The term of consumption of the majority of vegetable cultures can be prolonged thanks to their processing in house conditions. Not an exception is also the white cabbage. Its mid-season and late grades containing a large number of sugar use for fermentation.
The best time for fermentation of a white cabbage – October. In different regions this term can differ. It is better to cut off heads of cabbage after the first frosts – it will impact to sauerkraut unique relish. Further heads of cabbage clean from the damaged leaves, are only suitable for fermentation dense and clean, without damages and diseases.
Present grandmother's recipe of fermentation of cabbage
After cutting of heads of cabbage and high-quality selection, it is necessary to wash out them in hot water. Then cabbage is small cut in a trough or sliced. The size of shaving shouldn't exceed 5-8 mm. After that add in advance prepared carrots to the chopped cabbage. It can be cut in small capacity or to grate. On each 10 kg of cabbage add 300 g of carrots and 200 g of salt. It is also possible to add fennel seeds for taste.
Chopped cabbage is put in wooden tubs. Stack the whole leaves, then cabbage on a bottom of a tub and from above again cover with leaves. They will protect cabbage from influence of harmful microorganisms. Over everything put several layers of a gauze, a wooden circle and oppression which mass has to be 1/10 part from the mass of cabbage. The glass jar filled with water or a cobble-stone can serve as oppression. It is impossible to use limestone or stones for this purpose. During laying of cabbage it is necessary to condense it with wooden tamper qualitatively. The oppression will allow cabbage to distinguish juice. It is important that the wooden circle always was in a brine. It is regularly washed out from formation of a mold. If own juice isn't enough, then prepare a brine: put 2 glasses of salt and 2 glasses of sugar on 10 l of water. The tub with sauerkraut can be put in a cellar at once. To strong cold weather in it it will be still warm, and cabbage will manage to prepare. The sauerkraut made according to this recipe can be eaten approximately in 30 days after the beginning of fermentation.
Simple and available recipe of sauerkraut
Initial stage of this recipe same, as well as in previous. After cabbage cut and added carrots, display it in the enameled ware, not strongly condensing with a myalka. For this purpose tanks on 25 liters will be ideal. Prepare a brine: on 10 l of water 2 glasses of salt and 3 glasses of sugar. Cabbage is filled in with a brine so that it completely plunged into it. Tanks for fermentation cover with the newspaper or the dense paper and put to the dark place at a temperature of 15-17 degrees. Daily in the morning and in the evening cabbage is pierced a wooden stick for an exit of oxygen and the best fermentation. When process of fermentation comes to an end, the brine becomes light, and cabbage settles and develops a pleasant sour-salty flavor. After that it is displayed in the glass sterilized jars, closed plastic covers and removed to places of long-term storage: cellar or underground. Also such sauerkraut can be stored in the fridge at a temperature of 0-2 degrees.
The white cabbage fermented with apples
Grades of the apples having sour taste, for example Antonovka will be ideal for fermentation. Apples peel and cut out a core. Then cut in small cubes or segments. Further mix with the chopped cabbage and display for fermentation in the enameled ware. On each 10 kg of cabbage add 1 kg of apples and 250 g of salt. It is possible to use also the whole apples, but they are added only after cabbage gave juice. The whole apples are put when cabbage is prepared without brine. After fermentation, sauerkraut is shifted in glass jars and closed plastic covers. Store in the cool place at positive temperatures not higher than 5 degrees.
In the people sets of other recipes of fermentation of cabbage are also known, but in general they are very similar. Only can change some ingredients. On each 10 kg it is possible to add 200 g of a cranberry and 100 g of carrots to sauerkraut; 100 g of cowberry and 100 g of carrots and other various options for giving of gustatory qualities.