Unusual and delicious recipes for sweet sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is one of the most popular winter preparations. It is a useful addition to main courses, an essential ingredient in traditional soups and salads. The recipe for classic sauerkraut has been known for hundreds of years. During this time, many variations of it have appeared. Especially the housewives loved the sweet cabbage salad.

Sweet sauerkraut is not a shelf snack. It is quick and easy to prepare and has a rich sweet and sour taste. In the article you will find the most delicious and unusual recipes for sweet sauerkraut.

Choosing cabbage for harvesting

Sweet sauerkraut doesn't look like dessert. It has a sweet and sour taste and turns out to be more tenderthan a classic appetizer.

Making sauerkraut is easy. To make it crispy and taste good, it is important to select and prepare the main ingredient correctly.

Basic rules for choosing cabbage:

1. Only late varieties of vegetables are suitable for harvesting for the winter. Early and late maturing cabbage quickly becomes soft. Tough cabbage leaves of late varieties soften slightly during storage and become more tender.
2. If you use a quick recipe, then choose early or mid-season cabbage. These snacks are not meant to be stored for long periods They are consumed within 1-2 days after preparation. The tough leaves of late cabbage varieties during this time will not become softer, and the salad will turn out to be tasteless.
3. Large heads of cabbage are preferred. This is more profitable, since large and small heads of cabbage have approximately the same cabbage stumps (they are not used in cooking). This means that when choosing large heads of cabbage, the buyer does not overpay for an unnecessary core.
4. The selected head of cabbage should be free from damage, black spots, rot and other signs of disease. Even if you cut off the affected area, spores of fungi and bacteria will still end up in the salad. This will shorten the shelf life and negatively affect the taste.
5. The heads of cabbage should be firm and firm to the touch. It is important that they are covered with green leaves. Their absence suggests that they were spoiled and cut off.

Prepare cabbage before pickling:

1. The top green leaves are removed from the heads. They are washed, but not thrown away.
2. Heads of cabbage are washed in plenty of cold water.
3. Cut the stumps before cutting the cabbage - they accumulate the chemicals used in growing the vegetable.

The nuances of cooking sweet sauerkraut

The taste of cabbage depends on the quality of the ingredients used, compliance with the recipe, and even the container in which it is cooked. So that the cabbage does not turn out soft and bitter, you need to know the nuances of its preparation:

1. During sauerkraut, every 1-2 hours pierce it in several places with a long wooden skewer. This will allow the release of gas, which is formed in large quantities during the fermentation process. If this is not done, then the cabbage will turn out to be bitter.
2. For long-term storage, cabbage is prepared with clean hands, preferably with disposable gloves. Bacteria accumulating on the skin can soften and spoil vegetables.
3. During the fermentation process, the dish should stand at room temperature. This will make the cooking process faster.
4. Finished cabbage takes on a yellowish color.It should be crispy, not too soft and have a distinct aroma.

Additional ingredients

When preparing a sauerkraut, it is important to choose not only cabbage, but also some additional ingredients. They can spoil or improve the taste of the dish.

The juicier and sweeter the carrots, the tastier the snack will be.... Vegetables with green spots near the tail will not work - they will be bitter. Soft and lethargic carrots will not work either. Choose firm and resilient roots.

To salt the cabbage take a large stone table salt... Fine extra salt will not work - with it the cabbage will turn out to be salted. Iodized salt will soften the salad.

Besides the main ingredients, lingonberries are often added to the salad or cranberries, apples, Dill seeds etc. Sugar or honey is used as a sweetener.

Quick recipes contain vinegar... The table and apple varieties are used. The latter is considered healthier, but tastes mild.

Choice of containers

The choice of container for pickling also affects the taste of the salad. Salads are fermented in enamel buckets and pans, glass jars, wooden barrels... Enamelled containers and glass do not change the taste of the product, wood gives the snack a pleasant aroma.

You cannot ferment cabbage in metal unenamelled containers.... In this case, the metal will oxidize, which will lead to a deterioration in the taste of the salad and the penetration of harmful substances into the ingredients.

Plastic containers are not suitable for preparing salads... Sour cabbage juice reacts with polymers. Plastic begins to release compounds into the salad that are not just harmful, but hazardous to health.

Important! Many recipes use oppression. In this capacity, a jar of water or a stone is used. Kettlebell and other metal objects will not work, as they will oxidize when interacting with cabbage juice. A stand is placed under the oppression, which is smaller in size than the hole in the container for salting cabbage. It can be a wooden circle, an enamel lid from a saucepan, a plate.

Step-by-step instructions for a classic recipe

The classic sweet sauerkraut recipe is not much different from the way this salad is made without sugar.

The composition of such a snack includes a minimum of ingredients.:

• cabbage - 5 kg;
• carrots - 1 kg;
• sugar - 10 tbsp. l .;
• salt - 4 tbsp. l .;
• water - 4 l.

This recipe involves pickling cabbage leavening. It is not necessary to use oppression:

1. The cabbage is washed, peeled from the upper leaves, and finely chopped. Carrots are peeled, washed and grated in a Korean style for vegetables.
2. In a separate container, mix cabbage with carrots. Vegetables should be slightly mash.
3. The mixture is transferred to a bucket or pan, tamping tightly.
4. Hot water is poured into a liter jar, salt and sugar are poured. The ingredients are mixed until completely dissolved.
5. The brine is allowed to cool. After that, it is mixed with the rest of the cold water.
6. The brine is poured into a bucket of vegetables. The liquid should completely cover the salad.
7. Cover the pan with gauze and a lid. It is left at room temperature for 2-3 days.

A properly prepared salad tastes sweet and sour. The vegetables are crispy and juicy.

Council. Purified water is used for the brine. Tap water negatively affects the taste of the snack.

Recipe variations

There are many ways to make sweet sauerkraut at home. Some of them include unusual ingredients. Below are the best recipes.

Fast way

An appetizer prepared according to this recipe is eaten within a few hours after pickling. Such a salad is not suitable for preparation for the winter - it is stored for no more than a week in the refrigerator.

Ingredients:

• cabbage - 3-4 kg;
• garlic - 6 cloves;
• odorless sunflower oil - 0.5 cups;
• table vinegar or apple cider - 0.5 cups;
• sugar - 7 tbsp. l .;
• salt - 8 tbsp. l .;
• water - 0.5 l;
• carrots - 3 pcs.

The amount of salt and sugar is varied to your liking.

How to make a delicious cabbage snack quickly:

1. The cabbage is peeled from the top leaves and finely chopped. Carrots are washed, peeled and grated in a Korean style for vegetables. The garlic is finely chopped or passed through a special press.
2. The vegetables are mixed in an enamel saucepan. They are crumpled to make the juice stand out.
3. The water is brought to a boil. Vegetable oil and vinegar are poured into it, sugar and salt are added. The brine is boiled until the sugar and salt dissolve.
4. Vegetables are poured with hot brine. A wooden circle and oppression are placed on top.
5. Salad is marinated at room temperature. It will be ready for use in 3 hours. After a day, its taste will be more intense.

Finished pickled vegetables are stored in the refrigerator in glass jars.

Council. It is more convenient to cut cabbage not with a knife, but with a special shredder.

In its own juice

Pickled cabbage in its own juice prepared dry. This recipe is considered the healthiest. It contains a minimum of ingredients.

Ingredients:

• cabbage - 5 kg;
• sugar - 4 tbsp. l .;
• salt - 2 tbsp. l .;
• carrots - 4 pcs.

This recipe will require oppression. It is he who promotes the release of juice from vegetables.

How to ferment cabbage in your own juice:

1. The top green leaves are removed and washed. They cover the bottom of the container in which the cabbage will be salted.
2. The head of cabbage is washed and finely chopped. Carrots are washed, peeled and grated.
3. Vegetables are mixed in a separate container. Salt is added to them and crumpled until the ingredients release juice.
4. The vegetables are transferred to a container, where they will ferment, carefully tamping. A wooden stand and oppression are placed on top.

The fermentation process lasts 2-3 days, then the vegetables are transferred to the refrigerator.

Council. You can improve cooked sauerkraut. To do this, before serving, add a small amount of sunflower oil and onion cut into thin half rings.

With vinegar and beets

Cabbage cooked with beets according to this recipe, has an unusual light burgundy color and looks original in the photo. Beets give a specific taste and make the dish healthier.

Ingredients:

• cabbage - 5 kg;
• red beets - 5 small root crops;
• table vinegar - 5 tbsp. l .;
• water - 1.5 l;
• bay leaf - 6 pcs.;
• salt - 2 tbsp. l .;
• sugar - 3 tbsp. l .;
• black pepper - 10 peas.

The salad prepared according to this recipe can be stored in a cold place for up to a month.

How to cook:

1. The cabbage is washed and peeled from the upper leaves. It is thinly chopped or cut into squares.
2. Beets are washed and peeled. Then cut into thin slices or tinder on a coarse grater.
3. Vegetables are mixed in the container where the appetizer will be prepared. They need to be crushed a little to mix the juices.
4. The water is brought to a boil. Sugar, salt, bay leaf and peppercorns are added to it. The mixture is boiled for 10 minutes. Then add vinegar and boil for another 2 minutes.
5. Pour vegetables with brine. The container is covered with gauze and left in a warm place for 2-3 days.

Beetroot juice is difficult to wash off hands. Therefore, it is recommended to work with this vegetable with disposable gloves.

In honey brine

This method of cooking with honey Lovers of unusual combinations will like it. Honey and a set of spices give the salad an unusual taste.

Ingredients:

• cabbage - 5 kg;
• apples - 3 pcs.;
• carrots - 2 pcs.;
• water - 1.5 l;
• cumin - 1 tsp;
• honey - 4 tbsp. l .;
• salt - 1.5 tbsp. l.

If desired, add black and allspice peas to the appetizer. They will make the dish more spicy.

Cooking method:

1. The cabbage is washed, peeled from the upper leaves and finely chopped. Peel and rub the carrots on a coarse grater. The apples are peeled and coreless and also rubbed on a coarse grater.
2. Vegetables are mixed in a separate deep container. Cumin and salt are added to them. The ingredients are crumpled with your hands until the juice comes out. The vegetables are transferred to a container where they will be pickled.
3. Dissolve honey in warm, purified or boiled water. After the brine has completely cooled down, they are poured with a vegetable mixture. A wooden circle and oppression are installed on top.

Green apples are best for this recipe. The ideal option is the Antonovka variety.

Terms and conditions of storage

Sauerkraut stored in the refrigerator, cellar or balcony... It is best to put the appetizer into liter glass jars and close with nylon lids.

The shelf life of a snack depends on its composition... Vinegar and vegetable oil recipes are not meant to be prepared for the winter. Classic cooking options allow you to keep the snack for up to 2 months.

Tips from experienced housewives

Experienced housewives know a few secrets of cooking sauerkraut:

1. To speed up the process of fermenting vegetables in winter, place a container with salad near the battery.
2. Not all housewives manage to cut the cabbage thinly. If there is no shredder at home, then a special knife for cleaning vegetables, which is called a "housekeeper", will help to get thin, long strips.
3. All recipes include spices if desired. Bay leaves, black and allspice, coriander seeds, dry mustard go well with cabbage.
4. To prevent the appetizer from becoming moldy, cover it with mustard plaster.

Conclusion

Sweet sauerkraut is an interesting variation on a classic recipe. It has a sweet and sour taste and does not need additional additives.

There are many variations in the preparation of sweet cabbage. Some of the recipes include unusual ingredients - they add originality to the dish. Try all of the recipes to determine the best snack.