Simple and tasty recipes for pickling cabbage in brine with salt and sugar

There are many options for preparing white cabbage for the winter. One of them is pickling in brine with salt and sugar, which requires knowledge and skills.

In order for salted cabbage to turn out juicy, tasty and crispy and retain its beneficial properties for a long time, it is necessary to take into account the subtleties of its preparation: choose the right heads of cabbage, choose the right container for pickling, observe the proportions of ingredients and process technology. We'll talk about this in our article.

Selecting and preparing cabbage for pickling

Not all varieties of white cabbage are suitable for pickling for the winter.. Heads of early varieties contain less sugar and have tender leaves. The finished product from such heads of cabbage will be soft and tasteless.

For preparation for the winter take mid-season and late varieties of white cabbage - they have elastic heads of cabbage and a higher sugar content. The best varieties and hybrids of mid-season cabbage are Slava 1305, Belorusskaya 455, Tobia, Podarok, Rinda, Menza F1. Late-ripening varieties and hybrids - Amager 611, Moskovskaya late 15, Kharkovskaya zimnyaya, Geneva F1, Turkiz.

For pickling, choose large heads of cabbage with white leaves.. The leaves contain sugar, which helps the fermentation process. Green heads of cabbage are not suitable for harvesting. Each one should weigh at least 1 kg, the optimal weight for heads of cabbage for salting is 3-5 kg. They are checked for deformation. To do this, squeeze the fork with your hands: if it has lost its shape, then it should not be salted.

Reference. The harder the fork, the more crunchy the snack will be.

The vegetable is also tasted. The cabbage should be juicy and sweet, without bitterness. The tastier the fresh cabbage, the tastier the finished product will be.

Heads of cabbage must be without signs of freezing, damage or cracks.. They are cleaned of the upper green leaves, washed with cold water and dried.

Tara

Heads of cabbage are salted in wooden barrels and tubs. Preference is given to birch, oak and linden barrels - spruce barrels contain a lot of resins and tannins. For pickling, enamel containers are used. It is important that they are free of chips and cracks. Cabbage is also salted in glass and ceramic containers.

It is better not to use aluminum containers without coatings for pickling.: The metal can react with the lactic acid that is released during fermentation and spoil the product.

The selected container is thoroughly washed. It is better to use natural products without flavoring - a solution of soda or mustard. Glass jars are sterilized before use.

How to pickle cabbage in brine with salt and sugar correctly

Main ingredients for pickling cabbage in brine - white cabbage, water, salt and sugar. To change the taste and color of the snack, add carrots, beets, tomatoes and bell peppers. Apples, sour plums, cranberries, lingonberries and honey add zest to the dish. To add a piquant taste and aroma, add horseradish leaves, dill seeds, garlic, allspice and black peppercorns, bay leaves, cloves, cumin and horseradish.

Some recipes use vinegar and vegetable oil. Oil softens the taste of the snack and helps the body better absorb vegetables.

Proportions, salt and sugar ratio

Pickling cabbage differs from pickling in the amount of salt added. When fermenting, add 2% salt from the total weight of vegetables, when salting - at least 6%. A larger amount of salt allows you to get the finished product faster (in 3-6 days) and increases its shelf life.

Sugar stimulates juice secretion and speeds up the fermentation process. The classic recipe for pickling cabbage in brine gives a sweetish taste. This option is suitable for those who do not like sour snacks. The amount of sugar varies in recipes depending on preference.

Salting instructions

We'll tell you how to cook salted cabbage in brine using a classic recipe as an example.

For the preparation you will need:

• white cabbage - 2 kg;
• carrots - 2 pcs.;
• bay leaf - 1 pc.;
• water - 1 l;
• salt - 3 tbsp. l.;
• sugar - 2 tbsp. l.

Step-by-step preparation:

1. The head of cabbage is cut into pieces and chopped. Carrots are grated or cut into strips.
2. The chopped vegetables are mixed and placed in a container for pickling, and a bay leaf is added.
3. Prepare the brine: add salt and sugar to cold water and stir until the bulk components are completely dissolved.
4. The resulting brine is poured over the vegetables so that it completely covers them. Cover with a plate and place pressure on top. Leave for 3 days at room temperature.
5. Twice a day, the workpiece is pierced with a wooden skewer to release accumulated gases.
6. After 3 days, the snack is completely ready to eat. It is stored in a cellar or basement.

Recipe Variations

There are many recipes for pickling cabbage in brine with salt and sugar, which are easy to prepare.

Express method

The snack according to this recipe will be ready to eat in 2 hours.

Required Ingredients:

• white cabbage - 1 kg;
• carrots - 1 pc.;
• garlic - 3-4 cloves;
• water - 300 ml;
• vegetable oil - 50 ml;
• table vinegar (preferably apple or grape) - 50 ml;
• salt - 50 g;
• sugar - 100 g;
• cloves - 3 pcs.;
• black peppercorns - 5 pcs.

How to cook:

1. The top green leaves are removed from the head of cabbage and chopped. The carrots are peeled and grated. The garlic is divided into cloves, peeled, and cut into thin slices.
2. The crushed products are mixed in one container.
3. Prepare the brine: add salt, sugar, cloves and pepper to hot water and bring to a boil. Pour in vinegar and remove from heat. Add oil.
4. Pour the hot marinade over the vegetables and leave to cool at room temperature. After 2 hours the product is completely ready for use.

If you have 8 hours left, then the cabbage is prepared differently. Salt, sugar, cloves, pepper, vinegar and oil are added to boiled water at room temperature. Let it brew for 5 minutes and pour in the vegetables. Place pressure on top and leave for 7 hours at room temperature.

Advice. When pickling cabbage in a jar, use a plastic bag with water as a pressure.

Ready snacks are stored in the refrigerator.

With vegetable oil

According to this recipe, the heads of cabbage are prepared in large pieces with the addition of vegetable oil.

Main Components:

• white cabbage - 3 kg;
• beets - 0.5 kg;
• carrots - 3 pcs.;
• horseradish - 2 small roots;
• garlic - 4-5 cloves;
• water - 2 l;
• sugar - 0.5 cups;
• salt - 100 g;
• vinegar 9% - 200 g;
• vegetable oil - 200 g;
• black peppercorns - 6 pcs.;
• bay leaf - 5 pcs.;
• cloves - 4 pcs.

Preparation:

1. The cabbage is peeled from the top leaves and cut into large pieces of any size.
2. Carrots and beets are peeled and cut into slices or strips.
3. The garlic is peeled and passed through a press, the horseradish is finely chopped.
4. Chopped vegetables are mixed.
5. Prepare the marinade: add sugar, salt, pepper, bay leaf and cloves to hot water. Bring to a boil. Pour in oil and vinegar, boil for 3 minutes and remove from heat.
6. Hot brine is poured over the vegetable mass. Cover with a plate and apply slight pressure. Leave for a day at a temperature of +18…+20°C.
7. After a day, the snack is ready to eat; store it in the refrigerator.

Take note:

How to prepare cabbage with vodka for the winter

Recipes for sauerkraut in its own juice

With tomatoes

According to this recipe, the cabbage turns out crispy and slightly spicy, and looks bright.

To prepare cabbage and tomatoes for the winter in jars you will need:

• white cabbage - 1 head;
• tomatoes (preferably finger tomatoes) - 1 kg;
• currant leaves - 4 pcs.;
• dill umbrella - 2 pcs.;
• garlic - 4 cloves;
• black peppercorns - 20 pcs.;
• allspice peas - 6 pcs.;
• bay leaf - 4 pcs.;
• water - 1 l;
• sugar - 2 tbsp. l. (with a slide);
• salt - 1 tbsp. l. (with a slide);
• vinegar 9% - 80 ml.

From the specified amount of ingredients, two two-liter jars are obtained.

How to cook:

1. The cabbage is peeled and chopped into strips.
2. Place 2 currant leaves, one dill umbrella, 2 cloves of garlic, 10 black peppercorns, 3 allspice peas, 2 bay leaves into sterilized jars. Place a layer of cabbage on top and tomatoes on top of the cabbage. The layers alternate to the top, the top layer should be tomatoes.
3. Bring the water to a boil and pour in the vegetables. Cover the jars with lids and leave for 20 minutes.
4. Afterwards, pour the water into a saucepan, add salt and sugar and bring to a boil. After boiling, pour in vinegar and remove from heat.
5. Fill the vegetables with hot brine to the top and roll up the lids. Turn the jars over and cover with a blanket until cool.

The finished snack is stored in the cellar or pantry.

Serbian cabbage

Serbian cabbage is prepared in whole heads. Flattened heads of cabbage are chosen for harvesting, so it’s easier to place them in a bucket or pan.

For cooking you will need white cabbage and salt. The brine is mixed in the proportion of 300 g of salt per 10 liters of water.

Preparation:

1. The top leaves are removed from the heads of cabbage and washed. Cut the stalk as deep as possible.
2. Salt is poured into the recess of the stalk. The heads of cabbage are placed in a container so that the salt does not spill out.
3. Prepare the brine: dissolve the salt in clean cold water.
4. They pour it over the heads of cabbage. It should cover them completely. Cover with a lid and leave on the balcony for 3 days. If the heads of cabbage float to the surface, they are pressed down under pressure.
5. Then the container is opened and the amount of brine is checked. If it becomes less, then add another portion. Then close and leave for 2-3 weeks.

The workpiece is stored all winter at a temperature of 0…+10°C. It cannot be exposed to frost.

Read also:

How to cook sauerkraut with caraway seeds

Recipes for sauerkraut with dill and its seeds

Recipes for sauerkraut with apples for the winter

With vinegar

With vinegar, the snack turns out tasty and crispy.

Main Ingredients:

• white cabbage - 5 kg;
• carrots - 0.6 kg;
• water - 2 l;
• sugar - 4 tbsp. l.;
• salt - 4 tbsp. l.;
• vinegar 9% - 4 tbsp. l.

Cooking algorithm:

1. The head of cabbage is chopped, the carrots are cut into strips or grated, and mixed.
2. Prepare the brine: add salt and sugar to hot water and bring to a boil. After boiling, add vinegar and remove from heat.
3. Pour hot brine over the vegetables and leave to cool.
4. After cooling, put it away for storage in a cellar or basement.

With hot brine

One of the fastest ways to obtain the finished product.

For cooking you will need:

• white cabbage - 300 g;
• carrots - 100 g;
• bell pepper - 100 g;
• salt - 1 tbsp. l.;
• sugar - 2 tbsp. l.;
• water - 1 l.

How to cook:

1. The head of cabbage is chopped, the carrots are grated, and the pepper is cut into strips. The crushed products are mixed and placed in sterilized jars.
2. Prepare the brine: add salt and sugar to hot water and boil for 3 minutes.
3. Pour the hot liquid over the vegetables and leave for a day at room temperature.
4. After a day, the snack is completely ready to eat; store it in the refrigerator.

Features of storing such preparations

Properly prepared salted cabbage is stored in barrels up to eight months, in cans - about six. During this time, it retains its beneficial properties. Store it in a cool, dark place, the optimal temperature is about 0°C. A lower temperature will lead to a decrease in vitamin C in the snack, a higher temperature will lead to oxidation.

Advice from experienced housewives

For salting heads of cabbage, experienced housewives recommend:

• start salting the heads of cabbage with the onset of frost;
• choose flattened heads of cabbage, as they are sweeter;
• use coarse rock salt without additives;
• do not salt cabbage in metal containers;
• do not add a lot of carrots - too much carrots make the cabbage soft;
• salt cabbage after the new moon, on the waxing moon;
• do preparations on men's day - Monday, Tuesday or Thursday;
• to extend the shelf life of the product, remove it from the container only with a clean spoon;
• To prevent mold from forming on the appetizer, place horseradish leaves on top;
• Store the workpiece in a cool, dark place, away from heating appliances.

Conclusion

Pickling in brine is a common way to prepare cabbage for the winter.So that it does not turn sour, does not “bloom” or become moldy, but delights you with its taste and crunch, you should pay attention to the choice of heads of cabbage and observe the proportions of the ingredients for fermentation.