Pickling cabbage is the simplest and most common way of processing it for long-term preservation. Sauerkraut shouldn't be soft, sticky, or gray. Hand fermentation is especially good for the taste.
In order for the sauerkraut not to turn out soft, do not rush to ferment it immediately after harvesting. In the cabbage heads, the process of sugar accumulation continues for a long time, so they must mature. For example, late varieties of cabbage can be fermented only after December. Sauerkraut from early varieties in most cases does not acquire the desired crunchiness and turns out to be soft. Another reason that sauerkraut has become soft may be that it was frozen after harvest, or the cabbage contains too many nitrates. In this case, it has an unpleasant odor and a sweetish taste. The most common reason sauerkraut becomes soft is due to improper sourdoughing process. For example, you kept the cabbage for more than five days at temperatures above 20 ° C (the optimal holding time is from two to three days), or you did not pierce the fermented cabbage to release excess carbon dioxide from it, which is formed during fermentation. But, perhaps, the point is in salt: it is necessary to take only salted salt for fermentation. According to the traditional recipe for pickling cabbage, they take strong and healthy heads of cabbage, such as "Slava", "Moscow Winter". Do not take rotten, loose, sluggish or frozen cabbage heads for fermentation. Then the cabbage is peeled from the top leaves, chopped and gently mixed with salt. In no case should you crush chopped cabbage, otherwise it will turn out soft. It is also important to properly prepare the container for the cabbage so that the cabbage does not deteriorate and turn out soft. Wooden barrels and glass jars or enamel buckets are best suited for pickling cabbage. The main thing is that the enamel is free of fragments and intact. Aluminum cookware is not suitable for pickling cabbage because it will turn a healthy snack into a very dangerous dish. Since the walls of the dishes are corroded by the lactic acid released by sauerkraut during storage, harmful substances can enter the body.
