How to deliciously prepare sauerkraut with bell pepper for the winter

Sour cabbage in different ways. Classic granny recipe is still popular, but housewives are experimenting and adding new ingredients.

Fits perfectly into winter preparations with sweet bell peppers. Thanks to him, the salad turns out to be bright and attractive, acquires a new, pleasant taste.

Selection and preparation of main ingredients

The taste and duration of storage of winter preparations depends on the quality of vegetables. Below we will discuss the basic rules for choosing the right ingredients for a quality starter culture.

Cabbage

Take mid-season and late varieties. Dense, crispy, juicy leaves are distinguished by a rich composition of vitamins and minerals.

Popular varieties for fermentation:

1. Glory. Average weight 3-3.5 kg. The upper leaves are light green, inside are white. At the end of September, the vegetable is ready for sour.
2. Belarusian. Dense heads of cabbage reach 3 kg by the end of September. During cultivation, the variety requires careful maintenance. It tastes good in any form.
3. Present. Bred by Soviet breeders in the early 60s. Round forks weigh no more than 3 kg. They differ in juiciness, sweetness.
4. Jubilee Semko. Oval heads of cabbage grow up to 4 kg. The upper leaves are covered with a waxy coating, the inner ones are white.
5. Moscow late. Large heads of cabbage reach 6-7 kg. They are distinguished by gray-green leaves. Do not crack. They do not require much attention when growing.
6. Amager 611. The maximum weight is 4 kg. The variety was bred 70 years ago. Resistant to low temperatures.
7. Kharkov winter. "Sits on the beds until frost. Gains weight up to 4 kg. Pests don't like this variety.
8. Stone head. Forks weighing up to 5 kg are characterized by bubble leaves. Outside, grayish green, inside - pale yellow.
9. The merchant's wife. Small round heads of cabbage weighing up to 3.5 kg, grow well in central Russia.
10. Mara. Cabbage from Belarusian breeders. Round forks weighing up to 4 kg. They are distinguished by dark green upper leaves with a waxy coating.

When choosing heads of cabbage for pickling, pay attention to the following indicators:

1. Weight. The optimal one is 2.5-3 kg.
2. Elasticity. When squeezing the fork with both hands, it does not lose its shape.
3. Sound. When squeezed, the creak of leaves is heard - the cabbage is dense.
4. Leaves color. The inner ones are white or greenish.
5. Taste. Sweet without bitterness.
6. The length of the stalk. Not more than 4-5 cm.

Bell pepper

Fleshy varieties are used in winter preparations. They are characterized by a thick wall.

Suitable for canning:

1. Vanguard. The main advantage is the high quality of the fruit. They are green and red in color, prismatic with juicy, fragrant pulp.
2. Adept. Differs in high productivity. The dark green and orange fruits are cube-shaped. The pulp is sweet.
3. Bogdan. The conical-shaped yellow-orange peppers have a juicy, sweet pulp.
4. Ideal. Fruits are cone-shaped, red. Wall thickness - from 8 to 10 mm.
5. Chocolat beauty... Chocolate pepper, prism-shaped pods. This is a high yielding variety.
6. Amber. It is characterized by high quality fruit. The green, orange peppers with delicate flesh are cone-shaped.

To understand which pods are suitable for canning, look at their base. Pepper, standing on 4 legs, is of the female type. It has a sweet, mild taste. It is consumed fresh.

Pod with 3 legs (chambers) - male type. It has a hard wall and a sour taste. After heat treatment, it becomes soft and sweet.

For blanks, fresh fruits are chosen, without signs of rotting and damage.

Why is Bulgarian pepper in the recipe

In combination with cabbage, pepper produces acid during fermentation. It prevents the growth of bacteria.

Bell peppers give the sauerkraut a sweet taste and make the harvest aesthetically pleasing.

The classic recipe for sauerkraut with bell pepper

Fermentation is a natural fermentation process based on the action of lactic acid bacteria. The vegetable's own juice serves as a preservative. It keeps bacteria from multiplying.

Advantages of pickling vegetables:

• use little salt;
• no vinegar needed.

Ingredients:

• cabbage - 2 kg;
• carrots - 150 g;
• bulgarian pepper - 250 g;
• coarse salt - 2 tbsp. l.

Step by step instructions for cooking:

1. The top leaves are removed from the cabbage.
2. Shred finely with a knife or chop with a special grater.
3. Knead with your hands until juice appears.
4. Chop the carrots on a coarse grater.
5. Cut the pepper into thin cubes.
6. Mix vegetables, add salt, knead.
7. Placed in a container, put a plate with a load on top.
8. The workpiece is kept at room temperature for 2 days.
9. On the third day, they put it in the refrigerator.

After 72 hours, the sauerkraut with bell pepper is ready.

Recipe variations

Cabbage is harvested not only by the fermentation method. Marinades, brines give vegetables different flavors.

With bell pepper and carrots

More vegetables in the composition - more benefits and vitamins. Such a salad will not only be a tasty addition to the diet, but also strengthen the immune system in the winter season.

Ingredients:

• cabbage - 2 kg;
• sweet pepper - 400 g;
• carrots - 400 g;
• onions - 400 g;
• vinegar 9% - 100 ml;
• coarse salt - 40 g;
• sugar - 50 g;
• sunflower oil - 200 ml.

Step by step recipe:

1. Remove the top leaves from the head.
2. Finely chop, sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt, knead.
3. Grind carrots on a coarse grater.
4. The pepper is cut into strips.
5. The onion is cut in half rings.
6. All vegetables are mixed.
7. Add the rest of the salt, vinegar, oil, sugar and stir.
8. They are laid out in clean, sterilized glass jars and rolled up with metal lids.
9. Store in a cool place.

In brine

Ingredients:

• cabbage - 2 kg;
• Bulgarian red pepper - 200 g;
• onions - 200 g;
• carrots - 400 g;
• water - 800 ml;
• salt - 40 g;
• sugar - 20 g;
• black peppercorns - 5 pcs.;
• bay leaf - 2 pcs.

Cooking steps:

1. To prepare the brine, salt, sugar, bay leaves, black peas are added to boiling water.
2. The cabbage is shredded.
3. Chop the carrots on a coarse grater.
4. The pepper is cut into strips.
5. The onion is cut in half rings.
6. The vegetables are mixed and laid out in clean, dry jars without tamping.
7. Vegetables are poured with cooled brine.
8. Put jars without lids in the refrigerator for 48 hours.
9. The containers are closed and kept in the refrigerator for another 2 days.

With mustard seeds

Mustard seeds give the dish an original taste and increase the shelf life of the piece.

Ingredients:

• cabbage - 3 kg;
• sweet pepper - 800 g;
• carrots - 500 g;
• salt - 3 tbsp. l .;
• sugar - 1 tbsp. l .;
• mustard seeds - 0.5 tbsp. l.

Cooking steps:

1. The cabbage is shredded.
2. Chop the carrots on a coarse grater.
3. The pepper is cut into strips.
4. Knead cabbage in a separate container.
5. Salt, sugar, mustard seeds are added. Stir and let it brew until juice forms for about 1 hour.
6. All vegetables are mixed.
7. Lay out in clean, dry jars.
8. Jars are kept open in the refrigerator for two days.
9. Closed containers are removed in a cool place.

With onion

An interesting recipe for lovers of a spicy and piquant taste.

Vegetables required:

• cabbage - 3 kg;
• large carrots - 2 pcs.;
• large onions - 2 pcs.;
• cloves - 3 pcs.

For brine:

• water - 800 ml;
• salt - 50 g;
• sugar - 25 g

Cooking steps:

1. To prepare the brine, cooled boiled water is mixed with sugar and salt.
2. Cut the cabbage into thin strips.
3. Chop the carrots on a coarse grater.
4. Cut the pepper and onion into half rings.
5. All vegetables are mixed.
6. Vegetable mass is placed in sterilized jars, poured with brine.
7. The containers are not covered with lids, they are left in a warm place for 2-3 days.
8. Pierce the mass with a wooden stick to release air.
9. After the specified period, close with lids and put away in a cool place.

Terms and conditions of storage

Store the workpiece in a cool place. The term and conditions of detention depend on the capacity and storage location:

• no more than 7 months - in wooden barrels in the cellar;
• 2 weeks - in glass jars in the refrigerator;
• 5 days - on the balcony up to + 10 ° С.

Tips from experienced housewives

To prepare delicious sauerkraut with bell pepper for the winter:

• use vegetables grown by their own hands or purchased from trusted manufacturers;
• choose heads of mid-season and late varieties with juicy, crispy leaves;
• use certain varieties of bell peppers and male types;
• take coarse-grained salt for fermentation;
• sealed glass jars, wooden barrels are suitable as containers;
• try different spices: cloves, paprika, turmeric, etc.

Conclusion

To cook delicious sauerkraut with bell pepper for the winter, they choose quality vegetables and follow the recipe.

Experienced housewives use proven varieties of cabbage and peppers. Choose dense heads of cabbage with white, juicy, crispy leaves. For canning, take male-type pepper pods. They have a more sour taste and add a spicy aroma to the workpiece.

There are many recipe options. By adding different vegetables and spices, it is easy to achieve optimal harvesting.