Pickling cabbage in jarsis a proven way to make homemade silage, which does not take up much space and does not require the use of a silage barrel. This homemade silage will be much he althier than the one bought in the store. In the autumn and winter season, it is an excellent source of vitamin C. Seehow to wrap cabbage in jarsto get the most out of its taste. We give you the best recipe forhome-made sauerkraut pickling !
Pickled cabbage in jars in a home-made way
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Why is it worth pickling cabbage at home?
Homemade sauerkrautdoes not resemble store-bought cabbage, which is much brighter but less he althy. Due to the high content of vitamin C and probiotic propertieshomemade sauerkraut is especially valuablein winter and early spring.
In the past, sauerkraut was prepared in oak barrelsToday, stoneware pots or plastic barrels are used for this. Of the latter, so popular in commercial production, harmful substances can penetrate into the cabbage. That's whywe can cook a much he althier cabbage at home, even in jarsIt is very important that the dishes are clean.
By pickling the cabbage on your own, you can season it according to your preferences.You can acidify the cabbage with the addition of peppers, onions, beets, apples or plums. It is also worth adding dill or herbs. Cabbage with apple and horseradish is slightly sweet.With dill and carrots, it resembles silage from grandma's cellar. And the cranberry version is perfect for baked fish. Cabbage with plum and cumin is a great addition to baked ribs.
"3 secrets of tasty silage!
1.The best for pickling are late and winter cabbagesTo make the silage tasty, the heads of the cabbage should be well-matured, white and firm. Green and unresolved cabbage has a low sugar content, which results in a silage with a bitter-tart taste.
2.Before pickling, the cabbage should be bleachedFor this purpose, it is placed for 3-4 days in a dark room at a temperature of up to 17 ° C. As a result, sulfur compounds and chlorophyll will disappear, which will eliminate the unpleasant smell of cabbage and the bitter aftertaste of the silage. "
3.Before pickling cabbage you do not need to washbut remove its outer leaves.
How to wrap cabbage in jars?
Step 1 - prepare the necessary ingredients!
We need to pickle cabbage at home :
- 1 kg of cabbage, preferably late varieties
- 2 flat teaspoons of s alt
The addition of s alt improves the taste of the silage but is also important for the pickling process itself.Thanks to the s alt, the cabbage releases juice, which fills the spaces between the cabbage scraps. This cuts off the access of oxygen and influences the growth of lactic acid bacteria, thanks to which the ensilage process takes place.
Cabbage prepared for pickling
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Optionally, according to your preferenceswe can add different flavors :
- 100g carrots, coarse grater + 1 umbels of dill,
- 400 g grated apples gray rennet + 50 g grated fresh horseradish,
- 200 g fresh cranberries,
- 400g fresh chives, quartered + a teaspoon of caraway seeds.
Step 2 - put the cabbage in a jar
Remove the ugly outer leaves from the cabbage, chop finely , discarding the depth and all the thickenings.
At the bottom of the jar, put an umbel of dill (if you chose the version of cabbage with carrot and dill).Put 2-3 handfuls of cabbage and beat it firmly with your fistSprinkle with s alt and translate with selected additions. Then throw in 2-3 handfuls of cabbage (so that they cover the previous layer), beat again and sprinkle with s alt. We keep doing this until the jar is full, the last layer is cabbage. We beat it very thoroughly.
At this stagethe cabbage should be dipped in the juice that flows out of itCover the jar with a clean, scalded plate and load it with a jar filled with water.
Step 3 - wait until it stinks: -)
The cabbage prepared in this way should stew for two weeksAn important factor in the process of fermenting cabbage is the right temperature.Lactic acid bacteria thrive best when the temperature is around 18-22 ° C. If the temperature is higher, compounds are formed which give the preserves a bitter taste. At lower temperatures, lactic acid fermentation is too slow and the growth of putrefying bacteria is not inhibited. Therefore, it is important thatthe cabbage during pickling has a room temperature of 18-22 ° C.
Sauerkraut with carrots and cranberries
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Pierce the cabbage daily with the scalded handle of a wooden spoonto degass it. After degassing, beat again and cover with a plate.
Step 4 - pasteurization
After two weeks, you canput the cabbage into smaller jars, screw the lid on and pasteurizeat about 80 ° C for about 15 minutes. Such a procedure will interrupt the process of its further fermentation.
We store our homemade sauerkraut at a low temperature.Make sure that the entire silage is immersed in the liquid, which prevents the growth of mold. We use the sour juice to prepare refreshing drinks, and also as a basis for soups. We serve sauerkraut with Polish dishes.
MSc Eng. Joanna Białowąs
