Sauerkraut is a source of vitamins in winter and diversifies the winter table well. It is an important ingredient in such famous dishes of Russian cuisine as vinaigrette and cabbage soup, goes to the filling for pies and pies. We will find out which varieties of cabbage are best used for pickling, how to choose cabbages for this, and how such pickled stock is stored.

Which cabbage is suitable for salting - red or white

White cabbage is traditionally fermented here for the winter. Our rare red-headed variety is also suitable for this, but has a somewhat specific island flavor. Otherwise, it turns out the same as the usual white varieties - crunches, juicy and tasty.

Did you know? An acute taste of red cabbage is given by anthocyanins - antioxidants found in purple fruits. Everything else in this variety contains more carotenoids, vitamin C and manganese than in white vegetables. But the latter are richer in vitamin K.

You can not guess which grade is better, red or white, but ferment their mixture. This option will provide you with a wider range of vitamins. In some recipes, the red variety is added when pickling white to obtain a color.

How the ripening time affects the process

Not every head of cabbage should be fermented. What kind of cabbage to use for such harvesting is affected by the timing of its ripening.

Early grades

In early ripening and early ripening varieties, the amount of sugars sufficient for the normal process of souring does not have time to accumulate, therefore they are not taken for harvesting. They have delicate and soft leaves. Such a cabbage, if fermented, will be sluggish and quickly turn sour, therefore, usually such heads of cabbage are used to prepare vitamin spring salads and other dishes.

Did you know? In Russia, cabbage was called "mistress" and fermented no earlier than Sergius Day (October 8). A correctly made product retains all vitamins in barrels for at least 8 months.

Mid-ripening and late-ripening varieties

In medium or late varieties, the sugar content is already higher, and it is they that are suitable for pickled product. Some housewives prefer to pick mid-ripening varieties, and later to set aside for storage, while others believe that tighter and crisp cabbage heads of later varieties are better.

Appearance of cabbage: the main selection criteria

To choose the right cabbage for pickling, you should be guided by the appearance.

First of all, you need to consider the following:

1. For harvesting, you need medium or late cabbage. Between a round or flat form of the vegetable, you should choose a somewhat flattened one, since it is most often inherent in late varieties.
2. A large specimen weighing 3-5 kg ​​or at least at least 1 kg should be selected.
3. It is necessary to choose a white head of cabbage, since such specimens in the leaves contain more sugar, which is required for the fermentation process. In a section it should be light green shades and rather tight. A soft copy will not work.
4. The vegetable should have a crunch and a slightly sweet taste.
5. No stains or damage should be observed on the vegetable.
6. The stump section should be light and at least 2 cm in diameter.
7. It is recommended to determine the suitability of a head of cabbage also by smell, since the product exuding an unpleasant odor is unsuitable. The vegetable should have a cabbage smell.

How to choose the best varieties

Consider which middle and late varieties are best suited for pickling.

Ripe cabbage

The vegetation period of these varieties lasts 110–150 days, and ripening occurs in August-September.

The following varieties of medium terms are perfectly suited for pickling:

1. Glory-1305. It gives abundant harvests and for many years is considered the best option for fermentation, it turns out with a crunch. Vegetation lasts 95 days. Heads are transportable and stored for a long time.
2. Present. It is characterized by a wax coating, good transportability and safety of heads of cabbage, and also it has fairly elastic leaves. Fermentation does not lose its palatability until 5 months.
3. Anniversary F1. It forms heads with excellent taste, suitable for any workpiece weighing up to 4 kg.
4. Miracle to salting F1. A hybrid from the Dutch, which has a great advantage - does not crack and is resistant to disease. Pleases with magnificent juiciness and taste.
5. Belarusian. An old and well-deserved variety with excellent keeping quality and transportability, but it does not tolerate heat. It forms round heads with outer dark green foliage and almost white inside.

Did you know? 2 times more vitamins are stored in heads of cabbage, fermented whole or in large halves. A lot of vitamins are also found in brine, so it is used to relieve a hangover syndrome and in home cosmetics.

Late ripe cabbage

For any workpiece, they prefer to take late varieties.

Consider the most popular of them:

1. Turkiz. The vegetation period is 110–120 days. Has a firm head, does not crack. Usually processed for fermentation before the onset of winter.
2. Geneva F1. It has good long-term storage capacity, almost until the next harvest season. You can ferment in the spring.
3. Amager. Perhaps the most suitable option for pickling, since over time the taste is significantly improved. You can store for six months.
4. Moscow late. A high-yielding variety that is very crispy. The weight of a head of cabbage is 7-15 kg.
5. Kharkov winter. Fermented product from it lasts up to 6 months, but you need to process it for fermenting the heads of cabbage immediately after collection. The variety produces abundant crops and has an excellent taste. In addition, this species is unpretentious, it tolerates frost and drought well.
6. Valentine F1. Hybrid with excellent ability to be stored until the summer, resistant to disease. One of the best options for Siberia, a universal destination with great taste.

Features of storage of the finished product

In the fermented form, cabbage should be stored at a temperature of about 0 ... + 5 ° C. Lowering the temperature below this mark leads to the loss of many useful substances in it, especially vitamin C. Typically, such a product is kept in the basement, refrigerator or on the balcony. Moreover, if the product in barrels under such conditions is stored for up to 8 months, then in glass jars - only half a month.

Important! It should not only choose the heads of cabbage, but also how to ferment them. Upon contact with oxygen, when vegetables are not completely covered with brine, or improperly added salt, sauerkraut may turn black.

There must be a brine on top, vegetables should not peek out of it. In brine, you need to periodically pour a little sugar on top. Over time, it will cause the appearance of vinegar, which will well save the product from the appearance of mold. To increase the shelf life, you can add lingonberry and cranberry berries during cooking. To ferment, you need to take cabbage of late or medium terms. Selected vegetables should be without spots and other flaws, be dense and white.