Delicious recipes for sauerkraut with apples for the winter

The topic of the article is a recipe for sauerkraut with apples for the winter, beloved by many peoples of the world. Salad is rich in vitamin C, which is extremely important for maintaining immunity during the cold season.

We will share a delicious classic recipe sauerkraut with apples and options with other ingredients that add piquancy, freshness and juiciness to the dish.

Selection and preparation of main ingredients

There are three basic rules for preparing ingredients:

1. Buy tight white heads of cabbage that are flattened, dense and not too large. The stronger and juicier they are, the easier and neater it will be to cut them.
2. Choose carrots that are sweet, juicy and bright. Long carrot shavings of medium thickness are ideal for salad. Rub with sweeping movements over the entire length of the vegetable. The orange pieces will give the dish a bright color and make it more appetizing.
3. For apples, the late Antonovka variety is better suited. The fruits must be firm - then the apples will not become soggy during fermentation. They are placed whole, without being separated from the peel, or cut into two halves. Save the peel so that the pectin it contains promotes an active fermentation process.

Why is there an apple in the recipe?

An apple added to a sauerkraut salad will be a wonderful addition to the dish and will give it a pleasant and appetizing aroma.The apple contains a lot of useful vitamins and microelements (phosphorus, iron, zinc, potassium, etc.), which is especially important during the period of flu and colds.

How to ferment cabbage with apples at home

Ingredients for the classic recipe:

• cabbage - 1.5-2 kg;
• carrots - 150 g;
• salt - to taste;
• sugar - 2 tsp.

Step-by-step cooking instructions:

1. Peel the cabbage forks and remove parts that will not be used, chop into thin strips.
2. Remove the skin from the carrots and grate them.
3. Wash the apples, cut them into two parts or put them whole. Do not remove the peel, remove the core.
4. Place cabbage and carrots in a large container, add salt and sugar for canning. Mix them with light kneading movements. Cover them and leave for half an hour so that the vegetables release their juice.
5. After 30 minutes, mash the contents and add the apple, mix everything.
6. Place the salad under a press and place in a warm place for 3 days. Every day, pierce the cabbage to the bottom of the container several times to release accumulated gases.
7. Place the salad in sterile jars, cover with nylon lids, and store in a cool place.

During the fermentation process, foam forms on the surface, which must be removed.

With apple and cranberry

Ingredients:

• cabbage - 300 g;
• apple - 1 pc.;
• cranberry - 3 tbsp. l.;
• salt - to taste.

Cooking steps:

1. Wash the cabbage, remove the stalk and outer leaves, and cut into thin strips.
2. Sort and rinse the cranberries and core the apples.
3. Peel the carrots and chop on a medium grater.
4. Place cabbage in a large container, add salt and sugar. Mash all the contents to release the juice.
5. Place the leaves in the container in which the salad will be fermented, then layer cabbage, carrots, apples and cranberries. Place the leaves on top again.
6. Leave for several days. Piercing the lettuceso that excess air escapes and remove foam regularly.
7. Place the salad in a cold room, leaving it there for 1.5 weeks. Then place in sterile jars and put in the refrigerator.

With added raisins

List of ingredients:

• cabbage - 400 g;
• apple - 2-3 pcs.;
• a handful of raisins;
• salt - to taste.

Cooking process:

1. All initial actions are similar to the previous ones recipes.
2. When it comes to raisins, place them in a saucepan and rinse thoroughly several times. Add to the cabbage, salt and stir.
3. Cover the resulting vegetable mass with leaves and leave in a warm place to “simmer” for 3 days. Pierce the lettuce to release trapped air and remove foam, otherwise it will taste bitter.
4. Refrigerate the salad. After 2-3 weeks, the dish will be completely ready to eat.

Spiced

Ingredients:

• cabbage - 500 g;
• carrots - 4-5 pcs.;
• cloves - to taste;
• ground black pepper - to taste;
• sugar - 2 tsp.

Cooking process:

1. Rinse the vegetables. Grind the carrots on a medium grater and chop the cabbage. Combine vegetables, mix, mash to release juice.
2. Add salt, sugar, mix everything again.
3. For the brine: place spices in 2 liters of water, bring to a boil, pour in 2 tbsp. l. vinegar. Remove the brine from the heat.
4. Pour the spiced brine to the top of the vegetables.
5. Cover the container with a lid and leave until it cools, and then the salad is placed in a cool place for several days.

With honey

Honey in a vitamin salad adds a touch of piquancy, enriching its taste. This component makes the cabbage incredibly crispy.

Ingredients:

• cabbage - 500 g;
• carrots - 3 pcs.;
• apple - 1-2 pcs.;
• honey - 2 tbsp. l.

Cooking method:

1. Wash a forkful of cabbage, dry it, and chop it.
2. Wash the carrots, chop them and mix with cabbage leaves.
3. Remove the core from the apples, chop and add to the vegetables.
4. Add salt and pepper, mixing everything thoroughly.
5. Cover with a plate and leave for 2 days to ferment in a warm place.
6. Pour a little brine into a separate container to dissolve the honey in it, pour the honey-cabbage brine over the vegetables.
7. Cover the salad for 2 days. During this time, the fermentation process will be completed.
8. Place the finished salad in jars and store in the refrigerator.

Terms and conditions of storage

To extend the shelf life of the salad up to 3 months, place the preparation in the refrigerator at a temperature of +2 to +5°C. The ideal container is glass jars. In this case, the salad will retain all its properties for several months.

It is best to keep it in a cellar where the optimum temperature is set, where the sun's rays do not penetrate. We must not forget about the appropriate humidity level - 85-95%.

Advice from experienced housewives

According to the recommendations of experienced housewives, buckets and tanks without chips and plastic containers are suitable for ripening cabbage. Do not ferment salad in aluminum containers, as lactic acid oxidizes it. This will cause the cabbage to have an unappetizing metallic taste and an unattractive gray color.

Conclusion

If you follow all the details in preparing a winter salad and the rules for storing it, in winter you can serve the dish not only for the everyday table, but also for the holidays. A unique sauerkraut salad, its variations with various additives will benefit the body and strengthen the immune system.

Cabbage is served as an independent dish and used as an ingredient in other dishes. The taste and benefits combined in a crispy, juicy salad with a sweet and sour taste will make it an indispensable table decoration.