We store Beijing cabbage correctly in the winter

Due to its taste and the presence of many useful micronutrients, Chinese cabbage has become very popular among lovers of vegetable dishes. Almost every woman uses it to make juicy and light salads. But after the end of the ripening period of cabbage, it is time to harvest and store the crop. How to store this vegetable properly so that in winter there is an opportunity to cook various dishes with its addition?

How to choose Chinese cabbage for storage

So that the vegetable you bought during storage does not quickly go bad, it is recommended to select medium-late or late varieties grown in the Russian climate:

• Wizard;
• Princess
• Russian size;
• Half-rolled;
• Asten;
• Sparrow;
• Wineglass.

Harvesting of these varieties occurs from the end of September or from mid-October. Cabbage leaves should not catch the frost, otherwise it will quickly rot.

When choosing a vegetable, you need to pay attention to the appearance, since the possibility of its long-term storage depends on this:

• heads of cabbage are selected dense and with uniform coloring;
• there should be no bite marks or other defects on the leaves.

How to store Beijing cabbage at home

You can save the vegetable in different ways in order to be able to cook dishes with its addition in the winter. In an apartment or house, it can be stored in the refrigerator, basement or on the balcony, observing certain rules.

How to Ferment Peking Cabbage

One of the most popular recipes for fermenting vegetables is kimchi (Korean). For the fermentation of cabbage, additional ingredients will be required:

• salt;
• sugar;
• onion;
• garlic;
• Red pepper;
• water.

First prepare the brine. To do this, pour 1 tablespoon in 1 liter of water. salt and put the container on fire. Constantly stirring, you need to wait for the dissolution of salt. Then the brine is removed from the fire and left to cool. At this time, the Beijing head is freed from spoiled leaves and cut along for 4 hours, while cutting the stump. The remaining leaves, the total mass of which should be 1 kg, are cut into thin strips. Shred 50-100 g of onions. Sliced ​​vegetables are mixed in a saucepan or large bowl and poured with brine. On top of the container is covered with a plate on which the load is placed.

After 2 days, Peking leaves are taken out and lubricated with a seasoning prepared in advance (2 tbsp red pepper, juice of 6 cloves of garlic, 1 tsp sugar) are mixed. After that, the cabbage is again placed in a container with freshly prepared brine under oppression for 2 days. Cooked sauerkraut can be placed in spinning cans and left in the refrigerator or carried in a container without oppression in the basement.

Salting cabbage can be carried out without additional ingredients. They are used to improve the taste. The most suitable for Beijing are dill, parsley, bay leaf, pepper and cloves.

How to dry cabbage

Drying whole heads of vegetables is not recommended. Cooked leaves are cut into strips of 3-5 mm and put in the oven (60-90 degrees) or an electric dryer (55-60 degrees).In the first embodiment, the drying time is 4 hours, in the second - 5 hours

For storage, the leaves are folded into linen bags.

Storage of cabbage in the vegetable storehouse, basement, cellar, on the balcony

The main actions when storing Peking in vegetable stores:

• all heads of cabbage are placed in a plastic bag or box, placing them horizontally in 3 layers, while the forks should not fit too tightly together;
• the storage container is not tightly closed to create sufficient ventilation for the cabbage (without drafts);
• humidity in such a room should be at the level of 96-98%. At lower rates, the leaves will begin to dry, since they do not have a wax layer that protects against excessive evaporation. And at 100% humidity, the heads will rot in a week;
• air temperature is maintained at a level from 0 to +3 degrees.

Under these conditions, the forks can be stored for 4 months. At temperatures from -3 to +3, this period is reduced to 16-20 days, and at rates above +4 degrees - up to 2-4 days.

In the cellar or basement, the vegetable is stored in a box of wet sand, in which its roots are dug. Another method of storage in such rooms is the suspension of cabbage on a cable upside down. At the same time, the forks are hung at a sufficient distance from each other, otherwise rot will begin to arise in the places of contact.

For long-term storage, cabbage needs to be wrapped with cling film and it will remain unspoiled for 3 months. Humidity can be slightly reduced.

If you live in an apartment, then a loggia or balcony is suitable for wintering vegetables, where the temperature during the entire storage period is in the range from 0 to +5 degrees. Direct sunlight should also not fall on the cabbage.

Storage rules on the balcony:

• remove spoiled leaves and dirt;
• place each forks in a linen bag or bag made of food-grade plastic. You can wrap it in 2-3 layers of cling film, leaving a small hole near the stump;
• heads of cabbage are laid horizontally in wooden boxes (maximum 3 layers);
• every 2 weeks check forks for rot. If such a head of cabbage is found, then it is removed from the total mass so that they do not deteriorate. All defective leaflets are also removed and packaging material is changed.

Compliance with these rules will save cabbage for 90-100 days.

How to store Beijing cabbage in the refrigerator and freezer

If you need to keep a small number of heads of cabbage, then a refrigerator is suitable for this. They must first be inspected and all spoiled leaves removed. Then the cabbage is wrapped in a plastic wrap so that condensation does not appear on it and put in a compartment for vegetables or plastic containers, which are tightly closed. This method allows you to extend the life of the vegetable for 1 month. Periodically, you need to check whether the leaves have not deteriorated or have not dried out.

For storage in the freezer, cabbage is cut into strips and stacked in small portions in plastic bags. Many recommend pre-blanching the leaves (lower them in salted boiled water for 3 minutes). Then they should dry on a paper towel. This will reduce the risk of nitrates entering the body. This method of harvesting vegetables for the winter is suitable for cooking stews, salads and soups.

If you like cabbage rolls, then Beijing can be frozen with whole leaves. The head of cabbage is carefully disassembled into separate leaves, which are steamed in boiling water for 10 minutes. Then a thick rod is cut with a sharp knife and left to dry on a towel.

After performing these steps, well-aligned leaves are put in a plastic container or plastic bag and put in the freezer. In this form, cabbage can be stored from 4 to 7 months.

How much is Beijing cabbage stored

The wintering period of a vegetable depends on the temperature and humidity in the storage room. The optimum humidity level is 97-98%. With its decrease, the leaves will begin to dry and wither, and with an increase, they will rot.

To save cabbage for 3 months. the temperature must be kept at a level of 0 to +3 degrees. If it increases to +4 and above, then the vegetable will begin to germinate and it is advisable to eat it in a few days. When the temperature ranges from -3 to +3, cabbage is stored for no longer than 20 days. In a freezer, a vegetable can be more than 3 months.

An important condition for storage is the placement of heads in a dark, well-ventilated and cool place.

What to store Beijing cabbage

For the wintering of vegetables, various types of containers are suitable:

• freezer;
• plastic containers with a tight-fitting lid;
• food-grade plastic bags or film;
• linen bags;
• glass jars or pan (salting);
• wooden boxes in which heads are separated from each other by liners made of polyethylene.

The container is selected depending on the storage method.

Do I need to wash Beijing cabbage

It is recommended to wash the vegetable only before freezing and salting. In other cases, it is thoroughly cleaned of soil and dirt and spoiled leaves are removed.

Beijing cabbage waste percentage

The percentage of waste for Beijing cabbage is 20-22%. This indicator is very important to consider when salting, where you need to take a certain mass of pure Beijing leaves.

Mistakes

The main mistakes of the hostesses in preparing cabbage for storage:

• Do not put the vegetable in the same container or next to apples and bananas. They secrete ethylene, so cabbage leaves will deteriorate quickly;
• packing broken leaves into a storage container;
• shredding causes moisture loss;
• removal of a large number of leaves from a head of cabbage.

Such actions will accelerate the withering of the product and reduce the shelf life.

Advice

You can increase the duration of cabbage wintering by observing some rules:

• no need to leave the vegetable in an airtight bag, it needs good ventilation;
• the storage area should not be lit or in direct sunlight;
• maintain a certain level of temperature and humidity in the room where the cabbage is located;
• periodically check the leaves for defects and rot;
• exclude the proximity of bananas and apples;
• before packing in a storage container, the cabbage needs to be dried;
• when the first signs of wilting appear, it is recommended to eat the product.

Having learned about the ways of storing such a useful vegetable, you can prepare dishes with its addition not only in the warm season of the year. Follow all storage rules, which will help the cabbage to maintain freshness and taste for many months to come.