Content
In autumn and winter there is a shortage of fresh vegetables and fruits. It’s good that some preparations can compensate for the lack of vitamins in our body. It's no secret that sauerkraut has incredible beneficial properties. This preparation can be prepared simply and quickly. But how to store sauerkraut and where? In this article, we will learn what you need to keep in mind while cooking cabbage to ensure that it stores well.
The benefits of this workpiece
Cabbage itself is an incredibly healthy vegetable. It contains a lot of calcium, zinc, magnesium, iron, potassium and phosphorus. In addition to all this, it is rich in various amino acids, which are very important for the human body. What's so special about this salad?
First of all, it replenishes vitamin deficiencies in winter, which improves immunity. Among other things, the vegetable prepared in this way contains the following vitamins:
- U – has a beneficial effect on the stomach and intestines, preventing the formation of ulcers;
- C – responsible for immunity;
- B – accelerates metabolic processes.
How to choose a vegetable for pickling
To prepare a healthy preparation for the winter, you need to know some important secrets. Much depends on the cabbage itself. Early varieties of this vegetable are absolutely not suitable for these purposes.Such fruits are too soft, which is why the workpiece simply cannot be stored for a long time. For fermentation, late or mid-late varieties are chosen.
Then you need to pay attention to the appearance of the fruits themselves. For pickling, only fresh, undamaged heads of cabbage are taken. Such fruits can be purchased in September and early November. It is at this time that it is customary to engage in this kind of preparation.
Those who grow vegetables in their own gardens pick the fruits for pickling immediately after the first frost. The fact is that after light frosts, the starch in the vegetable turns into sugar, and the product accordingly becomes tastier.
How does the fermentation process take place?
In order for the cabbage to become crispy and sour, it must undergo a fermentation process. It consists of 3 main stages:
- First, lactic bacteria multiply. In order to get a tasty and high-quality product, the reproduction process must take place quite quickly. To do this, you need to maintain the correct air temperature (from 17 to 22°C).
- Then lactic acid accumulates. This happens throughout the week. The temperature should be approximately the same as in the first stage.
- After this, the fermentation process can be considered complete. Next, mold may begin to develop. To prevent this from happening, the cabbage is transferred to a cooler room for further storage. The workpiece is best stored at a temperature of 0 to +2°C. It could be a cellar or just a refrigerator.
How to store cabbage
Wooden containers are most suitable for storing workpieces.This is how our grandmothers stored salad. Now, especially in urban areas, this is not entirely convenient. Alternatively, you can place the prepared salad in an enamel container (bucket or pan). At the same time, carefully inspect the container for chips and damage. Such dishes are not suitable for storing workpieces.
Aluminum and plastic containers are not suitable for fermentation. Aluminum oxidizes under the influence of lactic acid. Because of this, the salad may have an unpleasant metallic taste. It is very important that all the cabbage is covered with the secreted juice. Thanks to this, vitamin C will not be destroyed, and all beneficial properties and taste will be preserved.
Shelf life of sauerkraut
Cabbage, like all other products, has a certain shelf life:
- workpiece, which is stored in a wooden barrel, can remain fresh for at least 8 months. The temperature should be in the range from -1°C to +4°C.;
- cabbage in a glass jar, even if the correct temperature is maintained, cannot be stored for so long. This preparation can be eaten only for 2 weeks after preparation. If you fill the salad with vegetable oil to a height of up to 2 cm, you can significantly extend the shelf life sauerkraut in jars;
- At air temperatures up to +10°C, cabbage can be stored for no more than five days;
- in a polymer film, finished cabbage can retain all its properties for a week. In this case, the air temperature must be at least +4°C.
Choosing a storage location
It is very important that the temperature in the room where the cabbage is stored does not fall below 0 degrees.A (glazed) loggia can serve as an excellent place to store jars in jars for the winter. If necessary, you can take out the salad in the right quantity, and let the rest remain in its proper place.
Due to constant thawing and freezing, there will be less and less useful microelements and vitamins in cabbage. Therefore, do not allow the workpiece to be either in the house or on the balcony. Use only the amount of cabbage you need and do not return any leftovers to the container.
But most often the salad is stored, of course, in the refrigerator. This is very convenient and you can get the dish at any time without leaving your home. The temperature in it is ideal for storage. The only inconvenience is that it won’t fit a lot of this delicacy, so you’ll have to prepare new portions each time.
Conclusion
Now you know exactly how to store sauerkraut at home. We saw what is the best way to prepare this delicacy. You were also able to find out how long sauerkraut can be stored in the refrigerator, barrel or jar. In order to store the workpiece at home for as long as possible, you need to Right ferment it. To do this, you must strictly follow the cooking process and choose the right vegetables for the salad. Many people ferment a large amount of lettuce right away in the fall, while others prepare it fresh every time. In general, everyone can prepare the preparation according to their favorite recipe and store it at home for a long time, observing all the basic rules.
