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White cabbage has been widely known in Russia since the times of Kievan Rus, where it was brought from Transcaucasia in the 11th century. Since those distant times, cabbage has become one of the people's most beloved garden crops, without which it is difficult to imagine a Russian table. In addition to its wonderful taste and versatility of use, cabbage will also help cope with many diseases. And one of the most popular ways to prepare cabbage for the winter is to pickle it or pickle it.
Pickling and pickling: is there a difference?
Many housewives often confuse these two methods of preparing vegetables or believe that they are the same thing. In fact, both methods of canning really have a lot in common and, above all, the fact that when exposed to lactic acid bacteria, lactic acid is created, which plays the role of a natural preservative, and also complements the finished product with a specific aroma and taste.
The main difference between these methods of preparing cabbage is the presence of salt and the difference in its percentage during the fermentation process. So, to pickle cabbage, the presence of salt is absolutely necessary and should be at least 6% of the total weight of the prepared products. At the same time, when fermenting cabbage, the salt content can be only 2-3%, and in many recipes there is no need to use it at all.For example, back in the 19th century, salt was not used to ferment cabbage, and despite this, cabbage was preserved very well, although the fermentation process itself could last from two weeks to two months.
In general, pickling cabbage in the modern world is distinguished, first of all, by the speed of its preparation. Most recipes are used for pickling cabbage Vinegar and vegetable oil. Vinegar helps the fermentation process proceed very quickly, sometimes even within a few hours.
This is probably why pickling cabbage with butter has become widespread in recent years. After all, this preparation is completely ready for use after uncorking the cans in winter, and does not require any additional seasonings or additives. While many people prefer to season ready-pickled cabbage with oil, in the recipes below it is already fermented in the presence of oil.
A quick and tasty recipe for pickling cabbage
This recipe is good because delicious salted cabbage can be prepared quite quickly - from two to eight hours. What is also attractive about it is that if you have a small amount of kitchen utensils, as well as a refrigerator as a storage container, then salt a small portion literally several times, and then repeat this process every time you want to enjoy healthy crispy cabbage. Well, you can increase the amount of ingredients several times and prepare the preparation for the long winter months. True, in this case, the salted cabbage will need to be sterilized, otherwise it will not be stored for long - about two to three weeks in the refrigerator.
To make a dish from one kilogram of already chopped cabbage, you will also need to prepare one medium-sized carrot and 3-4 cloves of garlic.
The marinade consists of the following ingredients:
- Water – 300 ml;
- Vegetable oil -50 ml;
- Table vinegar (preferably apple or grape) – 50 ml;
- Coarse rock salt – 50 grams;
- Granulated sugar – 100 grams;
- Cloves - 3 pieces;
- Black pepper – 5 grains.
Cabbage must be cleaned of the top contaminated leaves.
If the leaves have a greenish tint, they are not suitable for pickling - they do not contain enough natural sugars.
It is also better to peel the carrots from the thin outer skin, and peel the garlic and disassemble it into slices.
Then you need to chop the cabbage. You can use a special grater-shredder for these purposes, or a food processor, and if you don’t have any of this, then an ordinary kitchen knife, but only a sharp one, will help you out. Typically, the heads of cabbage are cut in half, the stalk is removed, and the remaining halves are cut into long, narrow pieces. The easiest way to grate carrots is on an ordinary coarse grater. Garlic is cut into thin slices.
All vegetables are placed in a large bowl and mixed thoroughly.
After this, you can start making the marinade. If you want to get salted cabbage, how can you faster, then fill it with hot brine-marinade. In this case, you can taste the cabbage immediately after cooling, after two or three hours. If you have at least one night left, it is better to pour the cooked vegetables with a mixture of boiled water at room temperature with spices, vinegar and oil.In this case, the cabbage will take a little longer to cook - it will acquire a rich taste and aroma after 7-8 hours.
So, to make the marinade, the amount of water required by the recipe is brought to a boil, sugar, salt and spices are dissolved in it. Then the required amount of vinegar is added, the container is removed from the heat and vegetable oil is poured into it. The prepared mixture of cabbage, carrots and garlic is poured hot marinade, mix lightly, cover with a lid and leave to cool at room temperature. In this case, it is not even necessary to use oppression. Crispy salted cabbage You can enjoy it in just two hours.
Otherwise, all the ingredients for the marinade are mixed with boiled water, and the solution is infused for 5 minutes. Then the slightly mashed vegetables are poured with marinade, and a lid with pressure must be placed on top.
The cabbage should be kept under pressure for about 7 hours in normal room conditions, after which the vegetables are mixed again and the finished dish can be sent either directly to the table or stored in the refrigerator.
Cabbage in large pieces
For many housewives this recipe may seem interesting. pickling cabbage in fairly large pieces with the addition of beets and various fruits and berries. Preparing this cabbage is not at all difficult, and it can be used for salads and pies, as well as for preparing first and second courses. She will be in great demand everywhere.
To produce a head of cabbage weighing about 3 kg, you need to take half a kilo of beets, 2 small horseradish roots, 3 carrots and 4-5 cloves of garlic.
The composition of the fill is quite standard - for two liters of water you need to take:
- Half a glass of granulated sugar;
- 100 grams of salt;
- 200 grams of 9% vinegar;
- 200 grams of vegetable oil;
- 6 black peppercorns;
- 5 bay leaves;
- 4 grains of cloves.
It is important to clean cabbage of all contaminated and damaged leaves, both outside and inside. Then the heads of cabbage can be cut into pieces of any size, from quarters to flat rectangles.
Carrots and beets are peeled and cut into strips or small slices. The garlic must be peeled, separated into cloves and crushed using a special crush. The horseradish is peeled last and finely cut with a knife. If you decide to add fruits and berries, then they are well washed to remove dirt. Apples and plums are freed from seeds and branches, then cut into small pieces.
All vegetables and fruits are combined in a large container and lightly mixed. At the same time, the marinade brine is prepared. All ingredients except oil and vinegar are added to water and the whole thing is heated to a boil. At the moment of boiling, vinegar and oil are added to the brine. After boiling slightly for 3-5 minutes, the hot brine is added to the vegetables and fruits. Cover the top of the cabbage with vegetables and spices with a plate or lid and press lightly so that the brine comes out on top. It is not necessary to use additional weight.
It is advisable to keep the cabbage in this form for at least a day at an optimal temperature of about +18+20°C. After this, the dish can be eaten or stored in a cool place.
Cabbage pickled with butter should add variety to your daily menu. And the speed and ease of its preparation will almost certainly make it one of your signature dishes.
