Why sauerkraut has become snotty and slimy, how to fix it

Why sauerkraut can become snotty

Even if you ferment strictly according to the recipe and follow the conditions for salting and storing the dish, the cabbage can still turn out slimy and snotty.

There are several reasons for this.

Temperature too high

It’s no secret that you need to ferment in a warm place, but you shouldn’t place the jar near the central heating radiators.

The optimal temperature for fermenting salted cabbage is +22 degrees. In this mode, the fermentation process will not be too active.

But if you raise the temperature to +27 +30, then fermentation will be too active. This will cause the sauerkraut to ferment, become slimy and snotty, and the brine to become cloudy and thick.

It will not always be possible to correct this later, so observe the salting temperature regime.

Too much sugar

Excess sugar has a similar effect. Sugar activates fermentation; if there is too much of it, the product will ferment and become slimy and snotty.

Choosing the wrong salt

Sauerkraut is prepared using the most common table salt. But the use of iodized salt can lead to the workpiece turning out snotty and slimy.

Also, salt that is too fine is not suitable for salted cabbage. Because of this, the sauerkraut can also turn out snotty.

Poor quality head of cabbage

At this point, the reasons for the slimy and snotty preparation can be mentioned both rotten forks and an excess of nitrates in it.

Also, a dish may become of poor quality due to the choice of the wrong variety for fermentation. It is best to ferment mid-season or late varieties of vegetables.

Early varieties are too loose and may not give the desired structure to the dish.

ON A NOTE. Choosing a low-quality head of cabbage cannot be corrected by adding additional ingredients and processing the sauerkraut. The dish will be spoiled.

Fermentation in unsuitable containers

Some housewives say that cabbage became snotty and slimy when it was fermented in plastic bowls.

It is best to make salted cabbage in glass, wooden or enamel containers. They will not add any flavor to the product. In addition, the likelihood that an undesirable chemical interaction between the sauerkraut and the material from which the pickling container is made is minimal.

Poor quality supplements

If you accidentally added rotten carrots or onions, expired peppers or vinegar, then the sauerkraut can also become snotty, and it will be almost impossible to fix it.

Containers were poorly washed

For this reason, not only fermentation bacteria begin to multiply inside the jar, but also fungi, which cause the pickling to deteriorate.

Excess gases

During the fermentation process, gases are formed inside the container with sliced meat. Periodically, it is necessary to pierce the entire salting with a knitting needle so that excess gases escape. If you don't do this, the pickling can become slimy.

Secrets of sauerkraut.

Secret 1. Cabbage varieties. Late-ripening white cabbage varieties are exclusively suitable for fermentation. The fact is that cabbage ferments due to the formation of lactic acid in it, but in order for this acid to form it is necessary to have a sufficient amount of natural sugar in the cabbage. This happens in late autumn. Secret 2. The influence of the moon. Let's look out the window. Ancient wisdom says that the quality of sourdough is surprisingly connected with the state of the lunar phases. The crispiest cabbage is obtained when planted during the new moon. Secret 3. Salt. To obtain a 3-liter jar of prepared cabbage according to the recipe, you need 60 g of salt (2 heaped tablespoons). But because Late varieties of cabbage contain bitterness and often lack sugar content, so it is necessary to add 2 parts salt (40 g) and 1 part sugar (20 g) to the mixture. Secret 4. Harm of vinegar. Cabbage should ferment naturally, without adding vinegar. Vinegar (sugar is usually added with it) makes things easier and diversifies the taste of cabbage, but, alas, the benefits are not the same. Maybe only if the vinegar is homemade, it will be a different matter. Secret 5. Oppression. When cabbage is fermented in a barrel, a load is needed. But how to organize it if the housewife ferments in parts all winter - in a three-liter jar? Then you take a whole plastic bag, fill it with water less than halfway, release the air and tie a knot at the very end of the bag. Slowly push the bag down the neck of the jar, put it all in, and it presses down the cabbage. Secret 6. Supplements. The classic one is grated carrots (about a tenth of the volume of cabbage). Also, when fermenting, apples, plums, cranberries or lingonberries are added to the cabbage. For a spicy feel when fermenting, you can add garlic or fresh ginger. But you shouldn’t add onions; they will reduce the potential for long-term storage. Secret 7. Spices. For a variety of taste, use aromatic seeds: cumin, coriander, cumin or anise. A Caucasian recipe for sauerkraut involves adding hot red pepper. A popular recipe for Gurian cabbage involves raw beets (a sixth of the total volume of cabbage), hot pepper and a hot marinade based on wine vinegar (salt, sugar, red pepper, coriander, cloves, vinegar). Secret 8. Form. At the granny market they sell long sauerkraut, like noodles. This method of cutting really affects the taste of the finished product, and it can only be achieved by cutting the cabbage with a special shredder. Secret 9. Temperature. The optimal storage temperature for cooked cabbage should be from 0 to -2 degrees Celsius. Avoid freezing, otherwise the cabbage will become soft and lose its beneficial properties.

Why is cabbage soft and not crunchy?

The next problem that the housewife faces when she makes sauerkraut is that the dish becomes soft and does not crunch.

This happens due to the following factors.

Non-compliance with technology

In order for the salted cabbage to be juicy and crispy, it needs to be thoroughly mashed and well compacted into a jar. It is in this case that the sauerkraut will have the necessary structure.

A lot of sugar

Some recipes contain sugar, but you can’t add too much of it, as it softens the vegetable fibers, and as a result, the desired structure is not obtained.

Unsuitable head

To prepare high-quality salted cabbage, you need a dense, juicy, heavy head of cabbage. Typically, large specimens correspond to these parameters.

ON A NOTE. Also, a frozen vegetable gives a poor-quality structure.

Small forks often have voids between the leaves, and the pulp itself is too “fragile”.

Too many ingredients

Due to the large amount of carrots, onions, and beets, sauerkraut can also become soft.

Not enough salt

Salt is not only a preservative. If there is not enough of it, the pickling will not turn out juicy. And dry salted cabbage turns out soft and does not crunch.

Why did the brine in the salted cabbage begin to stretch?

It would seem that there is nothing simpler than pickling or sauerkraut. But even cabbage prepared according to the recipe sometimes produces snot, which makes the product unsuitable as a snack and such cabbage is only suitable for cabbage soup, borscht, solyanka and pies filling, and even then only after a generous bath.

There are several reasons for the formation of mucus in brine. We will note popular beliefs that do not recommend salting cabbage during the full moon as obscurantism not confirmed by official science. But besides these, there are a number of nuances, non-compliance with which can cause damage to the product.

First of all, you need to take into account that not all varieties are suitable for pickling and pickling. But even the right variety does not guarantee the desired result if the cabbage was harvested from the field ahead of schedule. Ideally, the heads of cabbage are removed after the first frost, and if the gardener controls the timing of the harvest, then a cabbage lover who buys it in a store or market does not have this opportunity.

Also, the quality of the final product depends on the condition of the soil in which the cabbage grew. The presence of pesticides, growth stimulants and other fertilizers accumulated in the cabbage can turn the cabbage into a slimy mess.

You should not take the choice of salt lightly. Iodized salt is definitely not suitable. Fine salt of the “Extra” type is also undesirable. For pickling (and not only cabbage), it is better to choose coarse salt with a grayish or light brown tint.

Sugar, which contributes to the formation of an acidic environment in the brine, which prevents the proliferation of E. coli, can also turn the brine into a liqueur-like liquid if you overdo it with the amount during the salting process.

Cabbage can also become snotty due to the wrong choice of dishes. In Rus', from time immemorial, fermentation and salting of products was carried out in oak barrels or clay pots. This dish breathes, and oak barrels also contain tannins that quell the agility of many unwanted microorganisms, whose waste products do not have the best effect on cabbage. Of course, not everyone now has suitable traditional utensils at home, but if you have to salt cabbage in a metal container, it is better to choose one that is enameled without damaging the enamel or made from food-grade stainless steel. Cookware with a wide top is preferable. Galvanized iron, aluminum (even food grade) and plastic are not suitable for pickling or pickling cabbage, and glass is only suitable for a small amount of product that will go to the table within a few days.

During the cooking process, you should not add unnecessary spices and ingredients to cabbage other than traditional carrots and a small amount of cranberries. True, the roots and leaves of horseradish in this case will not be superfluous. Horseradish adds crispness and keeps the growth of unwanted bacteria at bay.

There are a lot of ways to prepare cabbage for the winter, and some of them involve pickling in its own juice, and others in brine, which contains water. It also makes sense to pay attention to the quality of water.

And of course, “correct” cabbage requires the correct temperature, both during cooking and during long-term storage. In winter, the best place for it is in the cellar. But since the winters of recent years have not been particularly harsh, you can store your favorite snack on the balcony if the temperature does not drop below minus five degrees.

borodatiyvopros.com

Why did the sauerkraut brine become stringy?

In addition to the troubles with the salted vegetable itself, sometimes the brine can also fail, which becomes viscous, cloudy and slimy.

This happens due to the incorrect ratio of salt and sugar. Excess sugar coupled with high temperature provokes the formation of lactic acid.

A viscous and slimy brine is obtained due to the use of iodized salt. Iodine reacts with the starch contained in the vegetable and gives this juice consistency.

ON A NOTE. The brine can become viscous due to additional ingredients such as apples, cranberries, and beets.

What to do if sauerkraut is like snot?

Of course, it’s a shame when the sauerkraut turns out snotty and slimy. But so much effort was spent on it!

However, there are a few tricks that can help alleviate the problem a little.

If you quickly discover that the sauerkraut is snotty and slimy, then you can fix this by simply stirring the workpiece and moving it to the refrigerator. You will be able to eat in about a couple of days.

But it is often impossible to determine that sauerkraut is snotty until the sample is taken. In this case, it must be placed on a dish and rinsed with running water.

Mucus in sauerkraut. What to do with cabbage with mucus and can you eat it?

Sauerkraut is a very popular and tasty product that many housewives prepare for their families. It is especially relevant in the winter season. Deliciously prepared sauerkraut will be an excellent dish for any table, both festive and everyday. But sometimes it happens that after checking the readiness of this product, we notice strange mucus . Many people wonder what kind of mucus and where it came from, and whether such cabbage can be eaten.

Recently, after checking cabbage that had been fermented three days ago, I noticed exactly the same mucus and decided to find out about it on the Internet. After reading several articles, I noticed that the opinions of their authors partially differ. Some believe that this only happens if the cabbage contains harmful nitrates and other substances. Others claim that mucus appears in sauerkraut if it is kept in a warm room. Still others say that this happens due to improper fermentation, that is, it is under-salted or poorly compacted. I think that all of these statements except the first one have the right to be.

Is it possible to eat slimy cabbage?

An important question that concerns many housewives: is it possible to eat slimy and snotty sauerkraut?

In general, slimy cabbage can be eaten, but only until it acquires a musty smell, or is simply sour.

In addition, slimy cabbage can be used in making pies and added to soups. Due to heat treatment, fermentation bacteria die and stop fermenting.

IMPORTANT! If you have digestive problems, it is better to throw away such a dish rather than try to fix it.

Website for women about psychology, sex, work, beauty, fashion

Sauerkraut is an extremely tasty and healthy product. However, due to improper preparation, instead of a crispy, juicy snack, you can end up with soft, slippery leaves. To avoid this, it is enough to know a few simple rules for sauerkraut.

Many housewives have encountered a problem when sauerkraut prepared according to a recipe turns out to have a strange consistency: the leaves are soft, the brine is viscous, and sometimes looks like a thick lump of mucus. The reason for this lies in minor errors, which, unfortunately, affect the entire cooking result.

What can you do if the cabbage has become slimy, how to fix it?

Let's say you fermented cabbage, and now it's time to taste the fruits of your work, but the dish turned out to be slimy. Let's see if this can be fixed somehow.

As mentioned above, at the very beginning of the process, you can mix the upper, which has become slimy, and the lower normal layers.

The second option is to rinse the sauerkraut and use it for soups and pies.

You can correct shortcomings in the cooking process by adding sugar: 2 teaspoons per kilogram. This is done if the fermentation process has stopped.

When to ferment cabbage in 2022 according to the lunar calendar

The Earth's satellite and the phases of the month have a great influence on the fermentation processes, so if you want the cabbage to be crunchy, not mucus-producing, not sticky or bitter, choose only favorable days.

If you salt cabbage during the full or waning moon, it will most likely turn out soft and sour. This pattern was noticed back in Rus', so it is customary to make sauerkraut on the 5th day after the new moon has ended:

in January it is from 18 to 29;
in February – from 17 to 28;
in March – from 18 to 28;
in April – from 17 to 28;
in May – from 17 to 27;
in June – from 14 to 25;
in August – from 12 to 24;
in September – from 10 to 24;
in October – from 10 to 21;
in November – from 8 to 21;
in December – from 8 to 20.

Important:
Check the cabbage periodically during the fermentation stage to determine the degree of readiness. If you notice in time that a slimy film has appeared on it, you can stop the rotting process and save the entire batch.

Prevention measures

Of course, no one wants to try to fix a damaged workpiece. Therefore, it is better to take care in advance that the salted cabbage does not become slimy and snotty.

Be sure to follow the cooking technology, use the appropriate varieties, additional ingredients and type of salt.
Carefully press the vegetable slices to release the juice.
Seal the jars carefully. This way there will be no air in the sauerkraut. Make a small mound on top to allow excess juice to drain.
When you have finished fermenting, place the product in suitable temperature conditions. The optimal mode for fermentation is +22 degrees.
After about three days, you can put the jar in the refrigerator or cellar.

How to fix the situation

When mucus appears, you need to drain the liquid from the cabbage, dissolve salt in it and add the liquid again. The container should be removed from the stove or radiator. Jars should also not be placed in the sun. After fermentation, sauerkraut should be stored in the refrigerator or cellar at a temperature of no more than 2 degrees.

Slimy sauerkraut is most likely safe. But only if it does not have an unpleasant odor or mold.

If in doubt, the product can be used to prepare cabbage soup or stewed cabbage with meat.

Tips and Tricks

Experienced housewives have several cunning moves in their arsenal that will prevent salted cabbage from becoming either snotty or slimy. Although, in fact, everything is quite simple.

You only need to ferment a dense, juicy head of mid-season, mid-late and late-ripening varieties. Make sure that the head of cabbage itself is not rotten or eaten away by caterpillars and slugs.
Wash vegetables and pickling containers thoroughly. Do not forget that you need to wash the jars at least 2 times. The first time - with soda, the second time with clean running water.
Containers and lids must be sterilized.
If you are not just fermenting, but pickling cabbage, then be sure to use clean water. The water for the marinade should boil.
Use regular rock salt. Better big.
Press the salted cabbage tightly to release a lot of juice.
You need to ferment in a warm place at a temperature of +22, and keep the finished sauerkraut in the refrigerator, cellar or cold corridor.
Don't chop too finely. Finely chopped cabbage is more prone to becoming snotty and slimy.
Don't cut too large. Cutting should be done across the direction of the fibers and into medium strips.
Check the sauerkraut daily to correct the problem in time. In addition, after inspection, you can pierce with a knitting needle or sushi stick.
Before eating, you need to remove the top layer.

How to avoid cabbage from being slimy: tips and tricks

To prevent mucus from forming in sauerkraut, you must strictly adhere to the recipe and the following rules:

for harvesting, choose high-sugar varieties of vegetables - mid-season and late-ripening;
carefully sort and clean all ingredients, avoiding rotten specimens;
use coarse or rock table salt - it enhances the secretion of juice from plant cells and regulates the proliferation of microorganisms;
maintain the optimal salt concentration - 1 tbsp. l. for 1 kg of chopped cabbage;
Do not compact the cabbage to the edges of the container so that the juice released under pressure does not leak out;
ensure a temperature of up to 22°C during fermentation and up to 2°C when storing sauerkraut.

Common mistakes

Eating rotten food. Really slimy and snotty cabbage can be eaten, but it should not have a musty smell. In this case, there is a high chance of getting food poisoning.
Sklizskaya cabbage does not undergo heat treatment. It is advisable to rinse the resulting salting with running water, and then add it to food that is cooked over a fire: soups, borscht, pies, etc.
Adding too much salt and sugar. These ingredients are added if the cabbage is not salted enough or the fermentation process has not begun.

The issue of using additional ingredients

The classic recipe involves using carrots. There are recipes with sour berries, apples and spices. Sometimes beets, bell peppers and even watermelon are added to sauerkraut. All this should be thoroughly washed and dried to minimize the development of bacteria. Cumin and berries should be freed from excess branches. Root vegetables must first be peeled.

Some of the listed products increase the acidity of the environment, while others, on the contrary, reduce it. The fermentation period and the quality of the dish will depend on these features.

The cooking technology allows for the following number of ingredients:

Apples up to 8%.
Lingonberries or cranberries up to 2%.
Carrots up to 3%.
Cumin up to 0.0 5%.
Several bay leaves.

A required ingredient is salt. Iodized is an antiseptic. It prevents lactic acid fermentation from developing too much.