Simple cold pickling of cabbage in jars. Crispy and tasty cabbage: salting secrets

It is recommended to salt this vegetable for the winter in the summer. Cabbage with heads of cabbage is stored in glass jars. It's easy to prepare. The recipe is quite simple and if you follow it, you can quickly make a very tasty pickle, which in the cold season is enjoyed with forks.

The following products will be needed for this:

About 3 kg of white cabbage (1 kg of vegetable goes into a 1-kg jar).
Bay leaf (several leaves).
Allspice, preferably peas (not necessary, but if you want a spicier dish, you can’t do without pepper).
2 tablespoons each of sugar and salt (it is not recommended to use iodized salt).
Water for brine (3 kg of vegetables requires 1.5 liters of water).

The cooking recipe includes the following items:

The cabbage will be cooked in brine, so you need to prepare it first. Dissolve salt and sugar in a saucepan with boiling water. After this, it must be left to cool.
The vegetable is peeled from the top leaves and cut into slices. If desired, you can cut it into small pieces. To make it crispy, you can lightly spray it with vinegar and add a little salt.
After this, you can start compacting the chopped vegetables into jars, but you shouldn’t be too zealous, because you need to leave room for liquid. Then the pepper is placed in the jar.
It is better to pour the vegetable with hot brine, which was prepared in advance, but has not yet had time to cool. You should definitely try the marinade before pouring. Firstly, to make sure that it was not cold, and secondly, to check its sweet and sour taste. If the taste is not rich enough, you can add more spices.
How long should cabbage steep? Answer: a day or two days. In any case, it must be infused for at least 24 hours. Only after this can the cans be rolled up.

Sauerkraut for the winter (video)

Pickling cabbage and carrots at home

This is perhaps the simplest classic recipe for summer pickles. This method of preparation produces a delicious crispy salad with carrots and cabbage that can be eaten at any time of the year.

Product List:

Cabbage (from 2 to 3 kg).
Several large carrots (there should be more cabbage in this salad than carrots).
Black pepper (peas).
Sugar, salt (1.5 tablespoons each).
A little vinegar.

You can also make this salad with beets.

Preparation:

First, you need to wash and peel the vegetables. It is not recommended to cut them into large large pieces. It is best to use a food processor to grind them. But if it is not there, then you can use a grater.
Now you should take a separate container, pour chopped vegetables into it and mix them with spices and vinegar.

If you do not plan to roll the salad in jars, then the container must be covered with gauze. Vegetables are infused for a day, after which you need to express the liquid. This concludes the preparation.

How to pickle cabbage pieces?

Ingredients:

Cabbage (it is recommended to take cabbage).
Salt (a couple of spoons).
Sugar (half a glass).
Carrot.
Beet.
Vegetable oil (half a glass).
Vinegar (half a glass).
Garlic (several heads).

Preparation:

The cabbage needs to be washed and cut into large square pieces. You should do the same with other vegetables, beets and carrots.
Then the brine is made. Spices are dissolved in a container of boiling water.
Vegetables are placed tightly at the bottom of glass jars. Cabbage can be chopped with garlic in advance. If this is not done, then it should be finely chopped and placed with other vegetables.

Now the cooled brine, oil and vinegar are poured into the jar. This is the last stage of preparation.

How to salt cabbage with apples?

Apples make an amazing salad! So, what foods should you prepare?

White cabbage.
Carrot.
Apples.
Peppercorns.
Bay leaf.

Vegetables and fruits must be taken in equal proportions. The standard quantity of these ingredients is half a kg of each.

Now you can start salting:

Apples, carrots and cabbage need to be chopped using a food processor. If this is not possible, then you need to take a grater. If desired, the apples can be cut into cubes rather than grated. This way, less juice will flow out of them and the salad will have a sweetish taste.
Now you can start compacting the mixture into jars. The first layer is cabbage and carrots, the second is apples. One bay leaf should be placed in each container.
The juice should ferment in the jar for at least 7 days. Every day it is recommended to pierce the contents of the jar with a wooden skewer or a long match so that the gases formed during fermentation escape.

On the eighth day the salad will be ready. You can store it in the refrigerator.

Which cabbage is better to choose for pickling?

Question: “Which cabbage should I choose for pickling?” worries many housewives who do not want to lose face. Everyone wants to make delicious pickles from this vegetable, so it is important to understand the rules for choosing it.

Why? Yes, because this way the dish will turn out strong, with a preserved structure. The standard choice falls on the “Slava” variety, this is a white vegetable. It makes a good winter pickle.

How to choose the right cabbage?

The first thing you should pay attention to before buying this vegetable is its head. Under no circumstances should it be loose! When pressed, the head of cabbage should crunch a little. This is an indicator of the freshness of the vegetable.
You also need to pay attention to the stalk. It should be dense and juicy.

Fresh cabbage will always have green leaves near the head.

Express recipe for pickling cabbage for the winter

What does "express recipe" mean? Answer: This is the fastest cooking method. There is such a method for pickling cabbage and it will be described below.

Products for express recipe:

White cabbage.
Salt, sugar.
Water.
Vinegar.

Cooking process:

First you need to prepare the vegetable. Preparation includes removing the top leaves of the cabbage and washing it. Then the vegetable must be cut into small pieces in order to throw them into the processor and chop them. Alternative option: grate the vegetable using a medium grater.
The cabbage mass should be sprinkled with vinegar. Now you can make the marinade.
Dissolve the spices in a pan of boiling water. You can also add bay leaf.

The cabbage is placed in sterilized glass jars and filled with brine. You can roll up the jars almost immediately, without waiting for the marinade to cool.

Cabbage with beets for the winter (video)

With a little effort in the summer, you can please yourself and your family with a delicious preparation in the winter. In addition to its amazing taste, this preparation contains a whole treasure trove of useful vitamins that will support the body and help it resist harsh winter viruses.

In Russia, in the fall, traditionally, you need to ferment or salt cabbage.

To have a delicious snack for the winter and an addition to the main dishes. Especially tasty with boiled potatoes.

Late varieties of cabbage, which ripen in Russia from the 2nd half of September to mid-November, are ideal for pickling.

Early varieties are not suitable because their heads are loose and contain little sugar, so they are not preserved as well.

Usually cabbage is salted in a simple way: chopped, carrots are added, ground with salt and placed in jars.

But there are also recipes for pickling cabbage in brine, hot, cold, and even with vinegar. You will now learn how to salt cabbage by pouring brine.

How to pickle cabbage in brine with vinegar

Ingredients:

cabbage
carrot
5 liters of water
1 glass of salt
2 cups sugar
5 tbsp. spoons of vinegar essence

How to ferment cabbage with brine:

1. Remove the top leaves of the cabbage, throw them away and thinly slice the head of cabbage, bypassing the stalk, the thinner the tastier. Although some people like a thicker shredder.

2. Peel the carrots and grate on a coarse grater. You need about 2 carrots per head of cabbage.

3. Mix the carrots and cabbage in a basin and compact the mixture tightly into the jars. There is no need to mash the cabbage.

4. Separately, in a large saucepan, dissolve salt and sugar in boiled water, add vinegar.

5. Pour cold brine over the cabbage in jars. This amount of brine will be enough for about four 3-liter jars of sauerkraut.

6. Leave them in the kitchen until the morning, and pierce them in the morning to release accumulated gases.

7. Cover with plastic lids and refrigerate.

Recipe for salted cabbage with hot brine

This is a way to salt cabbage with hot brine and roll it into jars, which allows you to store the preparations at home for a long time, even at room temperature.

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Ingredients:

head of cabbage - 2-3 kg
carrots – 3 pcs.
dill – 1 tbsp. l. dry grains
water – 1.5 l
salt – 2 tbsp. spoons
sugar – 1 glass
allspice peas – 1 tsp.
vinegar essence 70% – 1 dessert spoon

How to salt cabbage in hot brine:

1. Finely chop the cabbage and grate the carrots. Mix with dill and pepper.

2. Place in sterilized jars, compacting tightly.

3. Boil water, add sugar, salt and vinegar. Bring to a boil.

4. Completely pour boiling brine over the cabbage and carrots and roll up.

How to ferment cabbage recipe in brine without vinegar

Ingredients:

head of cabbage - 1-1.5 kg
1 carrot
1 liter of cold boiled water
1 tbsp. spoon with a heap of coarse salt
1 teaspoon sugar

How to salt cabbage in brine for the winter:

1. Dissolve salt and sugar in water.

2. Peel the cabbage from the top leaves and chop it as you like.

3. Peel the carrots, rinse and grate on a coarse grater.

4. Stir the vegetables, there is no need to mash them, and place them in jars, without compacting them too tightly, 3-4 cm below the neck, because the cabbage will ferment and the brine will rise to the top. To prevent the cabbage from floating, place several wooden skewers crosswise on top.

5. Pour brine over the cabbage until it is completely covered. Poke it with a stick to add brine when it goes down.

6. Cover each jar with a lid and place in a dish because the brine may escape. Leave it at room temperature for about a day. During this time, gas bubbles will form on the surface, and a slight smell of sauerkraut will appear.

7. Now the cabbage will ferment for 3-4 days, if it’s hot, then less. At this time, several times a day you need to pierce it to the very bottom so that the gases escape.

Check the doneness of the cabbage to taste. Place on the balcony or in the refrigerator with a lid. Cabbage needs to sit for a week before use. Bon appetit!

Preface

Pickling cabbage for the winter is a worthy and, most often, forced alternative to pickling it. Salted vegetables are no less tasty than pickled ones, but not as healthy. But preparing and storing them is much easier.

So, salt or ferment and what is the difference?

Of course, it's better to ferment. Vegetables turn out even healthier than fresh ones, but salted ones cannot boast of this. If you truly ferment, as this method of preparation should have been done before, that is, completely without salt, then:

for the winter occurs due to fermentation only in its own juice. When salted, fermentation takes place in a salt solution.
The preservative is natural lactic acid released from the product. During pickling, salt acts as the main preservative.
During the fermentation process, vitamins, including ascorbic acid (vitamin C), and other beneficial components of the product are preserved. And salt partially destroys all this during the canning process, and primarily vitamin C.
The fiber of the product softens, which means that when digested, it is much more fully, quickly and easily absorbed by the body. This does not happen when salting.
The fermented preparation has a pure taste of the products included in it, with hints of the spices used. Salted vegetables have a predominant taste of salt.

Currently, there is no fundamental difference between fermentation and pickling, because salt is now used in both methods. As a result, during sourdough, as well as during salting, two components are preservatives - salt and lactic acid.

But still, the differences between these methods of canning remain the same, because salt is added during fermentation to the bare minimum - no more than 25 g per 1 kg of product. And when salted, it tastes and, as a rule, it turns out much more.

Why did they start adding salt when fermenting? Perhaps, first of all, to equalize the chances of fermented and salted products remaining tasty for a long time. Indeed, for the former, it is very important to maintain a certain storage temperature, otherwise they will quickly peroxidize or even deteriorate. And salt slows down the fermentation process and, together with lactic acid, suppresses the development of foreign microflora.

Why do many people prefer to salt?

From a practical point of view, pickling is more advantageous than fermentation. It only takes from one to several days to prepare salted cabbage, but until the pickled product reaches “standard”, you will have to wait several weeks or a month, or even more.

When pickled, cabbage also begins to ferment, but only at the very beginning of cooking. However, due to the large amount of salt, fermentation first slows down and then is almost completely suppressed. Lactic acid does not have time to be released in the same volume as during fermentation. Therefore, on the one hand, the cabbage turns out to be much less sour, and on the other hand, it will no longer ferment. This means it will last longer.

One more thing. It is better to ferment in an oak barrel or tub - the product will acquire an additional pleasant aroma and taste. When salting, there is no need, and there is no point in these efforts. The process of ripening products goes quickly and therefore there is no time to pick up the oak aroma, and with the amount of salt it is almost impossible for vegetables. So you can salt it right away in jars.

Theoretical foundations of pickling cabbage

As mentioned above, the technology of pickling and fermentation is very similar. And we can assume that the only difference between them is the amount of salt. Even the pickling itself, not storage, is best done in a large container rather than in a jar. The finished product is transferred to the latter. In a large container it is more convenient to work with the ingredients - mix, mash, remove foam if it appears due to fermentation in the first days, and so on - and the products are better salted.

So the question of how to pickle cabbage for the winter will not become a stumbling block for those who are already familiar with its pickling. It is enough to take any recipe for how to deliciously ferment this vegetable and you can use it for pickling, just add salt to taste - more or less. Selection and preparation of heads of cabbage for pickling, cutting them and other ingredients, additional products and spices, as well as utensils and even preparation methods are the same.

The difference begins when the brine becomes lighter in color and the foam stops forming. But when salting there is little or may not be there at all. Usually you need to keep the cabbage warm for the time specified in the recipe and test it for taste. After this, the sauerkraut continues to ferment - continue to cook, but in a cooler place and at the right temperature. And the salted one is already ready and it is packaged in jars and put away for storage.

It is best to salt white cabbage. Not only because it is more accessible and familiar to people of color and other foreigners. With the latter, few recipes make salted cabbage as tasty. Before salting, only the top and damaged leaves are removed from the heads of cabbage, small defects are cut out with a knife. All additional products are washed and cleaned.

When pickling, as well as during fermentation, vinegar is not used! Pickled foods are prepared with it. Use only non-iodized salt.

Jars for salted cabbage must be thoroughly washed and sterilized. They must be closed with lids that have undergone the same treatment. They can be made of polyethylene if the workpiece will be stored for no more than 3 months. Store salted cabbage in the refrigerator, cellar or similar cool, dark place.

Classic recipes for pickling cabbage - cook quickly and tasty

These are primarily recipes with only carrots, without adding other products. These options are very simple and allow you to almost always prepare a very tasty dish. Below is one such salting method. You will need:

heads of cabbage (large) – 1 piece;
carrots (medium) – 3 pcs;
salt – 5 tbsp. spoon;
sugar – 1 tbsp. spoon.

Finely chop the head of cabbage into an enamel cup. Gradually add salt to the cabbage and mash it vigorously with your hands so that it releases its juice. Then grate carrots into a cup and add sugar. Mix everything thoroughly, and then, compacting it, put it in a jar. We place pressure on top, for example, a narrow bottle of water. Then place the jar of vegetables on a plate. If during fermentation the cabbage releases a lot of juice, it will drain into it. We leave the vegetables in a room where it is at room temperature. There they must be salted for three days.

After a day and in the following days, we remove the weight and pierce the workpiece with a Chinese wooden chopstick. We do this three times a day. Then we install the oppression in place. After three days, drain off the excess juice, close the container and put the cabbage away for storage.

Recipe with only beets and spices. You will need:

heads of cabbage – 4 kg;
beets – 0.4 kg;
horseradish (roots) – 50 g;
garlic (heads) – 1 pc.

For the brine:

cloves (buds) and bay leaves - 4 pcs each;
salt – 150 g;
sugar – 100 g;
water – 2 l.

We cut the heads of cabbage into large pieces, and the beets into small cubes. We grate the horseradish and crush the garlic with a press. Mix everything in a large container. Combine all the ingredients for the brine and bring the resulting mixture to a boil. Pour hot brine over the vegetables, load them with pressure and leave them to salt for two days. We put the finished product into jars.

Unusual recipes - salting cabbage with the addition of spices and other products

Salted cabbage, well prepared according to traditional recipes, is unlikely to get boring. But we want and need to add variety to the menu, and, therefore, to the preparation methods.

For lovers of spicy and Caucasian cuisine, we offer a recipe with hot pepper, cinnamon and other spices. You will need:

cabbage (preferably small heads) – 2.5 kg;
beets (small) – 1 piece;
carrots – 0.2 kg;
garlic (cloves) – 7 pcs;
hot red pepper (pods) – 2 pcs;
parsley and celery (roots) - 1 pc. each;
cilantro (bunches) – 1 pc.

For the brine:

black pepper (peas) – 10 pcs;
salt – 160 g;
cinnamon stick (small) – 1 pc;
bay leaf – 2 pcs;
water – 3 l.

First we prepare the brine. Bring the water to a boil and add all the ingredients for the brine. Reduce the heat to medium and mix everything thoroughly until the salt is completely dissolved. Boil the brine for about 3-5 minutes, then remove from the stove and set aside to cool.

Remove the top few leaves from the cabbage and set aside. Cut the heads of cabbage into 4 pieces. Chop the carrots into thin rounds. The beets should be cut into thin slices, and the pepper should be cut into 4 parts along the pod. It should be removed from the seeds if you do not want to make the cabbage very spicy. We also cut the roots lengthwise into 4 parts.

Place cabbage leaves on the bottom of a bucket or deep pan. Then we put the prepared vegetables there in layers: we alternate the cut heads of cabbage with a mixture of beets, carrots, spices, roots and herbs. Cover everything on top again with cabbage leaves. Then pour the cooled brine into the container with the workpiece. Place a lid or plate on the cabbage leaves, and place pressure on top of it. Leave the container for 5 days in a room at room temperature. During this time, the vegetables will be salted and they can be transferred to jars and stored.

Recipe with apples and cranberries. You will need:

heads of cabbage – 2 kg;
cranberries (can be frozen) – 150 g;
medium apples and carrots - 3 pcs.

For the brine:

garlic (heads) – 1 piece;
salt – 3 tbsp. spoons;
sugar – 250 g;
water – 1 l.

First, if necessary, let the cranberries defrost. While the berries are warming up, prepare the brine. Heat the water to a boil and add salt, chopped garlic and sugar. Mix everything well, achieving complete dissolution of the bulk ingredients. Boil the brine for 2-3 minutes, then remove from the stove and set aside to cool.

We chop the heads of cabbage, grate the carrots, and cut the apples into thin slices. Then mix it all, and then put it tightly into jars, topping it with thawed or fresh cranberries. When placing in a container, the workpiece should be carefully compacted, being careful not to crush the berries. Then pour the cooled brine into the jars and leave them open for 3 days in a room at room temperature. Then the cabbage is covered with lids and hidden for storage.

In a city apartment pickling cabbage in jars for the winter is considered the most acceptable option. The product, as it is eaten, can be prepared again to replenish reserves. Crispy and juicy salted cabbage will come in handy in winter. It is not only very tasty, but also healthy.

Classic recipepickling cabbage for the winter in a jar

There are many different recipes for salting cabbage. From them it is easy to choose the one that your family will like. Or you can experiment during the winter and choose the one that will become your favorite.

There are several rules that should be followed in order for pickling to be successful:

Cabbage should not be frozen; it should be carefully inspected during purchase;
Later varieties are better suited for pickling, their leaves are tougher, and they will not become soft like a rag during the cooking process;
It is better to take white heads of cabbage, their leaves crisp better.

The classic cooking option is simple and therefore very popular. It does not use vinegar; the cabbage is fermented naturally.

Sometimes you can find already chopped cabbage and carrots on sale. Buying such a semi-finished product will help save a lot of time.

So, to prepare juicy cabbage you need:

2-3 kg chopped cabbage;
1 carrot, grated;
1 l - clean water per jar;
2 tbsp. l salt without a slide per liter of water;
2-3 tbsp. spoons of sugar.

Preparation:

Chop the cabbage heads as thinly as possible.
Grate the carrots on a coarse grater.
Mix vegetables in a large bowl.
Pour salt and sugar into cold boiled water until completely dissolved. The brine will not boil - this will help the cabbage ferment faster.
The jar should be prepared in advance, washed with soda on both sides.
Brine is poured onto the bottom, and a mixture of cabbage and carrots is compacted on top until the liquid rises to the rim.
Cover with a cabbage leaf and leave in a cool place.

Watch the video! How to deliciously pickle cabbage

Pickling cabbage in pieces

If you don’t want to chop for a long time and don’t have a special vegetable cutter, you can cut the cabbage into pieces.

To prepare you need:

cabbage 3 kg;
carrots – 100-200 g;
head of garlic;
sugar – 150 g;
vinegar 9% - 0.5 cups;
vegetable oil – 100 ml;
salt – 2 tbsp. l;
1 liter of water.

Cooking process:

Wash the carrots, peel and grate.
Remove the top leaves from small heads of cabbage and cut into pieces.
Place a layer of cabbage and a layer of carrots and garlic in jars.
The brine is prepared as follows: sugar, salt, oil and vinegar are poured into boiling water and dissolved.
Hot brine is poured into cabbage jars and sealed with a lid.

Important! Do not fill jars to the top. Be sure to leave 7-8 cm to the edge of the neck. Cabbage brine may leak during fermentation.

This version of the workpiece is stored in a cool room. The main secret of success is loose placement of ingredients. If you press the pieces tightly into the jar, they will not be salted. And if you follow the recipe and packing density, the product will turn out healthy and tasty, and it can be stored all winter.

Watch the video! Cabbage, pickled in large pieces

Salted cabbage with beets

This recipe uses white cabbage, which has a relatively neutral flavor. But beets and spices will give it a beautiful appearance and a pleasant aroma.

To prepare you need:

head of cabbage;
beets – 2-3 pcs. medium size;
garlic – 10-12 cloves;
peppercorns;
several pieces of bay leaf;
2 tbsp. l. salt and sugar;
apple cider vinegar 0.5 cups;
water.

The ingredients are indicated for 1 liter of brine.

Preparing pickles:

Cabbage is cut into pieces; small heads of cabbage can be divided into 4 parts.
Beets and garlic are peeled and cut into slices.
Vegetables are laid out in layers in a jar, alternating cabbage and beets with garlic.
Spices, salt, sugar and vinegar are poured into boiling water.
Pour the contents of the jar with hot brine, cover with a plastic lid, and leave at room temperature.

This recipe is simple and quick; the cabbage is ready in 4-5 days. It turns out very beautiful and tasty.

Watch the video! Cabbage slices with beets

Spicy Georgian appetizer

Those who love spicy pickles will definitely like this recipe. The appetizer is easy to prepare, but the taste is spicy and interesting.

To prepare you need:

small heads of cabbage;
hot pepper;
beet;
celery;
garlic – 4 cloves;
salt 1 tbsp. l;
9% vinegar 2-3 tbsp. l;
greens 100g.

You can change the amount of spices depending on your own preferences. This quantity is indicated for a 3 liter jar.

Cooking steps:

The cabbage is cut into cubes; the leaves are not separated.
Beets and garlic are peeled and cut into thin slices.
The hot pepper is cleared of seeds and finely chopped.
Vegetables are placed in a jar in layers, with garlic poured between them.
The brine is prepared, salt is added to the water and vinegar is poured in.
Pour hot brine over the pickles in a jar and cover with a lid.
Cabbage is marinated according to this recipe for 2 days. After which the jar must be placed in a cold place and gradually emptied.
The finished product will not be stored for long.

Important! You should know that when a vegetable is cut larger, it will retain more vitamins.

In the video you can clearly see how to prepare pickled cabbage in a jar.

Watch the video! Georgian cabbage

Delicious snack can be prepared at home simple and fast.

Original recipe for cabbage with tomatoes

There are many different cabbage preparations in jars, but with tomatoes one of the most interesting ones is obtained.

To prepare you need:

5 kg head of cabbage;
tomatoes 2.5 kg;
salt – 170-180 g;
dill seeds;
hot pepper pods;
cherry and currant leaves;
celery greens.

Salting method:

Wash the vegetables, chop the tomatoes and shred the cabbage.
Salt and add spices.
Vegetables and spices are laid out in layers, a piece of fabric is placed on top and pressed down with a press.
Cabbage ferments at room temperature for 3-4 days; it must be stirred periodically.
After this period, the vegetables are placed in jars, sealed with lids and sent to the refrigerator.

This cabbage with tomatoes is tasty and original; it is suitable as an appetizer, a separate dish or for preparing various dishes.

- the dish, at first glance, is simple. In general, there is nothing tricky about it, just chop the vegetable, mash it with salt, add a little carrot, sprinkle with dill seeds. Place in a suitable container and keep in a warm place for several days. However, the result does not always correspond to the efforts and expectations; sometimes your favorite snack turns out unattractive and soft. How to pickle cabbage so that it is crispy, juicy and moderately sour? Buying the “right” forks is half the success.

Delicious cabbage: selection of heads for pickling

Mid- and late-ripening varieties (“Slava”, “Podarok”, “Kolobok”, “Gribovsky Zimniy”) are suitable for fermentation. Their forks are dense, oversized, heavy, with protruding sides, as if flattened. If the top green leaves are not removed from the heads of cabbage, it means they were stored correctly and did not freeze. Pay attention to the stalks, the white cut is a sign of freshness; in stale, wilted cabbage it is beige or even brown. By the way, the length of the “stumps” should be at least 2 centimeters.

Be sure to inspect the heads of cabbage, carefully, from all sides, cracked, with dark spots, signs of rot, it is better not to take an unpleasant odor, tasty, with an appetizing crunch, such raw materials will still not work. It is recommended to give preference to large forks; a weight of 3 to 5 kg guarantees ripeness. This vegetable has been filled with juices over the summer and contains the right amount of sugar. And without it, the normal fermentation process, on which cabbage pickling is actually based, is impossible.

Tips: how to deliciously pickle cabbage

- In the old days, cabbage was fermented in oak barrels for the winter, now mainly in glass jars and enamel pots and buckets. The main thing is that there are no chips on the inner surface; contact with metal spoils the cabbage. Therefore, it is not salted in iron and aluminum containers. In addition to utensils made of wood, glass, and ceramics, food-grade plastic containers are also used.

Preparing cabbage for pickling is carried out in a well-ventilated area. We recommend treating the countertop and cutting board on which it is to be shredded with a solution of table salt (a tablespoon per liter of hot boiled water). The containers for storing cabbage are also rinsed with salted boiling water. They can also be wiped from the inside with vodka, alcohol or apple cider vinegar. And, of course, preparing cabbage (cutting, grinding with salt) is done only with cleanly washed hands. This is one of the main conditions for how to pickle cabbage so that it is crispy. After all, when only lactic acid bacteria participate in fermentation, cabbage for the winter succeeds. But the forks themselves are not washed, only the outer leaves are removed.

Vegetables cannot be preserved with iodized salt; cabbage cannot be fermented with it; it turns out tasteless and soft. It is advisable to take ordinary rock salt of medium or coarse grinding, at the rate of 2.5-3% of the weight of the original product. That is, 25-30 g (about a heaping tablespoon) per kilogram of chopped cabbage. The salad tasted a little too salty. Of course, you can get by with less salt, which is undoubtedly more healthy, but such cabbage will definitely not be crispy. And you need to eat it quickly before it becomes acidic.

To the question of how to deliciously pickle cabbage and preserve all the vitamins in it, I will answer without hesitation: cut it neither finely nor coarsely. Stop at the golden mean. Strips of medium width (0.5-0.6 mm), certainly identical, will be salted and ripened at the same time.

By the way, you shouldn’t knead them with special zeal, like dough, a few pressures are enough. But you need to mix the ingredients thoroughly. And place it tightly in the container, compact it in the jar with a wooden pestle so that the cabbage is in the brine. During salting, it is pierced a couple of times a day with a knitting needle, a long torch, so that it reaches the bottom. Thus, carbon dioxide formed during fermentation is removed from the workpiece. If you don’t do this, the cabbage in brine will come out not only flabby and slimy, but also bitter.

As soon as the cabbage arrives, usually within 3-4 days, it is put away in a cool place, in the cellar, or refrigerator. It is perfectly stored at temperatures from -2 to +2 degrees. It is advisable not to keep it in the cold, as both the crunch and some of the nutrients (enzymes, vitamins) will disappear.

Here are some more “believe it or not” tips on how to pickle cabbage so that it is crispy. They say that it is better to do conservation on a waxing moon; 5-6 days after the new moon are considered ideal. Moreover, cutting and crushing must be in a good mood. Previously, in the villages they salted cabbage in a cheerful group, making jokes and singing perky ditties.

cabbage quickly and tasty: classic recipe

Salting cabbage in large quantities is not relevant now; by spring, when the immune system needs enhanced support, the beneficial substances in the vitamin product are partially destroyed, and the taste changes, of course, not for the better. In addition, storing large supplies in an apartment is problematic. Therefore, salting in small portions is beneficial; fortunately, this vegetable is sold in stores all year round.

And so, cabbage in a jar, for example, in a three-liter jar? It will fit a four-kilogram fork and 2-3 carrots, their weight should not exceed 10% of the weight of the cabbage. The carrots and the color of the workpiece will “revive”, and fermentation will speed up due to sugar. Rye bread has the same function; a black crust is placed on the bottom of the container, honey and, don’t be surprised, vodka (20-30 ml - per 3 liters). Here is a ready-made solution for how to pickle cabbage quickly and tasty. However, first things first.

The top dirty leaves are removed from the head of cabbage, the stalk is removed and thrown away, nitrates accumulate in it. Carrots are washed, peeled and grated on a coarse grater. The forks are divided into 4 parts, each quarter is alternately chopped into medium-sized strips. Sprinkle with a tablespoon of table (or sea) salt. Add grated carrots, mix and mash slightly. Then pour from the cutting board into a clean and dry glass container. If desired, flavor with dry dill seeds (cumin) and compact. After laying the last batch, thoroughly compact it, the juice should stand out. By the way, during the fermentation process its level will rise, so do not fill the jar to the neck, leaving 5-6 cm of free space, and place it on a plate. Otherwise, the brine will spill onto the table.

The container is covered with a gauze napkin folded in half. Every day, morning and evening, pierce the pickle with a skewer (knitting needle), releasing carbon dioxide, and collect the foam with a spoon. If the kitchen is hot, more than 22 degrees Celsius, already on the third day the cabbage will become quite sour. It is placed in the refrigerator, where fermentation gradually subsides. After a day or two, you can eat a vigorous snack. This is an old, well-known recipe for how to pickle cabbage so that it is crispy, sour and very tasty. But there are other options for your favorite snack.

Quick cabbage with horseradish and garlic

Fans of spicy food will appreciate this original dish. Its preparation begins with the marinade. Pour 1 liter of water into a saucepan, add a glass of sugar, one tablespoon of salt and 3-4 black peppercorns. The ingredients are for a 3 liter jar. Boil for 5 minutes under the lid, then cool to room temperature and season with apple cider vinegar and refined sunflower oil (200 ml each). Cabbage (large fork size) is chopped, carrots (4-5 pieces) are cut into small strips or grated. Grind two peeled horseradish roots with garlic (1 head). To avoid crying from the explosive smell, put a plastic bag over the outlet of the meat grinder. You can use ready-made grated horseradish from the store, adding garlic to it.

Let's move on to the main stage, how to pickle cabbage in a jar with hot seasonings. Mix the chopped vegetables with a mixture of horseradish and garlic, place in a glass container, sealing with a spoon. Pour over the prepared marinade, cover with a plastic lid and place in a cool place. After 2 days, the quick cabbage will be ready, and if it sits longer, it will become even more vigorous and tastier.

How to salt cabbage “Bavarian style”

The Germans prepare cabbage with apples and caraway seeds. Its seeds (3 tablespoons) are heated in a dry frying pan and ground with a pestle. In Germany, it is customary to chop white cabbage finely, but in this case it will definitely not be crunchy. Therefore, we recommend cutting it (3.5 kg) into small rectangles, and three apples (without cores) into thin slices. Grate a couple of carrots. In an enamel pan, mash the cabbage along with salt (2-3 tablespoons), caraway seeds and juniper berries (10-15 pieces). Add carrots and apples, level and press with pressure. You can use, for example, a jar of water as a load.

Otherwise, the algorithm for how to salt cabbage in German is no different from the traditional Russian method. Don’t forget to pierce the pickle, remove the foam, and don’t overcook it in the heat. Otherwise, the snack will turn out to be very flavorful. Store it in the refrigerator, serve it like, or as a side dish for fried sausages. Lunch!

Surely you have your own “signature” recipes for how to pickle cabbage so that it is crispy and tasty. Let's exchange experiences and share secrets.