A selection of the best recipes for sauerkraut in its own juice

Recipes for sauerkraut in its own juice are a lifesaver for housewives who like to experiment and make healthy preparations for the winter. This snack is rich in vitamin C, can be stored for up to a year, and is used as an ingredient for making soups and salads. During the fermentation process, a preservative is formed - lactic acid. It keeps the snack fresh and healthy.

Let's look at popular recipes sourdough starters and variations from experienced housewives.

Choosing cabbage for harvesting

It is recommended to take medium-sized elastic heads of cabbage. They should be dense and crispy. Experienced housewives use the harvest of early or mid-season cabbage - Dobrovodskaya, Megaton, Brigadir. The cabbage is inspected for external damage: the head of cabbage should not have cracks, dark spots or limp leaves.

Attention! If you buy cabbage for preparation at the market or in vegetable stalls, it is important that the heads of cabbage do not lie on the ground. This is fraught with diseases; such vegetables are not suitable for consumption.

Preparing to cook

The cabbage is peeled from the top leaves, cut into several parts and the stalk is removed. If the head of cabbage is small, it cut into 6-8 parts; if large, the slices are finely chopped or grated. Volume blanks also depends on the recipe.

Selection and preparation of containers

The vegetable is fermented in a large and deep container - an enamel bucket or pan with a capacity of 3-5 liters. The container is thoroughly washed with water and wiped dry.Enameled dishes must be solid - if there are holes or stains on the enamel, the dish will quickly deteriorate. Dangerous bacteria accumulate in chipped areas.

Vegetables are fermented in glass jars for quick consumption. It is convenient to store jars at home - in a pantry, refrigerator or dry and dark cellar. The containers are washed with water and soda and wiped. Close the jars with iron, aluminum, nylon lids.

Cabbage is prepared in wooden jars and tubs for a large family. It is convenient to do this at the dacha or in a country house. The barrel is thoroughly washed and ventilated in fresh air to get rid of extraneous odors. In a barrel, the vegetable acquires a piquant woody smell and turns out crispy.

How to properly ferment cabbage in your own juice

Both adults and children love delicious classic salted cabbage. The dish is easy to prepare. Store pickles in the refrigerator. Before serving, the salad is decorated with a slice of lemon or lime - and the classic Russian appetizer turns into a festive salad.

List of ingredients for cooking:

• 1 kg cabbage;
• 300 g carrots;
• 35 g rock salt;
• 25 g sugar;
• ground black pepper to taste;
• 5 peas of allspice;
• 2 bay leaves.

Cooking technology:

1. Wash the carrots, peel and grate on a coarse grater. For preparations, choose hard and whole root vegetables.
2. Peel the cabbage from the leaves and chop it with a knife or on a special grater.
3. Mix the vegetables and place in a bowl or pan, add salt and sugar, mix gently with your hands so that the cabbage releases juice.
4. Transfer to a smaller container, cover with a clean napkin and leave at room temperature for a day.
5. Pack tightly into the jars, add black and allspice, and bay leaf.Close with a lid and put in a cool place. The snack is ready to eat after three days.

Recipe Variations

In addition to the classic, express recipes are popular - cabbage with dill and finger-licking salad. Each dish has its own cooking technology and distinctive taste.

Simple express recipe

To prepare a quick homemade pickle, you don’t need any culinary skills—anyone can make the dish. 100 g of cabbage contains only 40 kcal, so the salad will not harm your figure.

What you need for preparation:

• 500 g cabbage;
• 100 g carrots;
• 2 bay leaves;
• 6 peas of allspice;
• 20 g rock salt;
• 25 g sugar.

How to pickle:

1. Peel and finely chop the cabbage, place it on a clean table in a layer, sprinkle with salt and sugar. Wash the carrots, peel and grate on a medium grater.
2. Place the cabbage in a cup, mix with the carrots and leave for an hour.
3. Pack into jars, periodically adding bay leaves and allspice.
4. Place the jar in a basin so that the juice does not leak onto the floor. Cover with gauze and place in a warm place for a day.
5. The next day, pierce the cabbage with a wooden stick in several places to release the juice. If there is no liquid in the jar, add a few tablespoons of clean water. Leave for another day.
6. Cover with a nylon lid and put in the refrigerator.
7. Before serving, season with vegetable oil and garnish with onion rings.

With dill

Sauerkraut with dill is added to borscht or placed on the table as an independent snack. Dill umbrellas imbue the vegetable with a pleasant aroma and make it more useful. This salad is an excellent way to strengthen the immune system.

What you need for preparation:

• 1.5 kg cabbage;
• 1 carrot;
• 4 dill umbrellas;
• 1 bay leaf;
• 3 black peppercorns;
• 30 g salt.

How to cook:

1. Remove the top layer of leaves from the cabbage, rinse and place on the bottom of the pan. Place two dill umbrellas on top.
2. Chop the cabbage and carrots on a medium grater, add salt and mix with your hands. Place in a saucepan, cover with two dill umbrellas, add bay leaf and black peppercorns.
3. Place under pressure for three days, divide into jars and put in the refrigerator.

There is a recipe for fermented dough with dill and caraway seeds. For 500 g of cabbage, use 20 g of cumin and 20 g of dill seeds. Grated apple is added along with cabbage and carrots, and the dish is decorated with cranberries or lingonberries.

With carrots

Cabbage with carrots is a classic vegetable mixture. To taste, cranberries, black or red currants, and a mixture of herbs and spices are added to the dish.

What you need for preparation:

• 1.5 kg cabbage;
• 3 carrots;
• 40 g salt;
• 5 black peppercorns;
• 2 bay leaves.

How to marinate:

1. Chop the cabbage with a knife or using a blender. Wash and chop the carrots, mix with cabbage and place in a deep bowl.
2. Season with salt and black pepper, compact into a jar, after dividing into quarters. After each layer, add your favorite herbs and spices.
3. Cover with clean gauze and put in a dark place for three days. Pierce with a wooden spoon every day. Keep refrigerated.
4. Before serving, season with fragrant vegetable oil and fresh onions.

Recipe "You'll lick your fingers"

An appetizing and colorful appetizer complements side dishes, meat and fish dishes well. Thanks to bell pepper, the salad becomes brighter and tasty, acquiring a sweetish aroma. Calorie content per 100 g of product is 95 kcal.

List of ingredients for cooking:

• 2.5 kg cabbage;
• 500 g carrots;
• 500 g bell pepper;
• 250 g onions;
• 250 ml vegetable oil;
• 250 ml table vinegar;
• 100 g salt;
• 100 g sugar.

How to cook:

1. Chop the cabbage and carrots, remove the seeds and stems from the bell pepper and cut into thin strips. Place all ingredients into a deep plate or basin.
2. Add chopped onion, salt, sugar, vinegar and vegetable oil. Add pepper, cumin, ground coriander, dried dill to taste.
3. Stir and after an hour pour into jars. Leave uncovered for five days in the refrigerator or other cool place, occasionally piercing with a wooden spoon.
4. Cover with a nylon or polyethylene lid and store in the cold.

Terms and conditions of storage

Store the cabbage snack in a cool place. In a city apartment this is a refrigerator or a balcony in the winter, in a country house - a cellar or basement. After opening the can, it is recommended to consume the snack within a week. To extend the shelf life, granulated sugar is added to the dish. The average shelf life is 8-10 months. A spoiled product is identified by cloudy juice and an unpleasant odor.

Advice from experienced housewives

For fermentation, coarse salt is used - it gives the vegetables a crunch and evenly saturates them. During the cooking process, ensure the cleanliness of the dishes and towels - kitchen utensils should not be dirty, otherwise the shelf life of the product will be reduced. Vegetables are chosen to be fresh and firm, spices are aromatic and have a valid expiration date.

Attention! Sauerkraut frozen for the winter in the freezer. After defrosting, it is added to soups - cabbage soup, mushroom solyanka, chicken, borscht.

Conclusion

Winter pickles in their own juice are appropriate always and everywhere - both at a cozy family dinner and at a noisy holiday feast. They are easy to prepare, the main thing is to follow the recipe and sequence of actions. It is convenient to ferment cabbage in jars - they fit in any refrigerator. To add a piquant taste, carrots and onions, bell peppers and dill are added to the appetizer.

During the cooking process, the cabbage is pierced with a wooden spoon so that gas bubbles come out and the dish is stored longer. Serve sauerkraut with potatoes and meat, garnish with a slice of lemon, cranberries or fresh herbs.