Savoy cabbage is superior to regular white cabbage in a number of ways - it is juicy, contains a number of vitamins, is able to cleanse the body of cholesterol and other harmful substances, and tolerates frost better. Therefore, it increasingly ends up in the beds of local vegetable growers. But with the spread of this vegetable in Russia, gardeners are increasingly wondering about its storage. Therefore, next we will tell you how to store Savoy cabbage so that you can enjoy it not only in autumn, but also in winter, and even in spring.
Characteristics of Savoy cabbage
To understand how to store the vegetable in question, you must first become familiar with its basic characteristics. This will help you choose the most optimal storage option and create the right conditions for this. The plant is a biennial crop. It is related to the white cabbage variety.
Important! Savoy cabbage is not suitable for sourdough.
The heads of cabbage consist of soft leaves, colored in different shades of green as they move towards the stalk. The leaf plates do not have hard veins, they are corrugated, with pronounced pimples. The weight of one head of cabbage varies between 0.5–3 kg.
According to the ripening period, the variety in question is divided into:
- early - ripens in 105–120 days;
- mid-ripening - ripens in 120–135 days;
- late - reaches maturity in 140 days or more.
Choosing the right cabbage
For winter storage, choose large and dense samples, weighing up to 3 kg, and leave them in the garden until late autumn. If you buy vegetables at a farmer's market, it is also better to do this in late fall. The heads of cabbage should not have external damage in the form of cracks or wormholes. The first frost has arrived - harvest. Cut off heads of cabbage with a long stalk; you can tear them out of the ground entirely. It is important to harvest cabbage in dry weather. Remove heads of cabbage with two to three hard leaves that protect them from dirt and damage. The ideal temperature for cleaning is from -1 to +1 C.
Several late varieties suitable for winter storage:
- Melissa - this variety has a round, slightly flattened shape and is resistant to cracking. It has an amazing dark green color. Bubbly, corrugated, very tasty.
- Ovasa is a late variety, resistant to low temperatures and droughts. A bit dry, but keeps well.
- Uralochka - the heads of cabbage of this variety are round and dense. The leaves are light green, airy, and have a delicate taste. Suitable for cooking, winter storage and pickling.
How and where to store savoy cabbage correctly? Collected vegetables can be stored in the basement, on the balcony, in the refrigerator and frozen. Each storage method has its nuances.
Which varieties are more suitable for winter storage?
Late-ripening varieties are suitable for long-term storage. Unlike the early ones, after cutting the head of cabbage, vital processes still occur in it.
The most suitable varieties for storage:
- Alaska;
- Cosima;
- Uralochka;
- Stilon;
- Ovasa.
Recipe for freezing Chinese cabbage:
This cabbage is also frozen. After all, in winter it’s not cheap at all, and you don’t want to go to the store again. Therefore, it is prepared in two ways. Which one is right for you depends on what you want to cook.
1. For soups, cut the forks into two parts and chop each into thin strips using a knife. Place into bags in portions. Immediately expel the air and tie the bag. We put it in the chamber, and when needed, we throw it into the soup without defrosting. Only this kind of freezing is not suitable for salads, as it becomes very soft.
2. For cabbage rolls we will need whole leaves. To do this, separate them from the fork and put them in boiling water for half a minute. Dry each one with a paper towel and stack it on top of each other, carefully straightening it out. We pack it in a bag and put it in the freezer. Just make sure they don’t get wrinkled or they will break.
How to choose and prepare cabbage for winter storage
For storage, you need to select the densest, heaviest heads of cabbage. When purchasing in a store, you need to pay attention to the condition of the topmost leaves - they should be rich green in color and elastic. Dry cover leaves indicate that the head of cabbage was cut from the garden a long time ago - such products will not be stored for a long time. If the crop is grown at home, then the heads of cabbage can be left in the beds until the air temperature drops to -5...-7°C.
This approach helps improve the taste and extend the shelf life of cabbage. If the autumn is rainy and warm, then harvesting is postponed until the end of October - mid-November. Wet forks are very poorly preserved, so 5-6 days before cutting they need to be covered with film so that they have time to dry. If you plan to store the heads of cabbage with roots, then dig up the plants. If the root is not needed, cut it with a sharp, clean knife.
Important! Heads of cabbage lighter than 500 g will dry out quickly, so it is better to send them for quick processing.
Next, all products need to be sorted. For storage, select heads of cabbage weighing at least 500 g, dense, green, without signs of damage by diseases and pests. Products prepared for storage are sprinkled with crushed chalk and laid out in a dry room on shelves or fabric matting. The forks are left in this state for 2-3 days. Then shorten the stalk to 3 cm.
White cabbage, red cabbage, Peking cabbage, Savoy cabbage
It is not recommended to freeze a whole head of cabbage. You still won't be able to remove all the moisture between the leaves, and when frozen, the ice crystals will tear them apart. Therefore, we prepare semi-finished products.
For cabbage rolls, you need to disassemble the head of cabbage into leaves and blanch them in boiling water for 3-5 minutes. Then let the water drain, put the straightened leaves in a bag, and put them in the freezer.
To prepare borscht or stew cabbage, you can immediately chop it, put it tightly in bags, and freeze it.
Then, when you need shredded cabbage, don't wait for it to melt on its own. You can pour it into the pan directly from the bag; this will not affect the taste of the finished dish in any way.
Where can you store cabbage at home for the winter?
You can store forks in a garage, cellar or basement. At home they can be stored on the balcony. The main thing is that the basic requirements regarding the temperature regime and the layout of the heads of cabbage themselves are met. The vegetable retains its nutritional value best when using wooden containers that have enough space to ensure that the forks are freely positioned to prevent contact between them. You can also lay out the heads of cabbage in separate nets and store them hanging.
Learn how to care for Savoy cabbage outdoors.
How to freeze broccoli in the freezer?
This vegetable is very similar to cauliflower. Only it is bright green. You can freeze them using the previous method. But I decided to do it a little differently. So let’s grab a head of cabbage and get started.
We will need:
- Broccoli;
- Water;
- Ice;
- Freezing bags.
1. If there are leaves on the head of cabbage, remove them. But usually such greenery is absent. Using a knife, cut off each inflorescence from the stem. Try not to damage the remaining flowers.
2. Place them in boiling water. After boiling, boil for 1 – 2 minutes and remove into a colander. Immediately place in a bowl of cold water. Add ice there too.
This method will slow down the heat treatment. And we will save more vitamins.
3. Place our inflorescences on a paper towel to drain all the liquid. Leave for 1 hour. Blot the top with another towel from time to time. this way we will remove as much moisture as possible.
4. Place in portions tightly together in a plastic bag. That is, there is no need to stuff everything into one package. Add as much as you need to cook at a time. We expel the air and tie it off.
Place in the freezer for storage.
Basic requirements for premises for storing cabbage
The main criteria that premises must meet:
- lighting - should be completely absent;
- temperature - 0...+3°С;
- air humidity - 90%;
- availability of ventilation.
The shelf life of the cabbage variety in question will largely depend on the quality of preparation of the premises chosen for this purpose. If this function will be a garage, cellar or basement, care must be taken to eliminate rodents. In addition, inspect the walls for the presence of fungus. Even if it has not been identified, it should be treated with an antiseptic.
For this purpose, you can use copper sulfate at a concentration of 7%. Using a roller, it is applied to all walls, ceilings, and flooring. Instead of copper sulfate, you can buy a bactericidal primer for interior work and cover the walls, ceiling, and floor with it. After treatment, the room must be thoroughly ventilated. Such manipulations should be carried out at least 3 weeks before storing the vegetable.
Did you know? The Czechs use Savoy cabbage to make cutlets.
Kale collard greens
Collard greens can also be frozen. However, remember that you need to blanch it for 2-3 minutes, otherwise it will cook, and after defrosting you will just have a bunch of green goo.
So, blanch the kale leaves for 2-3 minutes, put it in a colander and cool it with cold tap water. Then lay the leaves out on a cloth towel to dry, or simply shake off the water lightly and carefully place them in a bag.
Frozen cabbage leaves become very fragile, so place the leaves so that there is no pressure or pressure on them.
At a stable temperature of -18° C, cabbage retains its beneficial properties for up to 8 months. This is more than enough to hold out until the new harvest and gain experience in freezing vegetables.
Watch the video on how to freeze cauliflower for the winter:
It's time to prepare as many vegetables as possible for the cold season. After all, during this period nothing grows in the gardens, and corned beef also becomes boring. Yes, today you can buy anything you want in stores all year round. But prices usually go up a lot at this time. Therefore, in our article today I propose to consider ways to freeze cauliflower.
You will probably be surprised and say: what’s so difficult about this? Nothing! Someone just puts its inflorescences in a bag and puts them in the freezer. Could be so. I once did the same. But! It becomes an unattractive grayish color and some kind of aftertaste appears. So I started experimenting and found the perfect option. It's a little labor intensive, but worth it. Just imagine how you take out a bag of cabbage, defrost it and cook it in the oven or in a frying pan. MMM tasty!
I will also pay attention to broccoli. It may be much easier to buy frozen ones in the store. But sometimes you open the package and wonder what you paid money for!? There is so much water there that there is absolutely nothing to eat. So let’s prepare it ourselves so that we can eat tasty and healthy in winter. I also decided that it would be useful for some to know how to freeze cabbage. So let's get started!
Methods for storing cabbage
There are several techniques that will help preserve Savoy cabbage throughout the winter:
- open;
- closed;
- package;
- pyramid.
Open
In the warehouse, wooden shelves are arranged, consisting of slats with a gap of 4 cm between them. The forks are laid out with the stalks up at a distance of 5 cm from each other. The open storage method may also involve storage with the root. In this case, it is thoroughly cleaned of soil. Then they tie it on a thread and hang it from the ceiling.
With this approach, the most important thing is that pieces of earth do not fall between the sheet plates, otherwise the product will quickly deteriorate. You can store cabbage hanging and without roots. To do this, each head of cabbage is placed in a separate net. The method is used if all the required humidity, temperature and lighting indicators are met in the warehouse.
Closed
This technique involves storing cabbage in wooden boxes. First, sand is poured onto the bottom of the container. Then lay a layer of cabbage and again a layer of sand. 3-4 such layers fit in one box. The technique is used in rooms where the humidity threshold is lowered and all other requirements are met.
Check out the beneficial properties of Savoy cabbage.
Packing cabbage
This method is suitable for those who do not have the opportunity to store heads of cabbage in a garage/cellar and their quantity is not so large. It involves putting it in the refrigerator. First, each fork is placed in a transparent plastic bag, in which holes are made for ventilation. If they are not done, condensation will collect on the leaves and they will begin to rot. In the same way, forks are packaged for storage on the loggia.
Pyramid method
This technique is one of the varieties of closed storage technology intended for rooms with a low humidity threshold. The fruits are laid out directly on the floor. A layer of sand is first laid. The largest heads of cabbage are placed on it. Then they are sprinkled with sand and slightly smaller forks are placed. The smallest heads of cabbage should be at the very top.
Best Storage Options
You can preserve the harvest for a long time as follows:
- in the cellar in open and closed ways;
- under a blanket of snow;
- in the freezer or refrigerator compartment;
- on the balcony and loggia.
Let's take a closer look at each of these options below.
Open in a basement or cellar
You can store vegetables in the cellar provided that the temperature is within 0...+4 degrees. High humidity is important - it should be about 90%. In such conditions, the heads of cabbage will not disappear and will not lose their marketable qualities until spring.
Keep in mind that it is extremely important to properly prepare your cellar. This is done as follows:
- if there is mold on the walls, shelves and racks, it must be removed; for this you can use special antifungal agents;
- then the room must be ventilated and dried;
- the prepared room must be treated with any antiseptic;
- make sure there are no rodents in advance.
Shelves should consist of narrow boards or slats with gaps of a few centimeters to ensure proper ventilation. In this case, the risk of rotting of the heads of cabbage will be greatly reduced. They need to be laid one at a time, with the stalks facing up. Be careful that the heads do not touch each other.
The harvest will be stored longer if the roots are left uncut. The only thing is that they need to be thoroughly cleaned of the soil and dried. It is better to store such heads of cabbage hanging. For example, you can tie it to the ceiling with ropes. If all storage conditions are met, cabbage will be stored for 6 or even 10 months.
Closed storage in a cellar
This method is indispensable in situations where the temperature in the cellar is optimal and the humidity level is insufficient. As moisture in the air decreases, the shelf life of cabbage also decreases. The principle of this method is based on the fact that the cabbage is placed in boxes and covered with sand. This is done as follows:
- the bottom is covered with a layer of sand about a centimeter thick;
- the heads are laid with the stalks up and sprinkled with sand;
- then another layer of cabbage is laid out in the same way.
In this way, you can lay several rows of heads of cabbage. The only thing is to make sure that they do not touch each other. The thickness of the top layer of sand should be at least 2–3 centimeters. The sand must be absolutely dry and clean.
On a note! Instead of sand, you can use a thick layer of crumpled paper. Each head should be well wrapped.
If you need to store a large amount of cabbage or there are no suitable boxes, you can lay out the heads of cabbage in a pyramid, sprinkling each layer with sand. The principle is the same as when placing in boxes. However, each subsequent row must be smaller than the previous one. In addition, do not place cabbage on the floor, but on pallets.
Important! Place the largest heads at the bottom and the smaller ones at the top. Since small heads of cabbage do not last long, they should be eaten first.
Under the snow
In regions where winter comes early and snow falls already at the end of October, the harvest may not be harvested. Savoy cabbage, as already mentioned, withstands frost well. The only thing is that the beds need to be covered with additional snow. Cabbage can be stored in a similar way until the temperature drops below -10 degrees.
To consume, the head must be shaken off the snow and left to thaw indoors at room temperature. The disadvantage of this method is that it will not be possible to store cabbage this way all winter. In addition, it is not suitable for central Russia, since snow falls much later.
In a refrigerator
A large number of heads of cabbage will not fit in the refrigerator, so long-term storage is unlikely to be necessary. You can put the heads of cabbage in a special box for storing vegetables. Be sure to place them in plastic bags with holes punched in them. If the bags are sealed, condensation will begin to accumulate in them, which will inevitably lead to rotting of the cabbage.
Heads must be kept clean and dry. Therefore, it is necessary to tear off the top leaves. It is advisable to trim the stalk so that it protrudes below the outer leaves by about a centimeter.
In the freezer
It is convenient to store semi-finished products in the freezer, rather than raw heads of cabbage. For example, if you want to save cabbage for making cabbage rolls, separate the leaves and lightly simmer them. Be sure to add a small amount of vinegar and salt.
Place the finished leaves on a towel and let them dry. Then portion into bags and place in the freezer. Leaves should be thawed at room temperature before use. By the way, you can also put ready-made cabbage rolls in the freezer, which will save space.
You can also cut the cabbage for borscht or other dishes and put it in the freezer raw. Before cooking, you don’t have to defrost it, but immediately throw it into the broth, which is very convenient. In addition, the dish will be more flavorful in this case.
On the loggia
In order for Savoy cabbage to be stored on a loggia or balcony, the room must be glazed. The principle is the same as when storing in a cellar - the heads of cabbage must be cleaned of dirty leaves and dried. If humidity levels are low, carefully wrap the heads in newspaper. Make sure that the temperature does not drop below -5...-7 degrees.
Periodically, the crop should be inspected and those heads of cabbage that begin to rot should be put aside. Damaged leaves should be removed and the cabbage itself should be consumed as quickly as possible.
By following these tips and recommendations, you can enjoy savoy cabbage throughout the year. This means you will get sick less often, because this vegetable strengthens the immune system, also normalizes blood pressure and generally has a beneficial effect on the body.
How long does Savoy cabbage last?
Storage duration depending on the technique used:
- open method - up to 12 months;
- closed, including the pyramid - 6-7 months;
- in the refrigerator or on the loggia - 3-4 months.
Did you know? The Chinese were the first to make sauerkraut. They soaked it in wine and introduced it into the diet of slaves who built the Great Wall of China.
Despite the fact that Savoy cabbage has a very delicate leaf structure, it is perfectly preserved throughout the winter. The most important thing is to choose a late-ripening variety for this and properly prepare the storage area.
Brussels sprouts
These are small heads of cabbage with a rather piquant taste. Soups and side dishes made from Brussels sprouts taste fantastic, and most importantly, this sprout tolerates freezing perfectly. Sort through the heads of cabbage, pluck off excess leaves, and place it in a pan of boiling water for 2 minutes.
Then drain the cabbage in a colander and pour cold water over it from the tap, then leave it to drain for two hours.
Place the heads of cabbage in bags and place in the freezer.
Basic Rules
To enjoy the savoy cabbage harvest in winter, follow these recommendations:
- Harvest at a temperature not lower than -7º.
- Each cabbage must weigh at least 500 g.
- The leaves of this vegetable cannot be rotten or frozen.
- In the room where the cabbage is to be stored, the temperature is set from 0 to +3º and the humidity is 95%.
With proper care, this plant can last from 4 to 6 months.
How to properly freeze kohlrabi cabbage?
Stocking up on kohlrabi for the winter will not be difficult. The main thing is to select suitable fruits that are not susceptible to disease and not spoiled. You should also discard overgrown cabbage, since it is already quite stale or woody inside. We'll work on the rest a little.
We will need:
- Kohlrabi cabbage;
- Salt;
- Water;
- Freezing bags.
1. Wash the stem fruits thoroughly and remove the skin. Then we cut them at our discretion: into strips, cubes, slices. The cutting is selected based on what you will then cook from it.
2. Add salt and leave for 20 - 30 minutes. This is done so that all the bitterness is removed from the cabbage. Then rinse under running water.
3. Now we need to blanch it. Place in boiling water for 1 - 2 minutes, then remove and place immediately in cold water. You can also process it in a double boiler. Then dry it a little and put it into bags. We put it in the cold for storage.
Where does Savoy cabbage come from and what's special about it?
This type of cabbage is native to northern Italy, where it has been cultivated for more than 500 years. It owes its name to one of the northern Italian duchies, which disappeared from the map of Europe at the beginning of the 18th century. In Italy itself it is usually called Milanese or Lombard, and in the Czechs – French.
Externally, its forks are quite similar to white cabbage, but are looser due to the highly corrugated leaves. The undeniable advantage of Savoy cabbage is its delicate taste, which is superior in quality to the taste of its white relative. Europeans, as well as residents of the USA and Canada, actively use it to create a variety of dishes.
From an agrotechnical point of view, Savoy cabbage is more resistant to weather changes and diseases, can withstand droughts and frosts down to -8° C, but is less productive than white cabbage and is stored worse - only 1-2 months. It is cultivated through seedlings and is no different in care from cabbage cabbage. The yield level is up to 8 kg per 1 m².
Selection and preparation of ingredients
To prepare a delicious savoy cabbage dish, you need to carefully choose the ingredients. It is worth considering that its “corrugated” leaves are more delicate than those of white cabbage, so it is better to select the latest varieties. Pickles should be prepared only from the densest forks that do not have cracks or signs of damage by pests and diseases.
But for canning, which involves long-term storage and is a completely different process than pickling, even the densest heads of cabbage are not at all suitable, so it is better to use the recipes below for quick preparation of such products.
Did you know? In Alsace, in northeastern France, cabbage is fermented with
pork and seafood.
This dish is called shukrut. Before pickling Savoy cabbage, you should remove the top leaves from the fork, then wash and dry the head of cabbage, divide it into several parts and remove the stalk.
All other vegetables that are required for preparations according to the recipe must be peeled, washed and dried on a paper towel.
