. Storage location.
. The first factor that affects the safety of cabbage is the place where it will wait until it is served at the table.
You need to know that the fermented dish for storage requires coolness and lack of light. If you have a cellar at your disposal, this is the best option, otherwise use the refrigerator or balcony during the cooler seasons. The best temperature at which all the healthy properties of the dish will remain is 0 ° С, sufficient for storage - 2-5 ° С.Please note that at temperatures above the product will begin to ferment and will be spoiled, and at temperatures below - it will freeze and lose most of the vitamins. This is especially important to consider if you are going to store a large portion of cabbage for a long time. If it is not possible to stabilize the temperature at home, it is better to refuse to purchase or prepare such a large amount.
Storage container
Most often hostesses choose glass jars for sauerkraut. This is a great option, but not the only one. You can sour and store the product in metal pots, basins, as well as in wooden containers. The main thing is to fill them in with all the rules:
- brine must completely cover the cabbage, otherwise taste and useful properties will suffer;
- if the brine is not enough, you need to either press down the cabbage with a press, and if that does not work, add salted cool water;
- To protect the dish from mold, add cranberries or lingonberries, some sugar, mustard powder or a bag of mustard seeds.
The larger you chop a vegetable, the more vitamins and microelements will remain in it after preparation.
By the way, left without brine, the dish begins to quickly lose its useful properties. Therefore, it is necessary to reach the table with cabbage as soon as possible in small portions so that you do not have to throw out the uneaten or leeward. Do not forget that it is necessary to use only clean cutlery.If you do not want to monitor the storage temperature, add any preservatives to the cabbage, prepare it using sterilization and spin it in glass jars. In this case, it will be able to “survive” practically any storage conditions, but do not flatter yourself; such a processing method will not have the best effect on the amount of vitamins in cabbage.
Now you know everything you need for proper and long-term storage of sauerkraut at home, so that you and your family or guests can always enjoy your favorite and wholesome dish.
