Sauerkraut combines the benefits of a fresh and fermented vegetable by retaining vitamin C and adding powerful health-promoting compounds. However, to get a tasty and crispy product, you need to at least know how much salt to add. We talk about the correct proportions per kg of cabbage and per three-liter jar.
Why can’t you add a little or a lot of salt?
Sauerkraut must contain the required amount of salt, which stimulates the growth of lactic acid bacteria and fermentation with their participation.
If the salt concentration is too low, cabbage can become very soft because this ingredient blocks the action of enzymes that break down fiber compounds in the form of pectin.
On the other hand, if you add too much salt, the cabbage may turn pink—this is also a consequence of the activity of unwanted yeast, or more precisely, the production of carotene pigments.
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What kind of salt is suitable for cabbage?
When pickling cabbage and other vegetables, you should use non-iodized salt. You also need to make sure that the composition does not contain anti-caking agents (usually sold in health food stores, but rarely found in supermarkets).
Anti-caking agents are added to powdered and finely crystalline foods to prevent particles from sticking together and maintain flowability. To them include silicates, aluminosilicates, magnesium and calcium carbonates, magnesium and calcium phosphates, magnesium oxide, silicon dioxide, ferrocyanides, cellulose.
How many spoons should I add per kilogram?
According to the rules, the salt level should be 2.25-2.5%, or up to 2.5 g of salt per 100 g of product – that is, 25 g per 1 kg.
Most often, cooks use a simple ratio: approximately 1 level tablespoon of salt (just 25 g) per 1 kg of cabbage.
Approximately this amount of vegetable should fit into a liter jar (depending on how tightly you can compact it).
And for a three-liter jar?
As a rule, one 3-liter jar requires 2-3 kg of cabbage. Therefore, you will need 50-70 grams of salt, or 2-3 tablespoons.
How to quickly prepare sauerkraut?
The recipe for sauerkraut is not complicated. But there are several nuances.
Discard the outer leaves of the cabbage and weigh the head, then cut it lengthwise and shred it. Set aside a few leaves before slicing. Line the bottom of the vessel with pieces of leaves, then layer shredded cabbage, sprinkle them with salt and beat them thoroughly, for example, with a fist or a wooden pestle. Reserve a little salt to sprinkle on top of the cabbage. Press the cabbage firmly to remove any air and ensure that it is covered in juices. Place a plate on top of the cabbage, weigh it down, for example, with a jar filled with water, cover everything with a clean cloth and set it aside for marinating. Look at the cabbage and make sure that it is covered with juice, and when it changes its smell to a pleasant one, start tasting it.
At a temperature of 18 degrees, fermentation lasts about 18 days; at higher temperatures it occurs much faster. When the cabbage reaches the desired acidity, place it in the refrigerator.
When to salt cabbage?
And earlier Telegraph wrote when to ferment cabbage in the fall.
2023-10-08 08:41:39
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