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In autumn and winter, there is a shortage of fresh vegetables and fruits. It’s good that some preparations can make up for the lack of a vitamin in our body. It’s no secret that sauerkraut has incredible health benefits. This recipe can be prepared quickly and easily. But how to store sauerkraut and where? In this article, we will learn what you need to consider when preparing cabbage so that it keeps well.
The benefits of this workpiece
By itself, cabbage 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 is so special about this salad?
First of all, it makes up for the lack of vitamins in winter, which increases immunity. Among other things, a vegetable prepared in this way contains such vitamins:
- U – has a beneficial effect on the stomach and intestines, prevents ulcers from forming;
- C – responsible for immunity;
- B – accelerates metabolic processes.
How to choose a vegetable for pickling
To prepare a useful preparation for the winter, you need to know some important secrets. Much depends on the cabbage itself. Early varieties of this vegetable are categorically not suitable for these purposes. Such fruits are too soft, because of which the workpiece simply cannot be stored for a long time. For fermentation choose late or mid-late varieties.
Then you need to pay attention to the appearance of the fruits themselves. For fermentation, only fresh, undamaged heads of cabbage are taken. Such fruits can be purchased in September and early November. It was at this time that it was customary to engage in this kind of preparations.
Those who grow vegetables on their own in their garden pick fruits for fermentation immediately after the onset of the first frost. The fact is that after light frosts, the starch in the vegetable turns into sugar, and the preparation becomes tastier accordingly.
How is the fermentation process
In order for the cabbage to become crispy and sour, a fermentation process must go through. It consists of 3 main steps:
- Lactic bacteria multiply first. To get a tasty and high-quality preparation, the breeding process must take place quite quickly. To do this, you need to maintain the correct air temperature (from 17 to 22 ° C).
- Then there is the accumulation of lactic acid. This happens throughout the week. The temperature should be approximately the same as in the first stage.
- After that, the fermentation process can be considered complete. Further, 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 can be a cellar or just a refrigerator.
How to store cabbage
Wooden containers are most suitable for storing the workpiece. This is how our grandmothers kept the salad. Now, especially in urban areas, this is not very convenient. Alternatively, you can place the cooked salad in an enameled container (bucket or pot). At the same time, carefully inspect the container for chips and damage. Such dishes are not suitable for storing blanks.
Containers made of aluminum and plastic are not suitable for pickling. Aluminum oxidizes under the influence of lactic acid. Because of this, the salad can 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 the beneficial properties and taste qualities will be preserved.
Shelf life of sauerkraut
Cabbage, like all other products, has a certain shelf life:
- the blank, which is stored in a wooden barrel, can remain fresh for at least 8 months. The temperature should be between -1°C and +4°C.;
- cabbage in a glass jar, even if the correct temperature is observed, cannot be stored for so long. Such a 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, then you can significantly extend the shelf life of sauerkraut in jars;
- at air temperatures up to + 10 ° C, cabbage can be stored for no more than five days;
- in a polymer film, ready-made 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 loggia (glazed) can serve as an excellent place for storing blanks in jars for the winter. If necessary, you can get the salad in the right amount, and let the rest stand in the right place.
Due to constant thawing and freezing in cabbage, there will be less and less useful trace elements and vitamins. Therefore, do not allow the workpiece to be either in the house or on the balcony. Take only the amount of cabbage that you need and do not return the leftovers back to the container.
But most often the salad is stored, of course, in the refrigerator. It is very convenient and you can get a dish at any time without leaving your home. The temperature in it is ideal for storage. The only inconvenience is that it does not fit a lot of this delicacy, so you have to prepare new portions every time.
Conclusion
Now you know exactly how to store sauerkraut at home. We saw what is the best way to cook this delicacy. You were also able to find out how long sauerkraut is stored in the refrigerator, barrel or jar. In order to store the workpiece at home for as long as possible, it is necessary to ferment it correctly. To do this, you must strictly follow the cooking process and choose the right vegetables for the salad. Many ferment a large amount of lettuce immediately in the fall, while others prepare fresh each time. In general, everyone can prepare a blank according to their favorite recipe and store it at home for a long time, observing all the basic rules.
