October is golden autumn, leafy and wedding.
Frosts intensify in October. If organic fertilizers are not applied to the garden in September, then this must be done in October. Time to prepare the beds for pre-winter sowing of cold-resistant crops: dill, spinach, onions and radishes, as well as carrots, celery, etc. Strawberries can be sprinkled with wood ash - this will be a good feed for them. In October, the soil is prepared for forcing greenery indoors (“garden on the windowsill” and growing seedlings in early spring.
ATTENTION! Our gardener’s lunar calendar is kept according to Moscow time . (The calendar can be used throughout Russia, taking into account the difference between Moscow and local time * )
Moon calendar |
Why are cabbage prepared according to the lunar calendar?
Our ancestors were engaged in preparing vegetables after the Intercession (Christian holiday). It is important to consider what phase of the moon will be while preparing the dish. This has been studied in practice for more than one year, and even more than one century, and the following conclusions were made:
- On a full moon or waning moon, the cabbage will be soft and sour. The finished product will look more like a clot of mucus than a vitamin dish;
- On the new moon, or rather on the fifth or sixth day after the new moon, you need to start sourdough - then the cabbage will be tasty and crispy.
Before salting cabbage, it is equally important to know in which zodiac sign the Earth’s satellite will be located when preparing the vegetable preparation.
- If it is Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aries and Taurus, and at the same time the waxing moon, we need to get to work.
- When the moon is in the constellation Cancer, Virgo or Pisces, it is better to refrain from pickling and fermenting vegetables.
Also, for harvesting cabbage, you should choose the right variety, it is best if it is late. Heads of cabbage for pickling should be white, tight and strong. There should be no bitterness in their taste.
Before processing, dried and wilted leaves, as well as the top green leaves, must be removed.
Secrets of pickling cabbage
Not every housewife can make tasty and crispy sauerkraut. The dish will require high-quality ingredients, a proven recipe and a suitable day. The technology for preparing fermented treats will not cause any difficulties.
The vegetable is finely chopped (shred finely), grated carrots, salt, sugar, and spices are added as desired. The ingredients are mixed, the mixture is compacted into glass containers. The fermentation process takes place for 1-3 days at room temperature, and the finished treat is stored on the refrigerator shelf.
In addition to the traditional method of sourdough with carrots, there are ways to prepare a salty treat with the addition of a variety of plant products. With the additions, the preparation will acquire a special taste, but will not lose its beneficial properties. Additives used: apples; caraway; beets; lingonberries; prunes; quince; grape; basil; pumpkin; bell pepper
To ensure that the cabbage preparation is guaranteed to come out crispy, special components containing tannins are used. This could be oak bark or horseradish root. Oak bark can be purchased at a pharmacy.
A teaspoon of one of the two components per kilogram of cabbage is enough to make the treat crispy. The components will add piquancy to the appetizer, harmoniously combining with the main ingredient.
It is recommended to ferment cabbage in 2 periods:
1. September-October
First of all, varieties intended specifically for fermentation are fermented (there are usually instructions about this on the package with seeds). As a rule, these are mid-season and mid-late varieties . The leaves of this type of cabbage are white, juicy, thick, and it is more suitable for pickling.
Important! It is believed that it is best to salt or ferment cabbage after the onset of short-term frosts (they most often fall in the first days of October), since the sugar content in the heads increases.
Mid-season varieties of cabbage can be fermented as early as September, but such preparations should only be stored in a cold place.
2. November-December
Late-ripening cabbage varieties are more suitable for long-term fresh winter storage. But still, if there is a need to use part of the crop for pickling, it is better to do this in winter or 2-3 months after harvesting the heads of cabbage (that is, in November - December).
The peculiarity of most late-ripening varieties is that they do not “arrive” immediately. As a result of storage, more sugars and vitamins accumulate in them, and the leaves become juicier. For pickling, you can also use heads of cabbage that were slightly frozen by the first frost. They will not be stored, but for pickling - just right!
Important! Premature salting of late varieties can result in sauerkraut acquiring an unpleasant taste and smell. And early ripening varieties are not suitable for pickling at all. Such cabbage spoils quickly and, to put it mildly, is also not very good in taste.
At the end of the year, the most favorable days for pickling cabbage come.
October
Housewives usually salt cabbage in the fall. In October, the varieties for pickling are already ripe; cabbage is on sale at this time in abundance, and its prices are quite affordable. It is best to buy Belarusian variety cabbage, Slava, Geneva or Midor. The head of cabbage should weigh 3-4 kilograms. This month, it is best to ferment cabbage between the 10th and 21st.
November
This month is ideal for pickling cabbage. It’s not scary, even if the heads of cabbage were caught by the first frost. In addition to choosing the lunar phase, you should listen to one more piece of advice - ferment cabbage on the right day of the week. The product will turn out delicious if you ferment it on Wednesday, Friday or Saturday (Women's Day). Waxing Moon in November from 8th to 21st. The result will turn out great if you take into account all the recommendations.
Interesting recipes for sauerkraut and snacks with sauerkraut
Konotopskaya
5 kg cabbage, 1.5 kg carrots, 1 kg sweet pepper, 1 celery root, 1 bunch of parsley, black peppercorns, bay leaf and salt to taste
Shred the cabbage as usual. Cut carrots, peppers and celery into thin strips. Finely chop the parsley. Mix the vegetables with salt and leave to soak for 2 hours. Place the resulting mixture tightly in jars, sprinkle with black pepper and bay leaf. Place pressure on top and leave in a warm room until fermentation is complete.
With Antonovka
5 kg of cabbage, 7-10 Antonovka apples, 1 teaspoon each of cumin seeds and finely chopped dill, salt to taste
Peel and core the apples, cut into slices and mix with shredded cabbage, cumin, dill and salt. Next, cook like Konotop. You can also use whole apples - small or medium, then they are added only after all the cabbage has already been compacted and it has released its juice.
Pink with horseradish
4 kg of cabbage, 50 g of horseradish root, 1 head of garlic, 1 bunch of parsley, 1 large beet. For filling: 2 liters of water, 3 tbsp. level spoons of coarse salt and granulated sugar
Cut the cabbage into large pieces (200-300 g each). Grate the horseradish, cut the beets into cubes, finely chop the parsley and garlic. Mix all the vegetables and transfer to an enamel pan. Boil water, add salt and sugar, when it cools a little, pour over the cabbage, put pressure on top and keep at room temperature for 2 days. Then move to a cool place and leave for another 3-4 days.
With onion
5 kg of cabbage, 4-5 medium onions and carrots, 6-8 bay leaves, salt and ground black pepper to taste
Chop the cabbage, mix with chopped carrots and onions cut into thin rings. Sprinkle the vegetables with salt, ground black pepper, bay leaf, mix and place in the prepared container. Next - according to the recipe for Konotop cabbage.
Cabbage can be fermented in heads.
To do this, dense small heads of cabbage are cleared of outer leaves, the outer part of the stalk is cut off, and the inner part is cut crosswise with a knife. Then they are laid in layers with chopped fermented cabbage. Such heads of cabbage can be used to prepare cabbage rolls, rolls, Georgian snacks with nuts, as well as Provencal cabbage.
Provencal
3 kg of sauerkraut, 250 g of lingonberries (or cranberries) and pickled grapes, 2-3 soaked apples cut into slices, 1 glass of grape marinade and vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon of mustard powder, granulated sugar to taste
Chop the cabbage, then squeeze, without pouring out the brine. To make the dressing, you need to grind the mustard powder with the addition of sunflower oil, add sugar, stir everything and pour in the marinade and cabbage brine. Combine apples and berries with cabbage, then pour in dressing.
Georgian appetizer
500 g of sauerkraut, 0.5 cups of peeled walnuts, 1-2 cloves of garlic, 1 teaspoon of cilantro seeds (coriander), 0.5 teaspoon of suneli hops, 3-4 tbsp. tablespoons finely chopped dill, salt to taste
Chop the cabbage, add salt, and then squeeze well with your hand. Pour the juice into a separate bowl, add crushed nuts, garlic, cilantro seeds, suneli hops, finely chopped dill, chopped cabbage and mix.
Which cabbage is undesirable to salt?
In general, an experienced housewife can pickle any cabbage. But it is better not to use such instances:
- Young small heads of cabbage. Such specimens are not yet hard enough. They will give little juice.
- Early cabbage. Same problem. It will be very difficult to achieve sap flow.
- Varieties intended for storage. But here, on the contrary, the leaves are too hard, which will break, but will not yield juice.
- "Green" varieties. White cabbage varieties are best suited for sourdough.
- With a bitter taste. The vegetable should be slightly sweet and juicy. This will further ensure that the same recognizable taste of the product. If the head of cabbage is bitter, then nothing good will come of it.
Factors affecting the quality of sauerkraut
If you want to get good, high-quality sauerkraut, then it’s worth remembering that in addition to lunar cycles and omens, quite earthly things are also important: the right variety, the right recipe, compliance with the preparation technology and storage conditions. If any of this is not suitable or is not performed correctly, then the result, despite the appropriate date, will be disastrous.
Suitable cabbage varieties
Mid-season and late varieties of cabbage are considered the best for pickling - Slava 1305, Belorusskaya 455, Nadezhda, Podarok, Moskovskaya late 9, Amager 611, Kolobok F1.
Ideally, you ferment your own harvest, and if you buy cabbage, you should prefer cabbage grown in your region, or brought from not too far away.
Correct recipe and technology
First, the cabbage is peeled from the top leaves, then chopped and mixed with salt. You shouldn’t mash it - the sauerkraut may turn out too soft. Add approximately the same amount of salt as in a regular salad - no more than 20 g (1 tablespoon without top) per 1 kg, and then add various ingredients according to the recipes and mix.
After everything is ready, the cabbage is placed in a suitable container (ideally in a barrel, but, of course, jars and enamel pans are also suitable), compacted tightly using a wooden masher or your own hand. A pressure is placed on top - for example, a plate upside down with a jar of water placed on it can serve as it. The pressure should be heavy enough to compact the cabbage so that it is covered with the resulting juice. The fermentation process must be kept under control. The ideal temperature for it is from 15 to 22 degrees. As soon as the brine begins to bubble, form foam and tend to come out, remove the weight, circle, cloth and foam. Using a clean, dry wooden stick or a long knife blade, pierce the cabbage in several places to the bottom. Do this 2 times a day to remove gases.
Active fermentation, as a rule, ends on the 3rd day, the cabbage settles and acquires a sour-salty, refreshing taste. Then it is transferred to a cold place so that fermentation stops completely, covered with a napkin, continuing to be kept under pressure. The best storage conditions are at a temperature of 0-2 degrees. At lower temperatures for a long time, cabbage becomes soft and changes color, although it does not lose vitamin C, which is abundant in brine. In urban conditions, even with balconies and loggias, it is very problematic to preserve sauerkraut in its original form until spring. Therefore, the finished product, after the fermentation process has successfully completed, can be pasteurized (half-liter jars for 10 minutes, liter jars for 15, three-liter jars for 25-30).
The best days according to the folk calendar
According to popular beliefs, there are certain days of the week when pickling and pickling cabbage works best: cabbage cooked on women's days (Wednesday, Friday, Saturday) will amaze with its taste and will be stored for a long time.
It is also interesting to look at the specific dates of the Folk Calendar:
September 27 - Exaltation. Most often on this day they ate cabbage and dishes made from it. “On Vozdvizhena, a good young man has cabbage on his porch”; “Be smart, woman, about cabbage - the Exaltation has come,” people said. Three days before the holiday, it was customary to remove the heads of cabbage from the garden. And from the Exaltation, they began to chop cabbage (shred for pickling), and baked pies with cabbage. Preparing cabbage for the winter took 1-2 weeks, and they often did it together. This is how cabbage parties arose, gatherings called cabbage parties, which were accompanied by jokes and stories.
October 3 - Astafy Windmill. Sometimes at Afstafiya they chopped late cabbage, left especially for this occasion: the heads of cabbage touched by frost acquired a special taste.
October 8 – Sergey Kapustnik, Chicken Coop. On Sergei Kapustnik, Russian people, as usual, chopped cabbage, preparing it for the winter. Experienced housewives knew that cabbage should be salted with the first frost - not earlier, otherwise it will turn sour. The whole family did pickling: children peeled carrots and apples, old people cut them. Men and women cut cabbage, put it in tubs, covered it with salt, and added carrots, apples, lingonberries or cranberries. Delicious flatbreads were baked on cabbage leaves. When the dough was placed on the sheet, they prayed that the winter would pass safely. Pies with cabbage were also served on the table that day.
November 2 is Artemyev Day. On Artemy it was also customary to ferment cabbage, which was one of the favorite snacks of the Russian people.
And, of course, every housewife has her own proven dates and days when it is best to ferment and salt cabbage. We will be glad if you share your experience in the comments below.
Favorable days for pickling cabbage in October 2018 affect its taste
For salting, you should choose heads of light shades that are fully ripened. Unripe fruits will have dark green leaves and are not suitable for pickling. The cabbage will be bitter and low in juiciness.
The head of cabbage should be tight, but not bursting, without rot. For pickling, late varieties such as Belorusskaya, Dobrovolskaya, Sava, Podarka, Menza and Kharkovskaya are recommended. Not every winter variety is good for pickling; you may not get tasty cabbage even if all the pickling rules are followed.
You should not make sauerkraut from Dutch and Chinese varieties. It is best to use cabbage that you managed to grow in your garden for pickling. If you buy the product, then you should pay attention to both the appearance of the heads of cabbage and their taste. If there is bitterness, sauerkraut from such a head of cabbage will not turn out tasty.
It is also important to choose the right salt for the starter. Iodized one will not work, because iodine will slow down the lactic acid fermentation process. A high-quality result will only be obtained with active fermentation. In addition, iodine will cause the finished cabbage to darken and become soft. The best choice would be regular rock salt, coarse or medium grind.
Sauerkraut in January 2022 - days of pickling and working with cabbage
The lunar calendar of the winter January of the coming month of 2022 will indicate to gardeners, market gardeners and housewives the favorable days for working with cabbage, its pickling and pickling, when to plant and harvest.
The January lunar days with the change of phases in this winter month are also useful for gardeners, gardeners and flower growers, as well as for all those of you who love tasty preparations for the winter, for example, fermented cabbage, or work on the land, your summer cottage with plants and trees, vegetables and fruits.
... Cabbage lunar calendar for January 2022 ...
The lunar calendar for the winter month of February of the coming year 2022 will indicate to gardeners, market gardeners and housewives the favorable days for working with cabbage, its pickling and pickling, when to plant and harvest.
February lunar days with the change of phases in this winter month are also useful for gardeners, vegetable gardeners and flower growers, as well as for all those of you who love tasty preparations for the winter, for example, fermented cabbage, or work on the land, your summer cottage with plants and trees, vegetables and fruits.
... Cabbage lunar calendar for February 2022 ...
The lunar calendar for the spring of March for the coming month of 2022 will indicate to gardeners, market gardeners and housewives the favorable days for working with cabbage, its pickling and pickling, when to plant and harvest.
March lunar days with the change of phases in this winter month are also useful for gardeners, vegetable gardeners and flower growers, as well as for all those of you who love delicious preparations for the winter, for example, fermented cabbage, or work on the land, your summer cottage with plants and trees, vegetables and fruits.
... Cabbage lunar calendar for March 2022 ...
The lunar calendar for the spring of April for the coming year 2022 will indicate to gardeners, market gardeners and housewives the favorable days for working with cabbage, its pickling and pickling, when to plant and harvest.
April lunar days with the change of phases in this winter month are also useful for gardeners, vegetable gardeners and flower growers, as well as for all those of you who love tasty preparations for the winter, such as fermented cabbage, or work on the land, your summer cottage with plants and trees, vegetables and fruits.
... Cabbage lunar calendar for April 2022 ...
The lunar calendar for the spring of May for the coming year 2022 will indicate to gardeners, gardeners and housewives the favorable days for working with cabbage, fermenting and pickling it, when to plant and harvest.
The May lunar days with the change of phases in this winter month are also useful for gardeners, gardeners and flower growers, as well as for all those of you who love tasty preparations for the winter, for example, fermented cabbage, or work on the land, your summer cottage with plants and trees, vegetables and fruits.
... Cabbage lunar calendar for May 2022 ...
The lunar calendar for the summer of June for the coming year 2022 will indicate to gardeners, vegetable gardeners and housewives the favorable days for working with cabbage, its pickling and pickling, when to plant and harvest.
June lunar days with the change of phases in this winter month are also useful for gardeners, vegetable gardeners and flower growers, as well as for all those of you who love tasty preparations for the winter, for example, fermented cabbage, or work on the land, your summer cottage with plants and trees, vegetables and fruits.
... Cabbage lunar calendar for June 2022 ...
The lunar calendar for the summer of July for the coming month of 2022 will indicate to gardeners, market gardeners and housewives the favorable days for working with cabbage, its pickling and pickling, when to plant and harvest.
July lunar days with the change of phases in this winter month are also useful for gardeners, vegetable gardeners and flower growers, as well as for all those of you who love tasty preparations for the winter, for example, fermented cabbage, or work on the land, your summer cottage with plants and trees, vegetables and fruits.
... Cabbage lunar calendar for July 2022 ...
The lunar calendar of the summer month of August for the coming year 2022 will indicate to gardeners, gardeners and housewives the favorable days for working with cabbage, its pickling and pickling, when to plant and harvest.
The August lunar days with the change of phases in this winter month are also useful for gardeners, vegetable gardeners and flower growers, as well as for all those of you who love tasty preparations for the winter, such as fermented cabbage, or work on the land, your summer cottage with plants and trees, vegetables and fruits.
... Cabbage lunar calendar for August 2022 ...
The lunar calendar for the autumn of September for the coming month of 2022 will indicate to gardeners, market gardeners and housewives the favorable days for working with cabbage, its pickling and pickling, when to plant and harvest.
September lunar days with the change of phases in this winter month are also useful for gardeners, vegetable gardeners and flower growers, as well as for all those of you who love tasty preparations for the winter, for example, fermented cabbage, or work on the land, your summer cottage with plants and trees, vegetables and fruits.
... Cabbage lunar calendar for September 2022 ...
The lunar calendar for the autumn month of October of the coming year 2022 will indicate to gardeners, gardeners and housewives the favorable days for working with cabbage, its pickling and pickling, when to plant and harvest.
October lunar days with the change of phases in this winter month are also useful for gardeners, vegetable gardeners and flower growers, as well as for all those of you who love tasty preparations for the winter, for example, fermented cabbage, or work on the land, your summer cottage with plants and trees, vegetables and fruits.
... Cabbage lunar calendar for October 2022 ...
The lunar calendar for the autumn November of the coming month of 2022 will indicate to gardeners, market gardeners and housewives the favorable days for working with cabbage, its pickling and pickling, when to plant and harvest.
November lunar days with the change of phases in this winter month are also useful for gardeners, vegetable gardeners and flower growers, as well as for all those of you who love tasty preparations for the winter, such as fermented cabbage, or work on the land, your summer cottage with plants and trees, vegetables and fruits.
... Cabbage lunar calendar for November 2022 ...
The lunar calendar of the winter December of the coming month of 2022 will indicate to gardeners, gardeners and housewives the favorable days for working with cabbage, its pickling and pickling, when to plant and harvest.
December lunar days with the change of phases in this winter month are also useful for gardeners, vegetable gardeners and flower growers, as well as for all those of you who love tasty preparations for the winter, such as fermented cabbage, or work on the land, your summer cottage with plants and trees, vegetables and fruits.
... Cabbage lunar calendar for December 2022...
