance;
• large sizes;
• dense heads of cabbage;
• intended for storage or pickling.

Now agronomists are working on new species, trying to create varieties that are resistant to cracking and disease. This is very important, since the heads of cabbage lie until spring.

How does the fermentation process take place?

In order for the cabbage to become crispy and sour, it must undergo a fermentation process. It consists of 3 main stages:

1. First, lactic bacteria multiply. In order to get a tasty and high-quality product, the reproduction process must take place quite quickly. To do this, you need to maintain the correct air temperature (from 17 to 22°C).
2. Then lactic acid accumulates. This happens throughout the week. The temperature should be approximately the same as in the first stage.
3. After this, the fermentation process can be considered complete. Next, mold may begin to develop. To prevent this from happening, the cabbage is transferred to a cooler room for further storage. The workpiece is best stored at a temperature of 0 to +2°C. It could be a cellar or just a refrigerator.

We recommend reading: Preserve Carrots at Home on the Balcony

Tricks for pickling white cabbage

The preparation of any dish has its own characteristics. Pickled cabbage is no exception.

• Firstly, the entire process must take place exclusively at room temperature. It is necessary to select only mid-season and late varieties for pickling. Young heads of cabbage should not be pickled: they will become very soft.
• Regular vinegar can be replaced with wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or citric acid. This will not deteriorate the taste of the product. Only in this case it is necessary to take into account different concentrations.
• For the marinade, you need to use ordinary salt, in no case iodized.
• While the cabbage is marinating, it is necessary to pierce it with a fork from time to time. This is done so that “fermentation gases” leave the dish.
• A very important point: during long-term storage, pickled cabbage darkens and becomes gray. Therefore, it is probably not worth preparing a whole artillery of cans, which simply no one will have time to eat. However, in this case the problem can also be solved: you can make many different salads from pickled cabbage.
• For canning, glass jars are best suited, which must first be thoroughly washed and heated. Containers must be intact, without chips or any other damage. The lids must fit tightly to the jars to prevent air from entering.
• It is not recommended to use aluminum utensils for marinating, but enamel ones will be an excellent choice.
• When marinating in a basin, bucket, tank, or large saucepan, after pouring the marinade over the cabbage, you must put a weight on it and leave it for about 12 hours at room temperature. Only after this can you put the product into jars and put it in the refrigerator.

When pickling cabbage, you can add additional ingredients to give the dish an unusual taste.

• You will get an original spicy taste if you add ginger to the marinade.
• Chili pepper or horseradish will add spiciness, apple or cranberry will add sourness.
• Specific bitter characteristics of cabbage will appear thanks to celery, allspice or black peppercorns.
• You can also add dill, cinnamon and coriander to the marinade.
• In addition, cabbage is marinated with various vegetables and even berries - for example, beets and bell peppers will make the appetizer sweeter.

Useful tips

Sauerkraut is a valuable and healthy product. With its help you can diversify your family's winter diet. But for this you need to preserve the white vegetable.

Useful tips to help you do this:

1. The preparation is stored well if heads of late-ripening and late varieties of cabbage, which were caught by the first frost, were used for fermentation. This preparation contains a lot of starch and sugar, so the vegetable turns out richly tasty and crispy.
2. Features of the premises. The places where sauerkraut is stored should be cool and dark. It should be remembered that the sun's rays destroy vitamins and the vegetable darkens.
3. In containers that are stored at a temperature of +1 - +5 degrees, there should always be brine above the chopped vegetables. Otherwise, the top layer of cabbage will become unusable and will have to be thrown away.
4. Preparing containers. It is clear that any utensils must be clean and sterile. How to prepare jars for storing vegetables has already been said. If you use pots or barrels, you can resort to grandma's method. Sprigs of honeysuckle or dill are placed in a pre-washed container and filled with boiling water. The grandmothers still heated the stones and threw them into the barrel.
5. Cover the top with a lid. Both dill and honeysuckle destroy pathogenic microflora. In such a container, sauerkraut is stored perfectly and does not become moldy.
6. Selecting a container for fermentation. When using enamel cookware, you should be aware that chips and cracks not only shorten shelf life, but also negatively affect the quality of the product.
7. Aluminum pans are not suitable for fermentation, as they oxidize. As a result, stored products become life-threatening.
8. Plastic containers. You need to choose containers designed for storing food. When plastic comes into contact with acid, it can release harmful impurities.

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Storage location for fermented product

When the fermentation process ends, the question arises of where to put the containers with the finished product so that it retains all the beneficial and tasteful qualities.

Cellar storage

Grandmothers fermented cabbage in large oak barrels and stored them in the cellar. The vegetables did not freeze in this place. The temperature and humidity were just perfect.

Today, such an opportunity remains only for rural residents, and even then not for everyone. There is never mold or rot in the cellar, and rodents do not enter the room.

In the apartment on the balcony

In urban environments it is difficult to store containers of sauerkraut. After all, the temperature in it is much higher than ideal. Of course, in winter the contents of a bucket or pan freeze, but this is not a problem for a white vegetable.

In order not to get a frozen product every time, just loosen the cabbage, then it will be easy to pick up. Thaw enough vegetables to be eaten within 2-3 days.

In old houses, “cold cabinets” have been preserved under the window. This is a great place to store pickled white vegetables for several days. There is no light in this place, the temperature and humidity are ideal for storing not only cabbage, but also other winter preparations.

Storage in plastic containers

If you need to ferment a small amount of white cabbage products intended for quick consumption, you can use food-grade plastic containers and buckets for storage. Containers must be tightly closed with lids to prevent air from entering the product.

Storing sauerkraut in jars

Glass jars for storing sauerkraut for the winter are an excellent option. Before using them, the containers are thoroughly washed with hot water and soda, and then steamed for 15-20 minutes. During sterilization, pathogenic microflora is destroyed, so products do not spoil or lose their quality.

Cabbage can be stored in a closed jar for 30-40 days. There should be enough brine in the jar. If you pour a layer of vegetable oil on top of the vegetable, the shelf life will be extended.

How long does sauerkraut last in the refrigerator?

The shelf life of sauerkraut in the refrigerator is 7-10 days in an open container. In a hermetically sealed jar - about two months.

If the white cabbage preparation needs to be preserved longer, for 7-8 months, then it is put in plastic bags and put in the freezer. In this case, cabbage is placed in bags in portions so that you can eat it at one time.

Is it possible to keep sauerkraut warm?

As already noted, heat during fermentation is necessary only in the first stages, when fermentation occurs. It stops at temperatures less than +10 degrees. Cabbage stored in a warm room quickly becomes acidic and becomes unsuitable for consumption.

How to store sauerkraut

Russians have a special attitude towards sauerkraut. Various dishes are prepared from it, although this is not the main thing. White cabbage is called “Siberian lemon” due to the presence of large amounts of ascorbic acid. It is an indispensable product for preparing vitamin salads in winter, when the flu prevails in the country.

Having fermented cabbage according to your favorite recipes, you need to decide how to preserve the cabbage and what conditions need to be maintained. This concerns the temperature and humidity of the room, protecting products from mold, the use of various preservatives, as well as the choice of containers.

Temperature and humidity

To preserve the beneficial and tasteful qualities of pickled vegetables, you need to take care of the place and certain conditions:

1. The ideal storage temperature is considered to be +1 – +5 degrees. At higher rates, the fermentation process continues, albeit slowly, negatively affecting the taste of the pickled vegetable.
2. The product is preserved well in the cold, the main thing is not to defrost it twice. Experienced housewives recommend laying out the cabbage in portions.
3. As for the air humidity in the room where the sauerkraut is stored, it should be in the range of 85-95%.

Mold protection

Sauerkraut must be protected from the appearance of fungus: a white coating on the surface of the workpiece and in the brine itself. Although not often, this problem occurs when containers are located in a basement or cellar. Mold can be removed, but this will not help preserve the pickled white vegetable. Eating salads is dangerous, it is fraught with allergic reactions or intestinal upset.

There are options to help avoid the appearance of fungus on the workpiece and preserve taste:

• add sour berries such as cranberries and lingonberries;
• Sprinkle the surface of the cabbage with granulated sugar or dry mustard during storage;
• use grated horseradish root for sprinkling;
• Place mustard seeds on the sauerkraut in a canvas bag.

Brine quantity

When storing sauerkraut, you need to make sure that the brine is above the layer of vegetables. Otherwise, the top layer will darken and become unsuitable for consumption. If the chopped leaves are bare, you can dissolve salt in cooled boiled water and add it to the container.

Use of preservatives

You can preserve a tasty and healthy snack using preservatives:

1. Granulated sugar is sprinkled from time to time on the top of the workpiece.
2. Acetic acid helps preserve the product; just a little bit of it is added so as not to spoil the natural taste of cabbage.
3. As a preservative when storing sauerkraut, you can use vegetable oil so that it covers the workpiece with a thin film.
4. You can add more salt when fermenting, but then cabbage will not be suitable for salads.

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How to choose a vegetable for pickling

To prepare a healthy preparation for the winter, you need to know some important secrets. Much depends on the cabbage itself. Early varieties of this vegetable are absolutely not suitable for these purposes. Such fruits are too soft, which is why the workpiece simply cannot be stored for a long time. For fermentation, late or mid-late varieties are chosen.

Then you need to pay attention to the appearance of the fruits themselves. For pickling, only fresh, undamaged heads of cabbage are taken. Such fruits can be purchased in September and early November. It is at this time that it is customary to engage in this kind of preparation.

Those who grow vegetables in their own gardens pick the fruits for pickling immediately after the first frost. The fact is that after light frosts, the starch in the vegetable turns into sugar, and the product accordingly becomes tastier.

Delicious pickled cabbage recipes

Classic recipe for pickled cabbage with carrots

1. Step one is to prepare the vegetables; in this case, it is recommended to chop the cabbage. You need to take medium carrots, 2-3 pieces per head. You also need a couple of cloves of garlic.
2. Cook the marinade: add half a glass of sugar, two tablespoons of salt and vinegar to boiling water. Stirring, let them dissolve.
3. Before pouring the vegetables, place a bay leaf on top.
4. Spices can either be mixed with vegetables or added to the marinade after removing from heat.
5. Cover tightly with a lid and leave at room temperature for several hours.
6. Then put it in the refrigerator for a day - and you are ready to eat!

Pickled cabbage with grapes

It is best to take white grapes for this recipe, since other varieties will color the seedless cabbage. One kilogram of cabbage requires approximately half a kilogram of grapes. You will also need 1 head of sweet onion and two cloves of garlic.

1. Place the ingredients in a suitable bowl in layers: cabbage-onions-grapes-cabbage. The grapes should be without branches, the onion should be finely chopped.
2. Add chopped garlic.
3. Add 200 grams of sugar and 2 tablespoons of salt to the water and bring to a boil.
4. Then add spices, after 5 minutes pour vinegar.
5. After this, the marinade must be turned off immediately.
6. Fill the vegetables, making sure they are completely covered with water.
7. Press down a little, add a load, cover tightly and leave for a day.
8. After this, you can put it in the refrigerator and try it another day.

Georgian-style pickled cabbage with beets

For a head of 2-3 kilograms you will need 2 medium-sized beets. You also need 3 medium carrots and 1 head of garlic.

1. Place all the chopped vegetables in random order into a bowl.
2. We prepare the marinade in the same way as in the previous recipe (you can either add spices to the water or simply sprinkle them over the vegetables).
3. Fill with marinade, place oppression on top, cover and leave for a day.
4. The most vivid taste of the dish will appear 3-4 days after marinating.

Nuances for different types of vegetables

This video will show you how to freeze cabbage for the winter:

Pickled cabbage with horseradish

Horseradish makes dishes more refined, and cabbage turns out juicy and crispy.

Ingredients for preparing crispy cabbage for the winter in a jar, with the addition of horseradish:

• head of cabbage;
• 2 carrots;
• horseradish root;
• 4 garlic cloves;
• 60 grams of salt;
• 125 gr. Sahara;
• 50.0 vinegar;
• 125.0 oil;
• liter of water;
• add spices to taste.

Head of cabbage, carrots and horseradish into strips, chop the garlic. Mix everything and put it in a jar.

We prepare the brine according to the classic recipe. Pour the hot marinade over the prepared vegetables and leave overnight in a warm place.

Pickled cabbage with beets

Preparing pickled cabbage for the winter with beets is simple and quick. This preparation has a juicy red color and a small drawback - a short shelf life.

• medium size forks;
• beets - 3 pieces;
• garlic – 5 cloves;
• liter of water;
• spices;
• 3 tbsp. l. granulated sugar and salt;
• vinegar – 50.0.

Cut the forks into pieces, beets into strips, and garlic into slices. After all the products are prepared, you can start the marinade. We make the brine according to the classic recipe.

We place the vegetables in layers in a jar and fill them with cold marinade. The appetizer will be ready in a day.

Beijing

Peking cabbage came to us from the Far East and took pride of place in the preparation of healthy, dietary dishes. With regular use, it relieves neuroses and migraines, lowers blood pressure and blood sugar. Helps with gastrointestinal diseases.

It is indispensable in dietetics, quickly satisfies the feeling of hunger and is ideal on fasting days.

“Chinese” cabbage is not recommended for pancreatitis, people with high acidity and stomach bleeding.

Pickled cabbage for the winter in jars

Who doesn't love crunchy kale on cold days? But what to do if you don’t have time to ferment? The answer is simple: Pickled vegetables for the winter in jars. This method has a number of advantages:

• quick cooking;
• convenient storage;
• unforgettable taste.

Cut the head of cabbage into large squares and place in a wide container. Add salt and sugar, mix everything thoroughly and wait for the juice to appear.

Spices for marinade

There are a huge variety of marinade options for canning cabbage. Some recipes are successful, others are very amateurish. The table shows the spices, when mixed, you will get the most successful marinade.

Table - Good spices for cabbage marinade

Experiment and select flavors according to your own gastronomic preferences.

Some housewives add an Aspirin tablet to the jar of preserves. The acid prevents the brine from clouding and guarantees a pleasant crunch to the vegetables even after several months.

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Instant pickled cabbage for a 3-liter jar

This recipe differs from the previous version in that it is prepared quite quickly. Just a day and as a result you will get crispy cabbage. The layout for the marinade will be designed for a 3-liter jar. Therefore, if you are cooking in large batches, increase the rate by the required number of times.

• cabbage - 2 heads per 3-liter jar
• carrots - 4-5 pcs.
• garlic - 3 cloves

• granulated sugar - 1 cup
• salt - 2 tablespoons
• vinegar essence 70% - 1 tbsp

1. Shred the cabbage into small strips. You can use a special knife for cutting vegetables.

2. Grate the carrots on a coarse grater or put them through a food processor with the required attachment. It is advisable to use one that cuts carrots into thin but long strips.

We combine two types of chopped vegetables - cabbage and carrots. Mix by slightly rubbing it together.

3. Sterilize the jars over steam. I usually do this on the spout of the teapot. I bring it to a boil, then put the jar on the spout, and reduce the heat a little to medium or minimum. In this state, glass containers are sterilized for at least 10 minutes.

Add the required amount of black peppercorns into it. If you are not a fan of pepper in cabbage, then you can fold it into a small piece of gauze and tie it tightly in a knot. To give the peas a more pronounced taste, tap them with something heavy, such as a kitchen hammer.

Canned pickled white cabbage. Packing, capping.

Spices are placed at the bottom of prepared glass jars. The weight of spices is controlled by weighing at specified intervals.

Cabbage is placed in jars. The degree of filling of the jars is determined by the specified mass of cabbage. The weight of cabbage is controlled by weighing at specified intervals.

Jars filled with cabbage are filled with bay at a temperature of at least 85 °C. The degree of filling of cans is determined by the established net weight. Net weight is controlled by weighing at specified intervals.

An example of putting cabbage, spices, pouring into a glass jar with a net weight of 1000 g.

Control of the net weight and weight of cabbage in jars before sterilization is determined by weighing at least 6 jars, the frequency of control is once an hour.

The results of monitoring the net mass of the product, the net mass of the main product, and the temperature of the bays are recorded in the journal “Control of net mass and temperature.”

The deviation of net weight for individual cans is ±3%.

Filled jars are sealed with lids on seaming machines. After capping, a visual inspection of the cans is carried out, and cans with sealing seam defects and other defects are rejected.

The results of monitoring the closure of a glass jar are recorded in the journal “Control of the closure of a glass jar.” The frequency of control is once per hour.

Super quick with beets

Beetroot and pepper will add piquancy to the dish

We will need:

• White cabbage
• Vinaigrette beets
• Garlic
• Cherry laurel leaf
• Black peppercorns

Marinade: salt, sunflower oil and vinegar 6%.

• First of all, you need to cut the head of cabbage into 4 parts and cut out the stalk.
• Next, cut the cabbage into petals, finely chop the garlic, and cut the beets into large strips.
• To prepare the marinade, pour water into a saucepan and add two tablespoons of salt, 150 g of sugar, 150 g of vinegar and half a glass of vegetable oil.
• Mix thoroughly and put the marinade on the fire. Pour boiling marinade over chopped vegetables.
• It is convenient to pickle vegetables in this way in a 3-liter plastic bucket.
• After a day, you can eat such cabbage.

All salad components must be completely immersed in the marinade; to do this, press down with a press.