How to choose cabbage to pickle in jars
The very first thing you need to start with is choosing the right cabbage for preparing the marinade for the winter.
Firstly, the head of cabbage must be fresh. This means that there should be no rotten areas on it. It should be hard and dense in structure.
Second, make sure there are no damaged areas on the fork.
Both of these points are very important, since damaged and rotten cabbage can begin to ferment, the marinade will deteriorate, and the jars simply will not last until winter.
The third point that you need to pay attention to is the structure of the head of cabbage. Strong, dense cabbage is best pickled. Most often, mid-season and late-ripening varieties of vegetables can boast of this.
ON A NOTE. Many housewives prefer to marinate large forks, as they are much juicier and denser.
Step-by-step recipe for salted cabbage in Armenian
We all know first-hand that our Armenians are a passionate people. This means that the dishes prepared by them are some kind of hot, spicy masterpiece. Such recipes are famous for their great popularity among the stronger half of humanity - I’m talking about men. I suggest pampering them and preparing a couple of spicy jars.
The main ingredient in this recipe, in addition to salt, is garlic and many other spices. If you plan to get Armenian-style salted cabbage as a result, then you must follow all the recommendations.
We will need:
- cabbage - 1.7 kg
- carrots - 1-2 pcs. (medium size)
- beets - 1 pc. (large) or 2 pcs. (small)
- garlic - 5-6 cloves
Marinade:
- water - 1.5 l.
- salt - 4 tbsp.
- sugar - 2/3 cup
- bay leaf - 2-3 pcs. (optional)
- black peppercorns - 7 pcs.
- allspice - 5 pcs.
- acetic acid 70% - 25 ml.
- red pepper - to taste
Preparation:
1. Let's start preparing the vegetables. And let's start with perhaps the most important ingredient - cabbage. We clean the head of cabbage from the top leaves and rinse under cool water.
Cut it into four equal parts. Then remove the stalk and divide each piece into another 2-3 parts. Then we cut each resulting piece into equal cubes.
We divide them among ourselves. If denser fibers get in, I advise you not to use them in pickles, but rather put them aside.
2. Cut the garlic cloves lengthwise into thin slices. Then finely chop, but do not press.
3. Peel raw carrots and beets. Grate on a coarse grater and place in a deep container. Add chopped garlic here and mix everything thoroughly.
4. Now that all the vegetables are prepared, it’s time to start preparing the marinade. Pour one and a half liters of plain water into a small saucepan. Add the bulk ingredients salt, sugar, bay leaf, peppercorns and allspice (lightly crush in a mortar) and, if desired, add red pepper for spicy lovers.
Place the brine on the fire and bring to a boil. Then boil it for just a couple of minutes until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved.
5. While the marinade is being prepared, you can start laying out the vegetables. We will put them in a 3-liter jar in layers. We start with the most coloring, mixed carrots, beets and garlic. Next we put the cabbage, lightly compacting it with a rolling pin or by hand.
Be sure to make sure that the top and bottom layers are beets, carrots and garlic.
We repeat all the layers in the same way until the entire glass container is filled. Then pour in the prepared brine, which has been left on the table after boiling for 10 minutes.
Stir the mixture lightly with a spoon to release unnecessary excess air.
Then cover with a lid and leave at room temperature for a day. After the time has passed, we put it in the cellar, after two hours you can try the finished salad.
The longer the cabbage sits in the marinade, the tastier it turns out. Therefore, I advise you not to rush into the sample, but it is advisable to wait a little more time for 2-3 days.
How to prepare cabbage for pickling for the winter under the lids
Once you have decided on the recipe, you need to start preparing the cabbage for marinating. If you don’t have many vegetables, you can marinade at the same time.
Let's assume that you have already selected a high-quality copy. To begin with, remove the top layer of leaves, as well as those that have obvious damage. Then the vegetable is washed in running water.
ON A NOTE. If the cabbage is very large, you can cut it into 4 parts and wash each separately.
Next, separate the stalk. It is not needed for preparing marinade, as it has a denser structure and is bitter. The easiest way to cut it is to first cut the cabbage into 4 pieces.
Now you can cut the cabbage strips. Sometimes you will have to chop into squares, but generally (in 90% of recipes) you need medium straws.
After chopping the cabbage, you need to prepare the remaining ingredients. If you have a recipe with carrots, then they are also thoroughly washed, the back is cut off, peeled, and then grated.
Onions are usually chopped into cubes or strips.
Depending on the recipe, garlic is either added with whole cloves or chopped with a slicer.
Features of preparing cabbage brine
Brine for sauerkraut or its pickled analogue is a solution of salt and water, to which herbs and spices are sometimes added. Another marinade is obtained in the process of fermenting vegetables. The basis of the pickling liquid is a solution of different concentrations (depending on the amount of salt). Here are some tips on how to make brine for pickling and fermenting vegetable salad.
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For sauerkraut
The classic, “grandmother’s” method of preparing cabbage is sourdough using brine. First you need to prepare the vegetables, clean them of dirt, and chop them. How is sauerkraut prepared in brine? The marinade is very quick and easy to make. It is necessary to dilute one tablespoon of rock salt and two tablespoons of sugar in water (1.5 liters). Then you need to put the liquid on the fire and boil for several minutes. Pour cold brine over cabbage and carrots. Let stand until fully cooked.
For pickled cabbage
Pickled cabbage is no less tasty and healthy than pickled or salted cabbage. Brine plays an important role in this matter, quite the contrary. Its preparation is different from creating a marinade for fermenting vegetables. You will need the following ingredients:
- sunflower oil – half a glass;
- salt – 2 tbsp. spoons;
- sugar - one glass;
- vinegar - 1 glass;
- water – 1 liter.
You need to put the vegetables in a jar in layers and add a couple of cloves of garlic to them. Fans of spicy “hot” dishes can add a little red hot pepper to the salad. Mix the ingredients to prepare the marinade by dissolving the oil, salt, sugar and vinegar in water. Boil the liquid, pour hot brine over the vegetables. After 24 hours, the appetizer dish will be ready to eat.
How to prepare jars for pickling cabbage
Equally important is the preparation of containers for the marinade: jars and lids. With lids everything is quite simple. First, wash them and then put them in boiling water for 3-5 minutes.
You will have to tinker with the banks a little longer. First they are washed twice. The first time with regular baking soda, and the second time with clean running water. But they don’t use cleaning gels for dishes, as they are less easily washed out with water.
BY THE WAY. Which jars you will need: 1 liter, 2 liters or 3 liters depends on the recipe, as well as your own preferences. Some people like to make marinade for the winter in 1 liter jars, as they are eaten faster.
Next, the jar must be sterilized. Sterilization is a mandatory procedure. If this is not done, there is a high probability that the marinade will turn sour and will not last until winter. This happens because there are bacteria on the inner walls of the jar. When they get into the marinade, they begin to multiply. The fermentation process begins, which ends with the jar exploding.
NOTE! The jars should be washed in hot water to prevent them from bursting during sterilization.
The simplest method for sterilization is steam sterilization. For this you will need a special device, a “collar”. You can buy such a collar at any hardware store. It is quite inexpensive.
So. Boil water in a kettle. As soon as the water has boiled, close the spout with a matchbox or cork and put a collar on the neck of the kettle. Next, place the jar upside down on the collar so that air is released to a minimum, and sterilize for about 2-3 minutes. Then we remove it and place it on the bottom of the table.
Hot brine with vinegar
One of the popular ways to prepare an appetizing snack has become quick cabbage marinated in hot brine and vinegar . The technological process is really very simple and fast, accessible even to inexperienced housewives.
Required Products:
- cabbage - a large head of cabbage;
- acetic acid 70% - 1 tbsp. l. for a 3 liter jar.
We pay special attention to the fact that the presented recipe contains exclusively white vegetables and acetic acid. Sugar, salt, carrots, and other ingredients are not only not needed here, but also not used in principle. The resulting pickling can be stored even at room temperature!
Cooking process:
- We process cabbage in the usual way. We divide the head of cabbage into parts, chop it into strips, place it in a 3-liter sterilized container, and lightly compact it. If we use smaller containers, then we change the amount of acid: for a 1-liter container we take 1 tsp. vinegar.
- Boil bottled water, add the essence, pour the composition into the jars containing the product. We pierce the cabbage with a long knife or wooden stick to the very bottom, releasing excess air. Containers must be filled to the top.
- We roll up the jars tightly, turn them over, cover them with a small blanket, and keep them in this state until they cool completely. Instead of acetic acid, you can add citric acid.
The original pickling for the winter is a universal product. If desired, we use it in borscht, soups, side dishes, and many other excellent dishes.
What else can you put in a jar to pickle cabbage for the winter?
Typically, the marinade is prepared from 1-2 liters of water with the addition of classic ingredients, namely salt, vinegar and sugar, but some housewives use additives to enhance the taste. Among the most used and, as a result, popular additional ingredients: allspice, black pepper, bay leaf.
Vegetables used include garlic and onions. But cranberries are rarely used specifically for winter marinade. Usually cranberries are used for sauerkraut.
But the most popular additional component in preparing marinade for the winter, of course, is carrots.
Some housewives add beets.
Beginners often ask about seasonings like a mixture of peppers. In principle, there is no prohibition on the use of such seasoning, but still keep in mind that it quite strongly affects the taste. Experienced housewives replace it with peppercorns. But a mixture of ground peppers and herbs is used in pickling.
Delicious brine for cauliflower
A red-headed vegetable can instantly transform the simplest salad and make it a true decoration of the holiday table. A delicious cauliflower brine will provide the source of the food's mouth-watering qualities.
Required Products:
- salt (coarsely ground only, without iodine) - 300 g;
- regular sugar - 300 g;
- red head of cabbage;
- vinegar essence (70%) - 120 ml.
Cooking:
- Fill the dishes with 5 liters of purified water, dissolve salt and sugar in it, add herbs and spices, heat the liquid to a boil. Pour in the acid, mix, cool the mixture, then filter.
- To get rid of dirt and small bugs, which also love cauliflower, leave the heads of cabbage for half an hour in a slightly salted water environment.
- We take out the vegetables, rinse them, and dry them with napkins. Finely chop the divided forks. Lightly grind the slices, adding a small amount of salt, and then place them in a clean saucepan or glass containers. Compact the vegetable mass and pour in the warm, spicy mixture. Then we proceed in the usual way.
Delicious brine for cauliflower is enriched with a high content of vitamins contained in the liquid from a healthy vegetable.
Culinary traditions of preparing brine for vegetables should not be perceived as some kind of dogma. Each recipe is only a recommendation from its author. Talented improvisation will allow us to create equally delicious compositions of our favorite dishes.
Tips and Tricks
- Inspect the jars to ensure they are not chipped or cracked. This is not the most obvious advice, but it still happens that a jar stored for the winter disappears due to a small chip through which air has penetrated.
- Don't go crazy with salt. Yes, iodized salt can be very healthy, and sea salt can be extremely tasty, but for a winter marinade, the most common table salt will do.
- Know exactly how many liters of water you need for the marinade. Typically, a marinade recipe requires a certain number of liters of water. If there is too much of it, the marinade will not work; if there is too little, the product will turn sour. Follow the recipe exactly.
- Do not dilute vinegar essence. It's better to buy a bottle of 9% table vinegar. If you make a mistake in your calculations, you can easily ruin the entire marinade and be left with nothing in winter.
- Don't add too many carrots. Of course, this is a matter of taste, but carrots still change the taste of preparations for the winter. Take this into account.
White cabbage recipe with beets
This is an option for everyone, as beets add color and a slight flavor to the finished dish. I like to add Korean-style beets to ready-made sauerkraut, but you can also add it during the fermentation process.
First we prepare the beets. Cooking time: 30 minutes. For a 3 liter jar you need to take 250 grams of beets. Grate the beets into thin strips on a special grater for Korean carrots. Season with marinade.
Marinade for beets
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil.
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper.
- One teaspoon of salt.
- 1 tbsp sugar.
- 1 tbsp vinegar.
Place the marinated beets in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
Brine for a 3 liter jar of cabbage and beets
- 1 heaped tablespoon of salt.
- 1 tbsp sugar.
- Liter of water.
If you are simply seasoning a finished dish with beets, then you don’t have to add sugar to the beet marinade, but you can add garlic to taste.
Common mistakes
- Vegetables and containers are poorly prepared. Everything must be washed thoroughly. Containers are washed twice: once with soda, once with running water. Next is sterilization.
- Washing containers with cold water. Because of this, later, when you sterilize the jars, they may burst due to the temperature difference.
- Bad roll. Because of this, air gets inside the marinade container. Then fermentation begins, the lid swells. The workpiece can be thrown away.
- Mix up table vinegar and essence. Regular table vinegar is 9%, and essence is 70%. Accordingly, less of it is needed. Read the recipe carefully so as not to make a mistake and spoil the product.
Serbian cabbage
Serbian cabbage is prepared in whole heads. For harvesting, choose flattened heads of cabbage , so they are easier to place in a bucket or pan.
For cooking you will need white cabbage and salt. The brine is mixed in the proportion of 300 g of salt per 10 liters of water.
Preparation:
- The top leaves are removed from the heads of cabbage and washed. Cut the stalk as deep as possible.
- Salt is poured into the recess of the stalk. The heads of cabbage are placed in a container so that the salt does not spill out.
- Prepare the brine: dissolve the salt in clean cold water.
- They pour it over the heads of cabbage. It should cover them completely. Cover with a lid and leave on the balcony for 3 days. If the heads of cabbage float to the surface, they are pressed down under pressure.
- Then the container is opened and the amount of brine is checked. If it becomes less, then add another portion. Then close and leave for 2-3 weeks.
The workpiece is stored all winter at a temperature of 0...+10°C . It cannot be exposed to frost.
Answers to frequently asked questions
How much salt should I use?
Everything is determined by taste, but usually take 2 tablespoons for 2 kg.
What else can you add?
There are recipes with apples, cucumbers, turmeric, peppers and tomatoes.
Do I need to seal 1 liter jars?
It depends on the recipe. For the most part, you can simply seal them with nylon lids.
What water should I use for marinating?
Of course, if you have a chance not to use tap water, then good. But usually housewives have no other choice.
Sauerkraut theory
Selection of heads for sauerkraut
1. Heads of cabbage for sauerkraut should be dense, white when cut, with a thin leaf and a small stalk, up to about 1/3 of the height of the head. Don't be afraid of cracked heads of cabbage - this is a sign of ripeness.
2. The following varieties are suitable for fermentation: “Slava”, “Garant”, “Countess”, “Moskovskaya late”, “Belorusskaya”, “Triumph”, “Flibustyev”, “Zimnyaya Gribovskaya”, “Podarok”, “Snow White”. The most famous is “Glory”. But here’s what Olga Syutkina, a culinary specialist, TV presenter, writer and historian of Russian cuisine, : “We have practically stopped growing cabbage of the “Slava” variety in Russia. It doesn't keep well in winter. And even if they assure you that they sell this particular variety of cabbage, don’t believe it! Most likely, this is a different variety that is more resistant to long-term storage. However, it’s okay, he’ll probably be quite good.”
Grate the carrots on a coarse grater
3. If you have your own garden, it is better to remove the heads of cabbage from the garden bed after the first frost - when caught by frost, they become more sugary.
4. And some more useful information for summer residents: sauerkraut is best prepared from freshly harvested cabbage. It should take 24-48 hours after harvesting. It's all about lactic acid bacteria. They live on the surface of leaves and die during long-term storage. These bacteria affect the quality of fermentation.
Shredding a head of cabbage to make sauerkraut
What other ingredients are allowed in sauerkraut?
Cumin, juniper berries, fennel or coriander seeds are good. Sauerkraut turns out spicy and tart.
Along with carrots, you can add radishes or turnips, grated on a coarse grater. Try adding garlic, ginger, and even jalapeno peppers to the cabbage mixture. If you want sweetness, use sweet peppers, grapes, beets, pumpkin. The unique fragrant Antonovka will add aroma. And, of course, lingonberries and cranberries are friends with sauerkraut.
Rub the cabbage with your hands until the juice comes out
How to store sauerkraut?
Previously, cabbage was fermented in wooden tubs or barrels and stored in a cold underground or basement. Now many people store it in refrigerators or on the balcony (if the weather is already cold). Cabbage cannot be stored at room temperature; at the very least, it will lose its crunchiness.
The ideal container is large glass jars. The diameter of the neck is very important. It is necessary to conveniently insert and remove sauerkraut, as well as ensure sufficient air flow during the fermentation process. The optimal diameter is at least 12 cm.
Mix carrots and cabbage, and then it’s a matter of technique – put them in jars and wait
If you cooked the cabbage in an enamel pan, immediately after cooking, transfer it to jars. Enameled dishes are only suitable for short-term storage of sauerkraut! Even a small chip or crack that is invisible to the eye can lead to damage to the cabbage, since rust will form on the enamel.
The ideal lid for sauerkraut is “with a lock,” that is, with a fastening handle, as well as a silicone or rubber gasket. Silicone is better - it does not change shape during sterilization.
Temperature is also important. The storage temperature of sauerkraut should be approximately 0 °C. If cabbage freezes, it will become soft - the crunch will be lost, and there will also be less beneficial properties in it.
Sauerkraut is ready
How to ferment cabbage so that it is tasty and crispy
Now I would like to take a closer look at each step of preparing the snack. I have collected tips from many recipes, let them be in one place.
It is preferable to cut the sheet into thin strips. Use a shredded board or a sharp knife.
The amount of carrots depends on your preference. In different parts of our large country, they put completely different amounts of this root vegetable. But there is a golden mean - this is 5:1. Thus, for five kilograms of a head of cabbage there are one hundred grams of grated carrots.
Rock salt and granulated sugar are added according to the same principle, that is, 5:1. But in completely different ways this norm differs radically.
And granulated sugar is often replaced with honey. This gives a slight honey note to the entire snack.
Choosing a container for marinating does not require any conditions, just prepare the salad in the way that suits you best.
The cut needs its own juices to ferment well, so press down lightly when slicing.
This brine also serves as a guarantee of product freshness. A snack completely floating in juice will not spin or turn sour.
Throughout the fermentation period, it is necessary to pierce the slices with a wooden stick to allow gases to escape.
The optimal temperature for obtaining an ideal product and proper long-term storage is 0 +2 C, unfortunately, it is warmer in the refrigerator, you won’t keep it there for a long time.
To summarize, I would like to remind you that the fermented product contains a huge amount of vitamin C, activates the immune system, cleanses blood vessels, reduces the amount of cholesterol in the body, and rejuvenates the body’s weight as a whole.
And yet, whole heads and those cut into four parts contain many times more various useful elements.
This is another reason to prepare a fermented snack for the winter. Prepare and delight your loved ones with delicious and healthy dishes.
