Crispy Sauerkraut: Recipe 

It is generally accepted that sauerkraut came to us from China. In the XIII century, the Mongols brought it to the territory of Our Country. Then the recipe for this dish spread to other countries, gaining more and more popularity. It is valued not only for its interesting taste, but also for the content of a large number of various vitamins and other trace elements. In this article, we will learn about the beneficial properties of this product, and also see how crispy sauerkraut is prepared.

Useful properties of sauerkraut

In terms of vitamin content, sauerkraut surpasses many vegetables and fruits. For example, it contains a large amount of vitamin C, vitamins of groups B, A, K, U. In addition, a salad prepared in this way is rich in the following trace elements:

• sodium;
• calcium;
• magnesium;
• phosphorus;
• zinc;
• sulfur;
• iron;
• iodine;
• copper;
• boron.

This product is quite low-calorie, only 100 kcal per 25 grams of the dish. Therefore, it can be eaten even by those who adhere to a dietary diet. It contains virtually no fat, and the amount of carbohydrates is only 5 grams. This is simply an indispensable product for those who want to lose weight.

From sauerkraut you can cook a large number of a wide variety of dishes. For example, dumplings and pies, and also make salads based on it. It is also served with fried and baked potatoes. At the same time, chopped onion and sunflower oil are added to the cabbage. It makes a great snack.

But no matter how useful this dish is, you should not abuse it. In large quantities, it is contraindicated in people who have diseases of the liver, kidneys, thyroid gland. And also with increased acidity of the stomach, ulcers or hypertension.

Choosing cabbage for pickling

It is very important to choose the right cabbage for the dish to succeed. If you grow cabbage at home, then most likely you know the names of the varieties. Cabbage Factory, Yuzhanka, Biryuchekutskaya, Zimovka, Volgogradskaya, Slava and Belorusskaya are best suited for sauerkraut.

Of course, on the shelves of shops and supermarkets, you most likely will not be able to find information about the variety of cabbage. In this case, it is better to focus on the appearance of the vegetable. Here is what the ideal cabbage for sauerkraut should be:

1. The head of cabbage should be quite dense. You can check this by squeezing the vegetable with your hands. Soft and damaged heads of cabbage are not suitable for the dish.
2. There should be no rotten sheets or cracks on the head of cabbage.
3. The smell should be pleasant and fresh.
4. The stalk of a head of cabbage must be at least 2 cm in length. Pay special attention to the cut. If it is not white, but brown, then the stalk has lain on the counter for a long time.
5. In the market, the vegetable often freezes, which causes the top leaves to deteriorate. They can simply be cut off and the vegetable sold further. If there are no green upper leaves on the cabbage, then most likely they have already been cut off.
6. For fermentation, it is better to take the largest heads of cabbage, about 3 or 5 kilograms. Thus, you will throw away less waste (stalks and top leaves) and get more of the finished product.

But not always this sign will make it clear which vegetable is better to take for pickling. It is better to choose a head of cabbage according to the requirements listed above.

Basic rules for sauerkraut

To cook the most delicious sauerkraut, you should follow these rules:

1. When cooking, do not use aluminum or iron utensils. Containers made of glass, clay, wood or plastic are best suited. It is also allowed to use enamelware, but only if there are no chips or damage on it. It is most convenient to store the dish in a jar.
2. An important role is played by the room itself, in which the salad is fermented. For the fermentation process, a special lactic acid bacterium is needed. To prevent other kinds of bacteria from getting into the dish, it is necessary to thoroughly ventilate the room before starting work.
3. Iodized salt is not suitable for pickling. Because of it, the cabbage will become soft, and the taste will deteriorate.
4. It is not recommended to wash the heads themselves. It is better to simply remove the top layer of leaves from the cabbage.
5. To properly ferment cabbage, you need to use only medium or coarse salt.
6. To protect the dish from the ingress of other bacteria, it is customary to lubricate the container from the inside with vinegar, sunflower oil, alcohol or honey.
7. When mixing cabbage with salt, you do not need to grind the salad very much. The main thing is that the salt is evenly distributed. More forces will need to be applied while ramming the cabbage into a container.

   

8. The amount of vitamins in the salad directly depends on the method of cutting. The larger you chop the vegetable, the healthier the appetizer will be.
9. You can not store ready-made salad in the cold. Under such conditions, the cabbage will become soft, and will not crunch.
10. Every day, the workpiece will need to be pierced to the very bottom with a wooden stick. This is done in order to release gases that gradually accumulate. If you do not skip this simple, but very important step, you can get cabbage with a bitter aftertaste.
11. In addition, you need to remove the resulting foam every day.
12. The fermentation process ends after 3 or 5 days. After that, it is impossible to store cabbage in a warm room, otherwise it will cease to be crispy.
13. In order for pickled vegetables to be well stored, the temperature should be kept between -1°C and +2°C.

crispy sauerkraut recipe

Delicious sauerkraut is the recipe that remains unchanged from year to year. Only some housewives add other ingredients to it that are not present in the classic version. Basically, this salad is prepared only from the cabbage itself, salt, sugar and carrots.

Cabbage prepared according to the recipe below can be stored in the refrigerator in a jar. It has a very mild taste and ferments quickly. For this we need to prepare:

• washed and dried three-liter jar;
• a head of cabbage (about 4 kilograms);
• 5 or 7 pcs. carrots depending on the size;
• sugar and salt;
• a device for cutting vegetables (knife, shredder or vegetable cutter).

The first step is to cut the cabbage. The head of cabbage is cut into equal four parts. From one of them you need to remove a few leaves and leave them. Then these leaves will be fermented along with the workpiece. Carrots and cabbage are chopped in any convenient way.

Now that all the ingredients are prepared, you need to mix the carrots with cabbage first, and then grind all the vegetables with salt and granulated sugar. For 4 kilograms of vegetables, you will need 4 tablespoons of salt and sugar (without a slide). After mixing, juice should stand out. At this stage, you can taste the salad, it should be slightly salty.

Then you need to lay out all the components in layers. First of all, a little lettuce is placed on the bottom of a three-liter jar, then it is covered with the left sheet and well tamped. Thus, we fill the jar to the level of the shoulders. It doesn’t have to be complete.

During fermentation, even more juice will be released, and it can completely fill the jar. But just in case, it is better to put a plate under it so that the juice does not “run away”. In this form, the workpiece is left for 3 days in a warm place. The bank must be open all this time. Remember to pierce the salad every day to release gas. Also collect the resulting foam daily.

After 3 days, you need to check whether the fermentation process has ended or not. If the salad is still actively fermenting, then it is left for another 1 or 2 days. After that, you can cover the dish with a plastic lid and put it in the refrigerator. Further, they wait another 5 to 10 days and you can eat salad.

Conclusion

This is how you can easily cook delicious crispy instant sauerkraut. This method really does not take you much time, and also does not require large financial costs. It can be stored in jars directly in the refrigerator. Unless, of course, it, in general, will be stored there for a long time. Usually such a dish is eaten first. In order for the workpiece to be really tasty and crispy, you must adhere to the rules described above. Try to cook such a delicious cabbage at home. We are sure you won’t regret it!