How to pickle sauerkraut

The method of pickling sauerkraut is actually not very difficult. I believe you will be able to do it as long as you learn from me carefully.

Sour Cabbage

How to pickle sauerkraut

The sauerkraut can preserve almost all the nutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, inorganic salts, etc.

Especially vitamins, the preservation amount is more than 90%.

The lactic acid contained in sauerkraut is an organic acid that can be directly absorbed by the human body.

The yogurt we drink on a daily basis contains a large amount of probiotic lactic acid bacteria.

Lactic acid can be converted into acetic acid, oxidized into carbon dioxide and water, and produce a large amount of adenosine triphosphate.

Adenosine triphosphate is a substance required for human cell metabolism. It can treat chronic hepatitis, chronic cardiomyopathy, multiple neuritis, sequelae of cerebrovascular accident, etc.

Lactic acid can also stimulate the secretion of gastric juice and help digestion. At the same time, lactic acid can kill a variety of bacteria and inhibit the reproduction of putrefactive bacteria in the large intestine.

So, sauerkraut is good for the body~

However, many people are worried about the effects of sauerkraut on the body, such as nitrite.

Some of the sauerkraut sold for takeout contains excessive amounts of harmful substances because the merchants are motivated by profit and use additives or high temperatures to accelerate fermentation.

In fact, if you use the correct method and ensure the fermentation temperature and time, harmful substances can be reduced to a minimum without affecting your health.

The nitrite content reaches an obvious growth peak during the pickling process, which is called the nitrite peak.

Generally speaking, the nitrite content in pickled foods is highest between 4 and 8 days, starts to decline after the 9th day, and begins to disappear after the 20th day.

Therefore, in the winter environment in the north, it is most suitable to make sauerkraut.

There are a few things to note when cooking pickled cabbage:

Precautions for pickling sauerkraut

First: Use water tanks, enamel basins or plastic buckets as containers, and do not use any metal containers.

Second: The containers, tools and even hands used in the entire operation must not have any oil in them, as oil will cause the sauerkraut to rot.

Rotten sauerkraut cannot be eaten.

Third: The pickling temperature should be low to ensure that the sauerkraut ferments at a slow rate. The lower the temperature, the slower the fermentation rate.

If the temperature is too high and the sour taste is released too quickly, the sauerkraut will become sour and edible quickly, but it will contain a lot of harmful substances.

The suitable fermentation temperature is 5-10 degrees.

Fourth: It is best to keep the fermentation process as sealed as possible.

Fifth: Sauerkraut needs to be fermented at low temperature for a long time, and it will take at least one month before it can be eaten.

Okay, let’s talk about the pickling method.

First, place the selected cabbage outdoors for two or three days to evaporate some of the moisture.

Wash your hands and knives thoroughly and make sure they are completely free of oil. Cut off the old ends and bad leaves of the dried cabbage and cut it in half from the middle.

The pickling container should be clean and dry, and there should not be any oil in it.

Blanch the chopped cabbage in boiling water for a short time. Boil the roots first and then the leaves. It is done when the color of the cabbage turns slightly green.

Let the cabbage cool down first, then put it into the container with the cut side facing down, pressing it as tightly as possible.

After arranging them, put a stone on top and seal the mouth of the container with plastic wrap.

The next day, pour in clean water so that the water covers the cabbage, then cover it with plastic wrap to reduce contact with air for better fermentation.

It can be eaten after being pickled for 30 days at a temperature of 5-10 degrees.

During this period, pay attention to the water level in the container. If too much water is analyzed, scoop some out in time to prevent overflow.

Before eating, wash or soak it, squeeze out the water and then cook it.

I wonder if what I said is detailed enough? Let's take advantage of the winter deadline and stock up on some pickled vegetables to add some fresh flavor to the New Year's table~