The most common mistakes when pickling cabbage: what can be done to avoid them

The classic sauerkraut recipe is simple and requires no special skills. But even experienced housewives sometimes have incidents: the product darkens, acquires an unpleasant odor and sliminess. This indicates a violation of the cooking technology, since fermentation is a complex chemical process. What errors lead to a failure and how to avoid disastrous results - read on.

What happens if you undersalt cabbage with sourdough

Fermentation occurs as a result of lactic acid fermentation. Lactobacilli convert the sugar contained in vegetables into lactic acid, which activates vitamins and prevents the growth of putrefactive bacteria. To trigger this chemical reaction salt - optional ingredient. There are recipes for salt-free sauerkraut, but you have to get used to such a dish.

Attention. When added to shredded vegetables, salt acts as a catalyst in the fermentation reaction. It causes plasmolysis of cells and promotes increased secretion of juice - a brine is formed in which lactobacilli and other microorganisms multiply. In salt-free recipes, the water added to the workpiece plays the role of a nutrient solution.

If the technology is followed, on the second day, the brine should completely cover the vegetables. As it evaporates, the number of bacteria increases. Salt residues and lactic acid formed by lactobacilli inhibit the growth of other pathogenic microorganisms - as a result, the product does not rot, but is preserved.

Important. With a lack of salt, little brine is formed - the cabbage left without it will dry out or rot.

Can I add salt later

The billet is salted before the start of the fermentation process, that is, until foam and bubbles appear. Salt added later blocks the growth of lactobacilli. Eventually cabbage is not fermented.

Replenish in one of two ways:

• add salt and mix thoroughly;
• add ready-made brine at room temperature: 1 liter of water, 1 tbsp. l. salt and sugar.

If you add salt too late, the oppression is increased so that more juice is released. Or they use this cabbage for the first and second courses, and for salads they ferment a new batch.

The most common mistakes when pickling cabbage and their consequences

Lack of salting is one of the reasons why the dish does not work out. Other common mistakes also lead to sad results.

Choose a cabbage variety that is not suitable for pickling

To start the fermentation process, you need polysaccharides. In young cabbage and in the heads of late varieties, they are not enough. And often such a blank does not ferment, but dries up or rots.

Reference. Late varieties of cabbage accumulate polysaccharides as they are stored, so they are taken for fermentation no earlier than December.

Do not use oppression or opt for light oppression

The oppression is put so that the cabbage allocates more juice for the brine. Its other purpose is to reduce the amount of air in which harmful bacteria live.Without oppression, the product may deteriorate.

Do not withstand temperature and fermentation time

Fermentation takes place in three stages:

1. Reproduction of lactobacilli: at temperatures from + 17 ° C to + 24 ° C for 2-3 days. The brine becomes cloudy, foam and gas bubbles appear on the surface.
2. Lactic acid formation: 5-7 days at temperatures up to + 20 ° C. It inhibits the growth of microorganisms, and after fermentation, no gases are released from the cabbage.
3. Fermentation: in the refrigerator for several months. Mold grows in a warm place and the dish deteriorates.

Due to overexposure at the first stage, transparent mucus is formed in the cabbage - the result of the multiplication of lactobacilli.

Important. Excessive temperatures during the fermentation stage lead to the growth of harmful bacteria and fungi. Cabbage darkens and becomes inedible.

If the product is refrigerated before fermentation is complete, it will have an unpleasant smell of lactic acid.

Use dishes that are not suitable for fermentation

Lactic acid reacts chemically with the metal utensils... The resulting oxide darkens the cabbage.

Does not release gases from the product during the fermentation process

Gases are the result of active multiplication of bacteria. Because of them, cabbage takes on a bitter taste.

Iodized salt is used

Iodine is an active chemical element - under its influence the cabbage darkens and softens.

How to Know When Something Went Wrong - Signs of Wrong Preparation

You can understand whether the workpiece was a success by its external features and by taste.

How cabbage should not look like

The finished product has a white or pale yellow color, dense crispy texture and a spicy cabbage smell. The taste is sweet and sour, without bitterness.

The cabbage didn't work:

• if it has darkened;
• mucus appeared in it;
• she is soft and soggy or, on the contrary, dry;
• there is a foreign smell.

How to find out why the cabbage did not work

Is it okay to eat "snotty", dark or bad-smelling cabbage

Darkened, "snotty" or bad-smelling cabbage looks unappetizing, but is good for eating in the following cases:

• mucus is transparent;
• the product has darkened due to dishes, carrots, from insufficient salting or the use of iodized salt;
• the smell came from the dishes.

This cabbage can be used as an ingredient for first and second courses.

In other situations, the product is spoiled and it is dangerous to eat it.

Cooking tips and tricks

A few tips from experienced housewives:

1. For fermentation, choose white, not too dense heads of cabbage, harvested in September - October. Only white leaves are used and green leaves are removed.
2. Do not wash cabbage before shredding.
3. For fermentation, take a clean glass or enamel dish. Metal will darken the product, and wood will turn gray.
4. Carrots are cut finely, and not grated so that excess juice does not stain the cabbage.
5. Salt is used table salt, and not iodized, at the rate of 25-30 g per 1 kg of product.
6. During the shredding process, cabbage is crumpled by hand and placed tightly in a fermenting dish - this way more juice will stand out.
7. From the first day after fermentation, the brine level is monitored so that there is enough of it. If there is a lack of liquid, vegetables are removed without brine or a heavier oppression is used.
8. The oppression is not removed until the end of the fermentation process. Metal objects are not used as oppression.
9. Starting from the second day, the product is periodically pierced with a wooden stick to the bottom of the dish to release gases.
10. In the process of fermentation, remove excess foam or put dishes with the workpiece in a wide basin, where the foam will drain.
11. The desired temperature is monitored during the fermentation stage.
12. The product is ready when the foam ceases to stand out - for about 5-7 days. The finished cabbage is stored in the refrigerator.

Conclusion

For sauerkraut to be spicy, juicy and crispy, it is important right choose products, dishes, oppression and monitor compliance with technology at all stages of preparation. Lack of attention to detail is worth the taste of the product. The tips from the article will help you avoid mistakes when preparing this wonderful dish.