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Delicious sauerkraut is a godsend for any housewife. A sour vegetable in itself is a wonderful fresh salad, but if desired, it can also be used to prepare various dishes, for example, cabbage soup, vinaigrette, hodgepodge and even cutlets. The taste of all these culinary masterpieces will depend on the correct fermentation and, in particular, on the variety of cabbage chosen. After all, it often happens that with a lot of effort and guided by your favorite, traditional recipe, as a result of the leaven, you get a slimy cabbage of an unsightly appearance and indecent taste. And not every housewife in this situation will guess that the whole point is the wrong choice of vegetable variety. So, let’s figure out what are the best varieties of cabbage for pickling and storage, and how to choose the right heads of cabbage.
What kind of cabbage is better to choose for sauerkraut
If the hostess has her own garden, then for sure there is a place for cabbage on it. Experienced farmers in this case are advised to grow several varieties at once: early varieties quickly form small heads of cabbage and are great for preparing the first fresh summer salads. Mid-season and late-ripening cabbage ripens for a long time, but at the same time, its heads of cabbage ripen large, dense and very juicy. It is this cabbage that should be used for pickling.
When you come to the market, you should also not buy the cheapest or “prettier” cabbage. Be sure to ask the seller what kind of cabbage he offers. Navigating the variety of varieties, of course, is not at all easy. That is why we will try to bring the TOP-5 of the best medium-early and late varieties of cabbage for sauerkraut. Hearing one of the following names, you can safely buy a vegetable and harvest it for the winter.
The best mid-season varieties
The varieties proposed below are excellent for long-term storage and pickling, fermentation. This list is based on feedback and comments from experienced chefs and caring housewives. Finding such a cabbage will certainly be quite simple, because a conscientious farmer always offers the best product on the market and strives to satisfy the needs of the buyer.
Cabbage of medium maturity can be grown even in the northern regions of the country. Its growing season averages 120-140 days. This time is enough for a small seed to turn into a full-fledged, mature head of cabbage.
Glory 1305
This delicious cabbage always occupies a leading position in all castings, demonstrating excellent taste and external qualities, high yields. Finding the seeds of this cabbage is quite simple, and in the autumn season it can also be easily found at any agricultural fair.
The heads of this cabbage are medium in size. Their weight, depending on the growing conditions, varies from 2,5 to 5 kg. The shape of the vegetable is flat-round, which is typical for varieties of late ripening. The upper leaves of the head are pale green, but in cross section, densely joined milky white leaves can be seen. By growing this variety on your own land, you can get a yield of 10 kg / m2.
The palatability of the variety is very high: vegetables are sweet, juicy and crispy. They are able to maintain their freshness for a long period of time.
Gift
Many agricultural exchanges list this variety in the TOP-5 most demanded on the market. This is due to the fact that “Gift” is perfectly adapted to domestic conditions, unpretentious and even in the most unfavorable weather is able to give a crop of 10 kg / m2.
Heads of cabbage, with an average weight of 4-4,5 kg, are very juicy, but never crack. Dense vegetables have a rounded shape and milky-white color of the leaves. The product demonstrates excellent keeping quality and is recommended for fermentation. “Gift” can be stored until March without loss of freshness and consumer qualities.
Belarusian
“Belorusskaya” is the best variety of cabbage for sauerkraut and long-term storage, according to many experienced experts. So, under certain conditions, heads of cabbage can retain their quality until April. The vegetable is also great for salting, preparing fresh and canned salads.
The mid-season variety ripens in 135 days from the day of sowing the seed for seedlings. During this time, dense, round heads of cabbage are formed. Their upper leaves are dark green in color. The weight of each vegetable is approximately 3.5 kg. Sowing seeds of this variety in April for seedlings, already in September-October it will be possible to harvest juicy and sweet cabbage in the amount of 8-9 kg / m2.
Canteen F1
This excellent hybrid has long been famous for its high yield, excellent fruit quality and long-term storage. “Menza f1” will always spoil juicy, sweet, crispy and extra large heads. This vegetable is used for long-term winter storage and pickling.
The head of “Menza f1” is especially dense. Its upper leaves are painted in light green color. In cross section, the vegetable is white. The variety belongs to the category of medium-early ones: from sowing the seed to ripening the head of cabbage, the period is 110-115 days.
Amager 611
The variety of white cabbage “Amager 611” is unique, since the taste of the vegetable gradually improves during storage. So, it is generally accepted that for 6 months from the date of harvest, cabbage retains its usefulness, freshness and excellent taste.
Heads of “Amager 611” are not very large, weighing up to 4 kg, dense, flat-round shape. A feature of the variety are the silver-green, glossy top sheets of the vegetable.
In addition to the mid-early varieties listed, cabbage for pickling Dobrovodskaya, Anniversary f1, Aggressor f1 is good. The same varieties can be laid in bins for long-term storage and fermentation.
The best late-ripening varieties
Late-ripening varieties of cabbage are grown in the central and southern regions of the country. Their growing season is about 150-180 days. As a result of such long-term cultivation, the owner can get large and very juicy heads of cabbage, suitable for winter storage, pickling, pickling. You can get acquainted with the list of the best varieties of late-ripening cabbage further in the section:
Moscow late
The grade differs in good commodity and tastes. It is grown by many gardeners and farmers in the central and southern regions of the country. In 150 days, cabbage grows from a small seed into a large head of cabbage, weighing up to 8 kg. Sweet and crunchy vegetables do not crack, covered with gray-green juicy leaves. High crop yield (up to 12 kg/m2) allows you to prepare fresh, salted, pickled and canned vegetables for the winter. The taste of cabbage blanks of this variety is always wonderful.
Kharkov winter
Late-ripening cabbage “Kharkov winter” ripens in 170 days. At the end of the growing season, the farmer receives small heads of cabbage, weighing up to 3,5 kg. The middle of such vegetables is white, and the upper leaves are bright green. The crop yield does not exceed 8 kg/m2, but this is quite enough to stock up on fresh vegetables for the winter and cook healthy and tasty sauerkraut for the whole family.
Valentine f1
Late-ripening hybrid is excellent for cultivation in the south of Our Country. The growing season of the culture is 180 days. During this time, heads of cabbage weighing 3-4 kg ripen. Small, but very juicy, sweet and crunchy vegetables are great for pickling and pickling. You can store cabbage without processing for 6 months.
Geneva f1
Heat-resistant, high-yielding white cabbage hybrid, bears fruit with a weight of 4-5 kg and a total yield of 9 kg/m2. Juicy leaves of a sweet vegetable are densely located among themselves and are great for pickling, pickling. The upper leaves of this variety have a characteristic lilac hue. In the cut, the cabbage is white.
Turquoise
Studying the best varieties of cabbage for pickling, you can not ignore the “Turkiz”. This variety was obtained by breeders in Germany, but has also found application in domestic open spaces. The variety is resistant to cracking, drought, and various diseases.
Rounded heads of cabbage are covered with dark green leaves. The dense pulp of cabbage is painted in a slightly light green color. Vegetables weighing only 2-3 kg are perfectly stored until the arrival of a new summer season. The wonderful sweet taste and juiciness of the vegetable allows you to cook a delicious fresh salad, preserve, pickle or ferment cabbage for the winter.
In addition to the proposed varieties for salting and pickling, as well as long-term winter storage, the Stone Head is suitable. All of the varieties listed above are zoned for various regions of Our Country, adapted to the domestic climate, and even in the most difficult climatic conditions they are able to please with a good harvest. Finding seeds or already mature heads of such cabbage is not difficult.
How to choose good heads
When choosing cabbage for sauerkraut, you need to pay attention to the variety and features of the head of cabbage itself:
- Only white cabbage of medium early or late ripening is suitable for sauerkraut. This is due to the high sugar content in these vegetables.
- Heads of cabbage should be chosen dense and large.
- The upper leaves of the vegetable should be as light as possible. Green leaves should not be fermented.
- The sweeter the vegetable, the higher the chance of successful fermentation.
- A good head of cabbage “springs” when compressed, which indicates its high quality.
After watching the video clip, you can also get some tips on what varieties of cabbage to choose for sourdough and storage and how to correctly identify a high-quality vegetable:
Given these recommendations, you can always count on success in sourdough. Crispy and juicy, moderately sauerkraut is sure to come to the table and feed all family members. The benefits and amazing taste of properly cooked sauerkraut are always difficult to overestimate.