Tips for storing sauerkraut in glass jars until spring

Every autumn, sauerkraut is harvested by Russian women in large quantities. The most popular container for storing it is glass jars.

With the right approach, it stays fresh, tasty and crispy for 4-8 months.

How to properly store sauerkraut for the winter in glass jars at home, for example, in a pantry, at what temperature the product should be stored, read the article.

Storage conditions: at what temperature

The optimal condition for storing cabbage is air temperature from 0 to +4 degrees. Minor and short-term deviations of 1 or 2 degrees in one direction or another will not affect the taste or shelf life of the product.

However, constant fluctuations should be avoided. Products must be stored under stable conditions.

Fermentation processes are quickly activated if the air warms up above + 7 ... + 10 degrees. In such conditions, the product will deteriorate in 3-4 days.

Cabbage becomes covered with an ice crust when exposed to frost (from -3 ... -5 degrees), if it does not have additional insulation. When the thermometer drops even lower, the jars freeze, despite the use of rugs or blankets.

How is it correct?

Buy cabbage in the fall. Only healthy, firm forks are suitable for fermentation, without signs of disease or rot... Greens of young heads of cabbage will not be stored.

The forks are washed, dried, chopped and placed in glass jars, filled with brine.

The choice of storage capacity deserves special attention... It is most convenient to use large containers. If the product is stored in the refrigerator, then cans of 2 and 3 liters are purchased. For the cellar, you can choose a container of 5 liters.

Before filling cans, they need to be processed. This is done in several ways:

1. Wash in warm water with baking soda.
2. Sterilization over steam. You can place the jar on the neck of a boiling kettle, or on a special lid that you put on a saucepan.
3. Sterilization with boiling water.
4. Sterilization in the oven. They are washed, dried and opened, put in the oven for 30 minutes.

If you plan to roll cabbage, you need to choose varnished lids covered with acid-resistant varnish. They are not afraid of the effects of acids, do not break down and do not emit harmful substances into the product.

You can close cans with nylon lids. Before use, they are washed in hot water with soda. The caps must fit snugly against the neck and not twist.

Pros of using glass storage containers cabbage:

• the ability to choose a container of a suitable size;
• ease of processing;
• affordable price;
• the possibility of reusable use;
• environmental Safety.

Accommodation options for the winter at home

Sauerkraut is stored in glass jars almost anywhere. The main condition is compliance with the temperature regime from 0 to +4 degrees.

Possible accommodation options:

1. Fridge. It provides ideal conditions for the cabbage packaged in cans. It will not deteriorate and is always freely available. The jars can be placed in the vegetable drawer or on a suitable shelf.

   The only drawback of the refrigerator is its limited space. If 5-8 cans were prepared, it is practically impossible to place them in the refrigerator.

2. Balcony. Cabbage in glass is stored on covered loggias and open balconies. If the winters are cold, the containers must be insulated with a blanket, blanket, quilted jackets, etc. Banks should be placed on a raised platform: on a table or in a box. They should not be exposed to direct sunlight.
3. Cellar. Jars of cabbage in the cellar are placed on the shelves. For additional protection from light, they can be wrapped in foil or newspaper. If the storage temperature is slightly below 0, you can insulate the container with any suitable material.
4. Pantry. It can be considered only under the condition that the air temperature in it does not exceed +4 degrees. When the pantry is in an unheated country house, cabbage is stored in it in the same way as in the cellar.

If the cabbage is not frozen, it must be covered with brine. The exposed product quickly deteriorates, it can become moldy. If there is not enough brine, you can add vegetable oil to the container.

Expiry dates

Expiry date of cabbage in the bank directly depends on the ambient temperature:

• in the cellar and in the refrigerator, subject to the tightness of the container, the product remains usable for up to 5-8 months;
• frozen, it is stored for up to a year;
• at room temperature, the product will deteriorate in 3 days;
• at a temperature of +10 degrees, cabbage will last no longer than 10-15 days.

Helpful information

Good storage tips sauerkraut in a jar:

1. If the jar is stored on an open balcony, the cabbage and pickle in it will freeze. To prevent the container from bursting, it should not be covered with metal lids. There should not be a lot of liquid in the jar.
2. The product should be thawed gradually at room temperature.
3. The lid on the jar must always be tightly closed. The less the cabbage is in contact with oxygen, the better.
4. Sugar, lingonberry or cranberry berries, mustard powder or mustard seeds are used as additional protection against mold (they are placed in a jar in a linen bag).

You will find all the most important things about storing sauerkraut here.

Related videos

How to keep sauerkraut in glass jars until spring, the video will tell you:

Conclusion

Many housewives store sauerkraut in glass jars. This is the most affordable and safest containerthat can be placed almost anywhere.

With the right approach and observing the temperature regime, the cabbage will remain fresh from autumn until the onset of heat.