Pickled vegetables in jars - how to do it?

Pickling vegetables in jars is an excellent preservation method that allows you to store your favorite ingredients for a long time. If you want to create your own silage, there are a few basic aspects to keep in mind. In this post, you will learn how to start pickling vegetables yourself at home.

Pickling vegetables in jars - why is it worth it?

Creating vegetable silage is a great way to use seasonal produce. Thanks to the fermentation process, raw vegetables can stay fresh longer. The pickling of vegetables in jars is also positive in terms of health. Natural bacteria involved in the preservation process have a great influence on immunity. One cannot be indifferent to the statement that homemade silage is simply delicious.

If you want to prepare your own pickled vegetables in a jar, you should remember about hygiene. Before starting the process, wash your hands as well as the vegetables you want to preserve. It is also recommended to use transparent rings to create home-made silages. Thanks to this, you can control the fermentation process on an ongoing basis and act immediately in the event of problems.

When is the silage poorly prepared?

When preparing your own silage for the first time, you should bear in mind that the process may not be successful. Poorly prepared vegetables will smell unpleasant, even disgusting. Properly prepared silage can be recognized by its acidic, but at the same time yeast or wine smell.

Since you already know how to prepare for the ensiling process, it is worth taking a look at the most popular way to carry out this process at home. How to pickle vegetables quickly and cheaply? Choose the cabbage method!

Cabbage method - a way to pickle vegetables in jars

One of the most popular techniques for pickling vegetables in jars is the cabbage method. Any type of cabbage can be used for this process, although the white variety is usually used. To carry out the process, crush and shred about 2 kilograms of white or red cabbage, keeping the 3-4 outer leaves from the head. Prepared cabbage should be placed in a container alternating with salt or caraway seeds. Then mix thoroughly and crush the cabbage with your hand. You will also find it useful to crush it with your fist. The mixture prepared in this way should be left for about 20 minutes to release the juices.

After maturing for a while, you need to knead the cabbage again. Then put the cabbage in a larger jar for pickling and whisk it again. An additional tool can be used for this. At the end, it is enough to cover the cabbage with leaves and a bag of water, screw the lid on and then leave it for 3 days. After the appearance of bubbles in the dish, the jar with pickled water should be moved to a room with a lower temperature. The silage will be ready for consumption after about 2 weeks of maturing. Remember that fermented vegetables should be eaten 2 months after opening.

Homemade pickling of vegetables - is it possible to choose a different method?

If you are interested in other methods of pickling vegetables in jars, you can read more about the brine method. However, this process is not recommended for beginners due to the need to perform more activities. Among the lovers of home pickling, you can also come across the kimchi method. However, we offer this solution to people who want to obtain a specific type of silage. The cabbage method described above is not only economically beneficial. Due to the simplicity of individual operations, this type of silage is quite fast and requires no experience.