Sauerkraut is a favorite treat of all time. The huge amount of vitamin C contained in this product contributes to a speedy recovery after a cold. Cabbage normalizes metabolism, significantly improves digestion, intestinal function, normalizes sugar levels, and also lowers cholesterol. The healing properties of it can be listed for a long time, however, it must be said that sauerkraut is one of the most important dishes on the holiday, and on the everyday table.
Sauerkraut at home is not difficult. It is only important to know a few nuances that allow you to get juicy crisp cabbage. To do this, you need a snow-white, fully ripened cabbage, which has a good density.
First you need to remove the upper leaves. They are usually not of very good quality. Then you need to chop about five kilograms of cabbage. For this amount, four medium carrots are taken, three tablespoons of coarse salt. Iodized salt cannot be used. Since pickling cabbage at home does not allow the use of wooden containers, it is better to use enameled dishes in the form of a large bucket or pan of five liters. Aluminum cookware is not recommended for using this process, since the acid released during pickling corrodes aluminum, resulting in the release of harmful substances that enter the brine.
So, the cabbage is chopped, the carrots are grated on a coarse grater. Now you need to take a certain amount of cabbage, sprinkle it with a small amount of grated carrots, slightly grate it with salt and rub it with your hands until the juice comes out. It is advisable to do this on the table. Place the frayed cabbage in a saucepan and tamp well. Then take the next part of the cabbage and repeat the grinding process. When all the cabbage is laid, you should cover it with gauze and put a plate upside down with a diameter slightly smaller than the pan. On the plate you need to put the load (usually a three-liter jar of water is taken). In this case, juice begins to stand out, and cabbage is fermented. This process lasts three to four days. During this time, you need to constantly pierce the cabbage with a long stick, which should reach the bottom. This will allow gases that give the cabbage a bitter taste. As soon as the foam disappears from the surface of the cabbage, this means that it is ready and can be put in a glass jar and refrigerated.
Many people like pickling cabbage in a jar with added sugar. At the same time, everything is done in exactly the same way, only with salt, sprinkle the cabbage with sugar to taste. As a result of this, the fermentation process is even more activated. Cabbage must be tamped very carefully, since the cargo is not used here. Sauerkraut at home in this way allows you to slightly reduce the cooking time to two to three days. Piercing cabbage is also a must.
One way to harvest cabbage is pickling cabbage in brine.
To do this, take:
- two medium heads of dense cabbage;
- two hundred grams of grated carrots;
- half a glass of coarse salt;
- two liters of boiled water;
- dill grains.
As usual, you need to remove the top leaves from the head of cabbage. Finely chop the cabbage and sprinkle it with carrots. Then you need to take the dishes deeper, pour all the salt there, add boiled water and stir the salt until it is completely dissolved.
In a colander, put a small portion of cabbage and dip in brine so that the cabbage is completely covered with it. Hold the cabbage in brine for about a minute and then pour it into a vessel in which it will be fermented. Do not use aluminum cookware! Each portion of cabbage needs to be sprinkled with dill grains. They will give the cabbage a fortress and a special aroma. At the end, pour the cabbage with brine so that it protrudes slightly over the cabbage. Above it must be put oppression. It is imperative to pierce the cabbage to remove accumulations of cabbage gases.
This is how cabbage is fermented at home. If desired, this process for the entire winter period can be repeated several times, and all this time people who constantly use sauerkraut will feel a surge of vigor, health and just a good mood.