Sauerkraut with honey: recipes, pickling rules, beneficial properties

Sauerkraut with honey is a recipe that will not leave anyone indifferent. Vigorous, crispy, juicy, with a spicy note of honey, cabbage will become a favorite snack on the table. The delicious aroma of the dish provokes the appetite of even small-toothed people, and the sweetish brine is used as a separate drink.

Pickled vegetables are a real storehouse of microelements and vitamins necessary to maintain health during the winter. Let's consider the options for preparing the dish.

Selection and preparation of main ingredients

To ferment cabbage, choose late varieties of white cabbage. The process of ripening vegetables occurs due to the presence of lactic acid, rich in natural sugar. It is the late varieties that have the appropriate composition.

The head of cabbage should be juicy, strong, and not limp. Inspect it from all sides to make sure there is no rot on the sheets.

Carrots, as the second most important ingredient, choose just as carefully. Juicy, strong and sweet – this root vegetable would be appropriate in a dish.

Why is there honey in the recipe, what does it give?

Honey is a natural preservative and antiseptic. If you add bee product to the cabbage during fermentation, the finished dish will be stored longer, while its beneficial properties will only increase.

Reference. Honey is rich in potassium, iron, copper, and other trace elements. They treat anemia, colds, and coughs.

How to make sauerkraut with honey

To prepare the preparation according to the classic recipe, for a 3-liter jar you will need:

medium cabbage – 1 piece;
medium carrots – 2 pcs.;
filtered water – 1.5 l;
table salt – 3.5 tbsp. l.;
liquid honey – 1.5 tbsp. l.

Step-by-step cooking instructions:

Clean the head of cabbage from outer leaves that are damaged or too rough. If there is rot, cut it off with a knife.
Rinse the vegetable under running water and dry with a paper towel.
Grind with a shredding knife. Transfer to a large enamel bowl without chips or signs of rust.
Peel the carrots, rinse, grate on a coarse grater.
Add it to the cabbage and stir.
Press the vegetable mixture down with a plate, on which place a jar of water so that the vegetables release their juice and soften. In this form, it is more convenient to transfer the slices into the final container for fermentation.
Prepare the brine: mix water and salt. Boil, cool. Then add honey. Mix the resulting liquid.
Fill a washed 3-liter jar tightly with chopped vegetables and pour brine on top. Make sure that the brine flows down to the very bottom of the jar.
Close the jar with a plastic lid, leaving a small gap for oxygen to enter.
Place the container in a dark place for a day at room temperature.
After a day, open the jar and pierce the mixture with a fork. This will remove any excess bitterness from it.
Close the lid and put away again for a day.
Test with a fork to see if it's done. If the dish has fermented, put it in the refrigerator for storage.

Cabbage according to this recipe is delicious as a separate dish and as an addition to borscht or vinaigrette.

General rules for pickling cabbage

Dense forks of late and medium varieties are most suitable for pickling. Previously cabbage does not have enough sugar, which slows down the fermentation process. You can easily identify early cabbage. it has a bright green color and soft leaves.

Shredding or slicing cabbage should begin by clearing the head of outer leaves and removing any damaged ones. It can be crushed in any way: in the form of narrow straws, slices, large pieces. Sometimes housewives combine green cabbage with red cabbage, giving the finished dish an appetizing appearance thanks to its bright pink color.

Salt plays an exceptional role during pickling: it helps to extract the juice from the cabbage, forming the brine necessary for this process. We recommend using non-iodized coarse salt (preferably sea salt) in an amount of 5-15 g per kilogram of cabbage.

Important: there should be enough salt in the cabbage. This is a guarantee that the product will last longer, taste better and not spoil.

During pickling, you can use fruits, vegetables, berries, seasonings, herbs, spices and other ingredients. Carrots are often added.

Recipe Variations

If you don’t have much time or want to try a new taste of a familiar dish, you should pay attention to different versions of the sauerkraut recipe.

Instant pickled with honey

The recipe will help housewives achieve the desired result in just a day.

Ingredients:

cabbage – 1 pc.;
carrots – 1 pc.;
salt – 2 tbsp. l.;
honey - 1 tbsp. l.;
water – 1.5 l.

How to cook:

Wash the vegetables and dry with a paper towel.
Chop the vegetables on a special grater or with a knife. Stir, but do not mash.
Place tightly in a 3-liter jar almost to the very edge.
Boil water and cool.
Gradually pour in the vegetable mixture, waiting for the water to go down to the very bottom of the jar.
Place salt and honey on the cabbage.
Place the jar in a deep, large plate or bowl (the vegetables will begin to release juice; if the container is not deep enough, it will flow over the edge).
Leave in a dark place at room temperature.
In exactly one day, the dish will be ready to eat.

To improve the taste, add onions and sunflower oil before serving.

Cabbage pickled with honey. The simplest and most delicious way. Honey Pickled Cabbage.

With honey and apples

Ingredients:

white cabbage – 2 kg;
fresh carrots – 200 g;
sweet and sour apples – 200 g;
honey - 2 tbsp. l.;
salt – 4 tbsp. l.

To get a rich dish with a slight hint of sweet and sour taste, choose firm, non-red varieties of apples - the Simirenko variety is suitable.

Cooking algorithm:

Wash cabbage, carrots and apples. Remove the top damaged leaves from the head of cabbage and chop it into long strips. Grind the carrots on a grater.
Remove the core from the apples, but leave the peel. Cut the fruits into thin slices.
Place the cabbage in a deep bowl, add salt, honey and knead, remembering to press well. It will secrete juice, the more liquid it gives, the better.
Add chopped carrots and mix. Add the apples and mix again, but very carefully, trying not to damage the shape of the slices.
When the mixture has released a sufficient amount of juice, place a press on the cabbage (you can use a jar filled with water). Vegetables should be completely covered with juice. Place the container in a dark place at room temperature.
Prick the product with a wooden stick up to 6 times daily to release excess gases and bitterness. If foam appears, remove it.
After 3-4 days the dish will be ready - place it in the refrigerator for safekeeping.

Spicy with honey

Horseradish will add piquancy and spiciness to the dish; this sauerkraut will suit lovers of fiery tastes.

Ingredients:

white cabbage – 1.5 kg;
horseradish root – 100 g;
salt – 1 tbsp. l.;
honey - 4 tbsp. l.

How to cook:

Wash and chop the head of cabbage. Wash the horseradish, peel it and grate it on a fine grater. Then mix the chopped vegetables, add honey and salt. Stir gently so that the cabbage does not release its juice.
Place the mixture in a dense layer in an enamel bowl, cover with clean gauze, and place a weight on top in the form of a jar of water.
Place the container in a warm, dark place, periodically pierce the contents with a wooden stick. She should remain in this position for 3-4 days.
When the brine in the sauerkraut lightens, the dish can be transferred to a clean glass jar and stored in the refrigerator.

In honey marinade with salt

In this interpretation, the brine and the cabbage itself turn out to be piquant.

Ingredients:

1 large head of cabbage;
2 pcs. medium carrots;
salt – 2 tbsp. l.;
honey - 1 tbsp. l.;
cumin – 1 tbsp. l.;
water – 1 l.

Recipe:

Wash the vegetables, chop and mix. Place in an enamel bowl, but do not press too hard.
Prepare the brine separately. Add salt and honey to warm boiled water. Pour brine over the vegetables, add cumin. Cumin seeds can be replaced with dill.
There is no need to press down with a weight; the brine will not evaporate in two days. It is recommended to only occasionally pierce the cabbage with a stick to release gases and bitterness.
Leave the container with the mixture in a warm place out of direct sunlight. After 2 days the dish is ready - it is moved to a cold place.

With honey and vinegar

Ingredients:

cabbage – 2 pcs. large or 5 pcs. small;
vinegar 9% – 25 ml;
salt – 1.5 tbsp. l.;
honey - 3 tbsp. l.;
water – 1.5 l.

Remove all dirty and spoiled leaves from the fork, wash and chop into thin strips using a special shredder or a regular kitchen knife. Add salt to the chopped vegetable, mix and leave for 2 hours.

When the juice comes out, drain it. Place the slices in an enamel bowl.

While the cabbage is steeping, prepare the brine. Dissolve honey in water, add vinegar. Stir and pour into slices.

Press down the cabbage with a weight and leave in a warm, dark place for 2 days. Puncture periodically, releasing gas.

When ready, transfer the product to a jar and place in the refrigerator.

Marinated with honey

Ingredients:

cabbage – 1 pc.;
carrots – 2-3 pcs.;
sweet pepper – 3 pcs.;
salt – 2 tbsp. l.;
honey - 3 tbsp. l.;
apple cider vinegar 9% – 250 ml;
seasonings to taste - bay leaf, nutmeg, black peppercorns.

Chop the cabbage, grate the carrots, cut the pepper into thin strips. Prepare the brine: boil water with salt and seasonings, add vinegar. Mix the vegetables, place in a deep bowl, and pour boiling brine over them. When the brine has cooled, add honey to the mixture.

Cooking time for pickled cabbage with honey is 12 hours. Then transfer the finished dish to a jar and place in a cool place.

Crunchy snack in three days

Product composition:

medium head of cabbage;
2 – 3 pcs. carrots;
1.5 dessert spoons of honey;
2 dessert spoons of salt;
2 dessert spoons of granulated sugar;
cold boiled water.

Steps:

Finely chop the cabbage. Cut the carrots into strips. Mix them with your hands.
Place vegetables in a jar. Fill the container with cold water up to the shoulders.
Pour the remaining dry ingredients on top without stirring. Add honey.
Place the jar in a large bowl.
The next morning, pierce it with a sushi stick.
As the juice rises, repeat the piercing procedure.

Infuse the appetizer at room temperature for 72 hours.

Terms and conditions of storage

Like all ready-made dishes, sauerkraut has certain shelf life and storage conditions:

If prepared in wooden barrels for the winter, the product will be usable for at least 8 months.
Cabbage in a glass jar can be stored and consumed within 2 weeks from the moment it is ready.
If the product is stored not in the refrigerator, but on the balcony (air temperature reaches +10°C), the maximum shelf life is no more than 5 days.
When storing the product in a bag in the refrigerator, the maximum period is 7 days.

Recommended storage temperature –1…+4°C.

To extend the shelf life of the product in glass, pour 2 cm of vegetable oil on top of the dish. Then bacteria will not be able to penetrate inside.

Cooking in honey marinade with salt

Spices will give the traditional appetizer a new “sound” - caraway seeds, dill and anise set the tone for the dish. To prepare spicy cabbage you will need:

A head of cabbage weighing 2–3 kg;
3 large carrots;
one and a half liters of water;
one and a half tablespoons of natural honey and coarse salt;
half a teaspoon of spices (cumin, anise, dill seeds).

The preparation of the appetizer is as simple as in the previous recipe: the vegetables are finely chopped and packed tightly into jars. To prepare the brine, add honey, salt and spices to boiled water, mix well and pour in the vegetables. You can supplement the recipe with finely chopped green apples, cranberries or grapes.

Advice from experienced housewives

Recommendations from experienced cooks:

If you let the dish sit in the refrigerator for several days after cooking, the delicate bouquet of sauerkraut will truly open up.
Carrots can be chopped on a coarse grater or cut into slices. In the first case, it will give the cabbage a little color and make it pale pink. In the second, the cutting will remain white.
Adding bay leaves and black peppercorns will give the dish a slight spiciness, aroma and piquant taste.
To ensure honey retains its healing properties, do not add it to hot water. Otherwise, the beneficial elements will be destroyed, and compounds hazardous to health will appear in the nectar.
It is recommended to pierce the mixture during the ripening process with a wooden stick, so the acid will not react with the metal (in case the housewife decides to pierce the mixture with a regular fork).
Ferment cabbage only in whole enamel or glass containers.

Reviews

Housewives respond positively to recipes for cabbage with honey and share their experiences.

Maria, Moscow : “The whole family loves sauerkraut according to my recipe. The secret of preparation is to add a few bay leaves and black peppercorns. It would seem that seasonings are universal and often used in Russian cuisine. But it is thanks to them that the sweet taste of honey and cabbage sourness are set off.”

Klavdiya Stepanovna, Perm : “I like to cook a lot at once, in large volumes. For fermentation I use a wooden barrel. She is my only one and my favorite. The taste of cabbage is breathtaking, real! I believe that such a container is the most correct and natural.”

Olga, Vladivostok: “It is often recommended to add sugar for fermentation. This is a classic recipe. But I use honey and I think that this is the most correct way. The cabbage turns out to be piquant and, most importantly, fortified.”

Cabbage leaf. Contraindications

Despite the enormous benefits, using cabbage for food has its contraindications. It is not recommended to consume fresh cabbage raw in case of pancreatic disease or exacerbation of peptic ulcer disease. In these cases, cabbage should be eaten boiled or stewed.

Since cabbage is a gas-forming product, people suffering from flatulence should also limit its use in raw form.

When used externally, there are practically no contraindications; the only thing that can happen is a reaction of individual intolerance, but this happens extremely rarely. If all hygiene rules are followed, the skin and the leaf itself are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, then there should be no complications.

Dear readers, cabbage leaves have such wonderful medicinal properties. If you have your own proven recipes for cabbage leaf treatment, I will be glad to hear everything in the comments. Health to everyone and good mood.

And for the soul, today we will listen to Love in September. Saxophone solo by Fausto Papetti. September, love, saxophone...