The pickling method of authentic Northeastern sauerkraut is as follows:
Tools/materials: kitchen knife, pot, gauze, cabbage, salt, water, pickle jar.
1. After buying fresh cabbage, put it on the balcony to dry for two days, remove the old leaves on the outside, and cut off the roots of the cabbage. Chinese cabbage can be cut in half, but baby cabbage does not need to be cut.
2. After the cabbage is processed, add enough water to the pot and blanch the cabbage in boiling water. The blanch time does not need to be too long, so that the pickled sauerkraut is delicious and not bitter. , soak the blanched cabbage in cold water, then take it out and drain it.
3. Prepare a clean container, preferably a vat, scald it with boiling water to sterilize it. First put a layer of salt on the bottom of the vat, then add a layer of cabbage to control the water. Add a layer of salt to the cabbage, put it into a jar, lay it flat and compact it.
4. After a few hours of installation, add water to the tank. Not too much, just enough to see the water. Then press the cabbage with large rocks to ensure that the cabbage is completely soaked in the water. In order to avoid If dust enters, cover it with a layer of gauze.
Notes on pickling sauerkraut
1. If the cabbage is too big, the mouth of the jar is too small, or you want the cabbage to pickle faster, you can also cut the cabbage in half and pickle it.
2. Don’t cover it. Pickled cabbage is afraid of heat and covering. If you are afraid of dust falling, just cover it with a layer of gauze. Be sure to press it with a heavy object like a stone to ensure that the cabbage is soaked in water and pickled. The last month or so will be fine.
3. When pickling, you should get it in a cool place, 2-8 degrees is the best. If there is any foam during pickling, you can skim it out regularly. If there is too little water, you can add it again. Add, be careful not to get oil on it, otherwise it will be very easy to rot.
4. The container for pickling sauerkraut is very important, because improper containers may cause the sauerkraut to become moldy and spoilage. It is recommended to choose ceramic jars or glass jars for pickling, because containers made of these materials are not prone to chemical reactions with sauerkraut and can better maintain the original flavor of sauerkraut.