The best recipes for sauerkraut with beets from different nations of the world

Sauerkraut - a well-known dish, a source of vitamins and a means to support immunity on winter days. Sauerkraut recipes are found not only in the national cuisine of Russia, but also in many countries of Europe and Asia.

Often additional ingredients are added to cabbage: vegetables (mainly carrot and beets, sometimes pepper), fruits (apples), berries (cranberries, lingonberries), which give the product a different taste and color. How to salt cabbage with beets in different ways - we will tell in the article.

Selection and preparation of main ingredients

Mid-season cabbage varieties are more suitable for pickling. Early varieties of vegetables do not have a rich vitamin composition, later ones have a bitter taste, less sugar and excessive hardness of the head.

Interesting! The most delicious blanks are obtained from flat-rounded heads of cabbage, which are usually sweeter and juicier than other forms.

For blanks, small but heavy forks are chosen, since the severity indicates the maturity of the cabbage. Leaves of a vegetable suitable for sourdough should be fresh, juicy, soft and sweetish, and the head of cabbage should be tight and slightly crunchy when squeezed.

The color of the leaves of white cabbage should be exactly white, without greenery. Do not ferment cabbage, the leaves of which are eaten by insects or have brown and black areas, indicating that the vegetable is damaged by fungi and putrefactive bacteria.

Pay attention to the size of the stump: as a rule, the wide stump is rather short, and the narrow one, on the contrary, will be long.

The rest of the ingredients required for sourdough cabbage:

• carrots - root vegetables of any size, the main thing is that they should be juicy and sweet, since dry and sluggish tasty preparations will not work;
• beets - medium-sized root vegetable with a pronounced wine color;
• salt - food, coarse grinding.

Iodized salt is not suitable for cooking, as it gives the dish a specific flavor and reduces its duration storage.

Why beets in the recipe, what does it give

From the point of view of food technology, sauerkraut is a lactic acid fermentation product. It is rich in vitamins A, B and C, has a positive effect on digestion, helps to normalize and maintain intestinal microflora. But at the same time, the dish is contraindicated for gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer.

A close analogue is sauerkraut. During its processing, all the beneficial properties of a raw root vegetable are preserved, in particular, useful acids (citric, tartaric and malic), vitamins A, B (B1, B2, B9), C, E, PP, beta-carotene, potassium remain unchanged and phosphorus. Beets are low in calories and high in fiber.

In addition to imparting a delicate color and unusual taste to the workpieces, beets enhance the positive effects of the product on health and immunity.

How to cook sauerkraut with beets

There is no "classic" recipe for sauerkraut with beets: each housewife, based on her preferences, varies the amount of the main ingredients and the composition of the additional ones.

Here is a recipe with a minimum set of products.

Ingredients:

• cabbage - 1 kg;
• beets - 0.5 kg;
• salt - 2 tbsp. l.

How to salt:

1. The cabbage is chopped, the beets are rubbed on a medium grater, everything is placed in a saucepan of a suitable volume, covered with salt and mixed.
2. A plate with a load (a bottle of water) is placed on top of the mixture.
3. After 3 days, a crispy and colorful product is obtained. The vegetables are mixed again, laid out in jars, tamped and closed with lids (nylon).

The snack is stored in the refrigerator or cold cellar.

Recipe variations

There are many varieties of sauerkraut and beetroot appetizers, each with its own ingredients and flavor profile.

Sauerkraut with beets in large pieces

Ingredients:

• white cabbage - 2 kg;
• beets - 2 medium root vegetables;
• carrots - 2 medium root vegetables;
• garlic - 4 small cloves;
• chili pepper - ¼ pod;
• water - 1.5-2 l;
• salt - 3 tbsp. l .;
• other spices to taste.

Preparation:

1. Beets, cabbage and carrots are chopped to equal large pieces... Finely chop the garlic and pepper.
2. Vegetables, alternating, are immediately poured into a jar and garlic and pepper are spread between the layers in any order.
3. Then the marinade is prepared - salt is added to water at room temperature and stirred until it is completely dissolved. The solution should taste slightly saltier than regular soup.
4. Vegetables in a jar are poured with marinade "under the neck" and pierced with a wooden skewer so that the brine penetrates to the very bottom of the workpiece. If necessary, add the marinade.
5. The jar is placed in a bowl, into which excess liquid will drain, and placed in heat.

The workpiece comes to readiness 3-5 days, while at least 2-3 times a day the vegetables in the jar are pierced, and starting from the 3rd day they taste. Cover the finished snack and place in the cold.

In Georgian or in Gurian

Ingredients:

• cabbage - 2 medium forks;
• beets - 4 medium root vegetables;
• garlic - 2 large heads;
• hot pepper (red) - 1 large pod;
• salt - 1 tsp.

Brine:

• water - 2 l;
• salt - 2.5 tbsp. l. (with top);
• celery leaves and stalks - 1 bunch (100-130 g);
• black and allspice - a few peas;
• bay leaf - 2 pcs.

Preparation:

1. Cut the cabbage into equal pieces together with a part of the stalk and blanch in boiling water with salt for about 3 minutes.
2. The beets are thinly cut into slices, the peppers are freed from seeds and chopped, the garlic is cut or passed through a press.
3. The slices are placed tightly in jars, alternating layers of vegetables.
4. All brine ingredients are mixed and brought to a boil.
5. Hot brine is poured into jars filled with vegetables, greens from the brine are placed under the neck of the jars.
6. The jars are closed with lids and placed in a warm place for 2-4 days.

The finished snack is placed in the cold.

In armenian

Ingredients:

• cabbage - 3 kg;
• carrots - 0.7 kg;
• beets - 0.5 kg;
• greens - a bunch;
• garlic - 1 pc.;
• pepper - 3-4 pods;
• cherry leaves - 150 g;
• bay leaf - 5-6 pcs.;
• salt - 3 tbsp. l .;
• cinnamon - 3-4 g;
• water - 1 l.

Preparation:

1. Pepper, salt, bay leaf, cinnamon are poured into boiling water, everything is boiled for 1-2 minutes, after which the brine is cooled.
2. Cabbage leaves are cut into 2-4 parts, garlic is peeled and divided into cloves, carrots are cut into slices, beets are cut into slices, peppers are peeled.
3. All the ingredients are laid out in a barrel in layers: on the bottom - cherry and cabbage leaves, followed by chopped cabbage, then - the rest of the ingredients (carrots, beets, garlic, herbs, pepper).
4. The layers of cabbage and other ingredients are alternated until they are completely used.
5. All are tamped tightly.
6. Cabbage leaves are laid on top, the workpiece is poured with brine, which should cover the vegetables by 4-7 cm.
7. The barrel is covered with a cloth and the load is placed on top.

The barrel is stored at room temperature for five days, after which it is placed in the cold.

In korean

Ingredients:

• white cabbage - 1 head of cabbage;
• beets - 1-2 pcs. medium root vegetable;
• garlic - 3-5 cloves;
• onion - 1 pc.

Marinade:

• water - 1 l;
• salt - 2 tbsp. l .;
• sugar - ½ cup;
• vegetable oil - ½ cup;
• vinegar 9% - 30-40 ml;
• bay leaf - 2 pcs.;
• black pepper - 4-6 peas.

Preparation:

1. The cabbage is cut into 2x2 cm squares.
2. Beets are cut into strips or grated.
3. The garlic is finely chopped or passed through a press, the onion is peeled and cut into cubes or half rings.
4. All ingredients are mixed in a saucepan.
5. Prepare marinade - all ingredients (except vinegar) are placed in boiling water and boiled for 5-10 minutes. Then vinegar is added.
6. Pour the vegetables in a saucepan with hot marinade.
7. The pot with the workpiece is left at room temperature for 7-9 hours, and then put into the refrigerator for 7-9 hours.

Without vinegar "Like grandma's"

Ingredients:

• white cabbage - 5 kg;
• beets - 350 g (2-3 pieces of medium size);
• carrots - 300 g (2-3 pieces of medium size);
• garlic - 1 large head;
• chili pepper - 1 large pod;
• black bread "Borodinsky" - 100 g (optional).

Brine:

• water - 2.5 l;
• sugar - ½ cup;
• salt - ½ cup;
• allspice - 10-13 pcs.;
• cloves - 3-4 pcs.;
• bay leaf - 2-5 pcs.;
• spices (black peppercorns, cumin, cumin, etc.) - to taste, but not more than ¼ tsp.

Preparation:

1. All brine ingredients are boiled for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. The prepared brine is cooled.
2. The cabbage is cut into medium pieces and lightly squeezed. Beets and carrots are grated on a coarse grater. Garlic is finely chopped or passed through a press. The pepper is cut.
3. All the ingredients are placed in a saucepan: slices of bread at the bottom, covered with a layer of gauze, followed by squeezed cabbage, then garlic, pepper, and at the very top, beets and carrots.
4. All are poured with brine so that the liquid does not completely cover the mixture - the vegetables will give juice in a few hours.
5. Put oppression on top: a plate and a bottle of water (4-5 liters).

The pot is placed in heat for 4-6 days. Several times a day, vegetables are pierced with wooden sticks. In the middle of the process, viscosity may appear, which will soon disappear.

Important! The readiness will be checked from the end of the second day. As soon as the preparation has acquired the desired taste, it is transferred to cans, but without bread.

Tightly lidded jars are kept cold.

Terms and conditions of storage

A ready-made sauerkraut and beetroot appetizer is stored exclusively in the refrigerator at a temperature of + 1 ... + 5 ° C. If the temperature is higher, the fermentation process will continue and the taste of the product will change.

If necessary, the blanks are laid out in portioned bags and frozen. The shelf life of frozen salad reaches 7-8 months. This blank is ideal for making soups and salads.

Important! Sauerkraut with beets must not be re-frozen.

Snacks are stored in closed glass jars with a sufficient amount of brine, the shelf life of such blanks in the refrigerator reaches 1.5-2 months.

In an open container and in plastic containers without freezing, the snack is stored for no more than a week.

Tips from experienced housewives

Sometimes, when storing blanks in a cellar or basement, a fungus appears on them - a white bloom. You cannot use such a salad; it is permissible to use it exclusively for making soup, after removing the plaque first.

To avoid the appearance of plaque, when pickling cabbage, add sour berries - lingonberries or cranberries. You can also sprinkle the surface of the cabbage with granulated sugar, dry mustard, or grated root. horseradish.

Attention! During storage, the brine must completely cover the vegetables, otherwise the top layer will darken and become unusable. If there is little brine, add it.

The shelf life will be higher if you carefully pour the salad on top with a layer of vegetable oil and close the lid.

Conclusion

Sauerkraut with beets in cold weather will support the immune system and diversify the winter menu, and its preparation will not take much time. The busiest housewives will appreciate the classic salting recipes, while gourmets will appreciate the Georgian and Korean recipes.