There are many tips and recipes for saving vegetables from your garden during the winter. Many salt, pickle, soak in barrels or freeze them. The main thing is to make the vegetables remain healthy and tasty for a long time.
Cabbage - what is it
Cabbage is a biennial plant of the genus Cabbage. There are many varieties of this culture. Archaeological excavations confirm that they began to use it as food during the Stone and Bronze Ages, the Egyptians began to cultivate the culture, the Romans and Greeks later mastered the technology. In those days, they knew from three to ten varieties. The modern variety of hybrids is in the hundreds.
Cabbage is considered a very useful product for the body. It contains fiber, trace elements and vitamins, although it has a very low calorie content.
Cabbage leaves are used not only for cooking, but also in winemaking, as well as for the manufacture of healing broths.
It is customary to divide cabbage varieties into early and late. The former are usually eaten raw and used for salads and winter preparations. But late cabbage is more suitable for storage.
Traditions
In Ancient Russia, cabbage was cut off for storage only after September 27. This is an Orthodox holiday, which made it clear that it was time to make preparations for the winter. It was at this time that a series of “skits” began - fun autumn festivities.
Interesting Facts
A fairly significant event in the vegetable industry occurred in 2012, when cabbage weighing 63 kg was grown. It happened in the USA. For many years, a cabbage of cabbage weighing a little less than 52 kg was considered to be record-breaking large.
It is also considered interesting that cabbage contains a shock dose of ascorbic acid, although most people believe that lemon is the leader in the amount of vitamin C. Just 200 grams of this raw vegetable is enough to saturate the body with ascorbic acid. It is important that during heat treatment the amount of vitamin in the cabbage only increases.
Rules for harvesting cabbage for the winter
In order to enjoy a tasty and healthy vegetable all year round, it is important to follow some rules. It all starts from the moment of planting cabbage seedlings. Leave a sufficiently large distance between the plants. During growth, cabbage leaves are widely spread and can interfere with each other.
Cabbage for the winter will turn out only if its integrity is not violated. To do this, it is important to check the leaves during the ovary for small bugs and aphids.
If at the base of the cabbage the leaves are too thick, then most likely you have overdone with fertilizers. This often occurs as a result of an excess of nitrates.
A dense elastic head of cabbage weighing at least 1 kg can be stored throughout the winter in a cool, dark room. It is important that during circulation air circulates in it, because otherwise the vegetable may begin to rot.
The best cabbage for the winter is stored at a temperature of 0 to +5 degrees, a white-cabbage vegetable can retain its properties at -8 degrees, but lower temperatures are contraindicated.
Most farmers know that cabbage can not be stored on the ground, it is best to hang it or put it on shelves. If you want to store white cabbage on the balcony, then it should be wrapped in paper and put in a special box. You can also sprinkle heads of cabbage with sand or put in a rag bag.
Do not forget to clean the cabbage from the top leaves before use and place in salted water for 30 minutes. So you not only get rid of dirt and dust, but also destroy possible parasites.
Cabbage for the winter: recipes and recommendations
Cabbage of any grade can be fermented, salted, rolled up in jars and frozen. It all depends on your preferences and taste preferences. It is best to store cabbage in small portioned containers so that it does not stand for a long time in open form.
Sauerkraut
Fermented white cabbage for the winter is a tradition that came to us from the ancient peoples and tribes that inhabited Russia. Then the cabbage was cut and placed in huge wooden barrels. Now this process has become much easier.
The simplest way of starter culture is the following: 3 kg of cabbage are chopped, mixed with grated carrots and onions (all 1 pc.). Then it is necessary to prepare the brine: in boiled water (1 liter) add salt and sugar, 1 tablespoon each, let cool completely. Pour the cabbage with brine and put in a jar. We close it with a plastic lid and set it for 3 days in a dark cool place, periodically mix. Tasty sauerkraut is ready for the winter, you can start dinner!
Salad cabbage
This is a more complicated recipe for pickling garden cabbage. For cooking, you need 2.5-3 kg of cabbage, 2 medium carrots, 1 head of onion and garlic, apple vinegar (2 tablespoons), a little more than half a glass of sugar, 2 tablespoons of salt, 150 ml of vegetable oil and 1 liter of water for the marinade.
As expected, we chop the cabbage, and rub the carrots and onions on a coarse grater and cut them into cubes, respectively. A mixture of vegetables in a large container should be slightly wrinkled with your hands so that they let the juice go.
Cooking marinade. We boil a liter of water, into which we add salt, sugar, finely chopped garlic, vinegar and oil. Pour the cabbage immediately with the marinade. All must be mixed and covered, put a press on top. At room temperature, the cabbage will be soaked in juice for about a day. Then it should be laid out in banks and placed in the refrigerator. Such sauerkraut in banks can be stored for a long time in the winter, but, as a rule, households eat it very quickly.
Grandma's recipe
For the preparation of crispy and tasty cabbage you will need about 3 kg of this vegetable, as well as 1 medium carrot. For brine, take 1 liter of water, 2 tablespoons of salt and one sugar, several peas of allspice.
A delicious cabbage in a jar for the winter will work out only if you finely chop it. Remember cabbage and grated carrots so that they slightly let the juice. Marinade is prepared very simply: boil the water and add salt, sugar and pepper to it. Allow to cool completely, and pour the cabbage in a jar of marinade. It is necessary to store the workpiece in the refrigerator, closing it with a capron lid.
Salad "Ginger"
The process of preparing such a salad is not complicated, but it takes a lot of time. Therefore, it is best to prepare all the vegetables in the evening and let them brew until morning, then the harvesting will not seem difficult to you.
White cabbage for the winter, the recipes of which we offer you, very often becomes a table decoration, it is served with meat or fish, or, as an independent snack.
To prepare the delicacy you will need about 2-3 kg of garden vegetables, as well as 500 grams of carrots, sweet pepper and onions. If you want to cook not so much salad, then divide the amount of ingredients in half. Also at hand should be half a glass of 9% vinegar and a glass of sunflower oil. Do not forget about salt and sugar, they need to be added in the amount of 2 tablespoons.
Vegetables must be finely chopped. Currently, many housewives use food processors - this greatly simplifies the process of creating blanks for the winter. So, in a large container we lay prepared vegetables, salt sugar and a glass of sunflower oil. Mix everything thoroughly and leave it for 10-12 hours so that the juice stands out. If there is not enough juice, then you should add a glass of water to the pan and put on fire. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remember to mix the salad periodically. After the vegetables are ready, add half a glass of vinegar and mix all the contents. It is necessary to withstand the salad for another 2-3 minutes on fire, then put it in jars and roll it up. Such a delicacy can be enjoyed not only in winter but also in summer.
Spicy vegetable salad
In fact, you can make a salad not so spicy, just by reducing the declared amount of pepper. Delicious cabbage recipes for the winter, most often the housewives share with each other, while slightly modifying them to their preferences.
For a salad you will need:
- Cabbage.
- Carrot.
- Bow.
- Cucumbers
- Tomatoes
- Bell pepper.
All of the above components should be in the amount of one kilogram. Also for refueling you need salt (5 tablespoons) and sugar (5 teaspoons), and one glass of vegetable oil and vinegar, as well as pepper to taste.
All vegetables must be chopped or chopped. Those who value their time can do everything on one grater. Some prefer larger pieces of vegetables, then they should be cut. We mix all the vegetables in a large saucepan, add salt, sugar, vinegar and oil, and mix again. The mixture should stand for at least an hour. After this time, bring the salad to a boil over a fire and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Then it needs to be rolled up in sterile jars. Delicious cabbage is stored for the winter in the basement or closet, away from sunlight.
Peppers stuffed with cabbage
Such a dish looks very impressive on any holiday table, especially in winter. Choose a smaller sweet pepper, because it is more convenient to put it in jars. Well, if you find a vegetable of different colors, then it will turn out not only delicious, but also beautiful. For the recipe, 10-15 small peppers are suitable. You will also need 1 kg of white cabbage and a bunch of parsley.
For the marinade you need 1 liter of water, a glass of sunflower oil and vinegar, as well as 180 grams of sugar and 2 tablespoons of salt. Before stuffing, pepper must be prepared. In boiling water, dip the peeled and washed vegetable for no more than 5 minutes. Then put it on a plate and let cool.
Cabbage should be chopped very finely, it should be crushed a little with your hands - it is easier to stuff pepper. Add finely chopped parsley to the cabbage and mix everything.
Proceed to fill the pepper. Do not stuff the cabbage too tightly into it, because it will not be able to soak in the juice. Put pepper in sterilized jars.
Cooking marinade. We boil water and add vinegar, oil, salt and sugar to it. This mixture needs to be boiled for about 3 minutes. Then fill the marinade with pepper and roll the jars. Such a delicacy is stored for a long time. It should be noted that with an increase in the amount of pepper, you need to cook more marinade. Many housewives sterilize cans of pepper additionally. To do this, the jar is covered with a sterile lid and put in a pan with warm water. A liter jar in this way should be boiled for about 10 minutes.
Recipe for cabbage in jars for the winter
The classic recipe for such a dish involves barrel storage of cabbage. However, you can put it in jars or other containers. 10 kg of garden cabbage are finely chopped along with 200 grams of carrots (this is 2-3 medium root vegetables). Add 200 grams of salt and 50 grams of sugar. It is necessary to mix and mash the cabbage well. Then the cabbage must be placed under oppression for 2-3 days, at room temperature. Previously, this was done using gauze, on which a wooden circle was placed. Now you can use the plate on which to put a three-liter jar of water.
Very tasty cabbage for the winter will turn out and if you shift layers of chopped vegetable whole leaves. Then, several times a day, such a mixture must be pierced with a skewer to release the gas resulting from fermentation. After three days, the fermentation process will stop and the cabbage will need to be placed in a cooler place. Before eating, many wash it. However, you can not do this. For completeness, chopped onions can be added to pickled cabbage and seasoned with vegetable oil.
Souring cabbage with quarters
This recipe is suitable for those who are tired of the classic options for sourdough, as well as for housewives who do not have time to chop. Sauerkraut for the winter is a very tasty and healthy snack. Many housewives chop some of the vegetables, and part are divided into pieces - this is a matter of taste. If the heads are large, then it is better to divide them into 6 or 8 parts, in this form they are easier to put in a jar. It is better to remove the stump, because many believe that it contains a lot of harmful substances. Then cabbage (2-3 heads of cabbage) is cut and combined with a carrot (it must be grated on a coarse grater). We prepare the brine according to the previous recipe. At the bottom of a large pan we lay cabbage leaves and prepared ingredients on top, lay the whole cabbage in layers and fill it with brine. We put it under the press again and wait 2-3 days.
Fast cabbage
In order to cook your favorite dish and try it after a day, and not wait a few days, you will need: 2 kg of cabbage, 300 grams of pitted prunes and half a kilogram of carrots. For pouring: 800 ml of water, a glass of oil and vinegar, sugar (1 glass) and 2 tablespoons of salt.
All vegetables must be cut (the cabbage is finer so that it has time to soak in the marinade). Mix them in a large container and fill with pre-cooked and cooled brine. To prepare it, you need to add all the ingredients in boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes. We put the cabbage under the press and wait 12 hours, after which you can try.
Reviews
There are many recipes for the starter culture and storage of cabbage for the winter. Each housewife chooses the right method for her family. It is worth paying attention to the fact that the leaven of cabbage is mainly done in 2 ways: quickly and slowly. Each recipe is good in its own way. Such cabbage can stand for the whole winter (in this case, the cans should be put in a cold place).
Reviews of people who themselves grow and ferment cabbage for the winter are different. Many believe that this vegetable should be consumed in its raw form, and some perceive cabbage only in pickled form. In any case, it is a matter of taste. The main thing is to observe the proportions of sugar and salt and make sure that the vegetables remain tasty and crunchy.
The cabbage prepared according to the recipes proposed in the article for the winter is very tasty and healthy!