Properly made fermentation guarantees excellent taste and high quality dishes. However, there are situations when, it would seem, everything was done correctly, but the taste of the finished product was far from what was desired; in particular, cabbage came out too salted. Why this happens and how to fix it will be discussed later.

The benefits of sauerkraut

The usefulness of this product is difficult to overestimate.

Sauerkraut is rich in such vitamins (per 100 g):

1. Vitamins A, RE - 1 mcg.
2. Alpha Carotene - 5 mcg.
3. Beta-carotene - 0.008 mg.
4. Lutein and zeaxanthin - 295 mg.
5. Vitamin B1 - 0.021 mg.
6. Vitamin B2 - 0.022 mg.
7. Vitamin B4 - 10.4 mg.
8. Vitamin B5 - 0.093 mg.
9. Vitamin B6 - 0.13 mg.
10. Vitamin B9 - 24 mcg.
11. Vitamin C - 14.7 mg.
12. Vitamin E, TE - 0.14 mg.
13. Vitamin PP, NE - 0.143 mg.
14. Betaine - 0.5 mg.

In addition, 100 g of the product contains an abundance of trace elements:

1. Potassium - 170 mg.
2. Calcium - 30 mg.
3. Magnesium - 13 mg.
4. Sodium - 661 mg.
5. Phosphorus - 20 mg.

• She is useful:
• For the digestive system. Improves its work, normalizes the intestinal microflora after consuming medications, and increases appetite. With constipation it has a mild laxative effect. Normalizes acidity.
• For the heart and blood vessels. The fiber in the product, absorbing cholesterol, reduces its overall level in the body. Juice protects against atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease and tachycardia. The walls of blood vessels are strengthened and the rhythm of the heart is normalized.
• For the nervous system. Improves resistance to stress and nervous disorders. It has a positive effect on the psychoemotional state, has a calming effect, removes migraines and headaches. Positive effect on memory and brain activity.
• For the immune system. The ascorbic acid contained in the product maintains the protective properties of the body at a high level. And vitamins protect against vitamin deficiency, give strength and vitality.
• To reduce weight. Low calorie diet makes the product. In addition, it cleans of toxins, removes excess salt and liquid, so that puffiness disappears. Thanks to tartronic acid, fat breaks down quickly.
• To rejuvenate the skin and the whole body. The body is cleansed, the restoration of its tissues at the cellular level is accelerated.

Why overshoot happens

There are several reasons that the cabbage turned out to be very salty when pickled.

Most often, overshoot occurs when:

1. Fermentation was done according to the wrong or untested recipe.
2. When salting, instead of the recommended amount of rock salt, evaporated salt was used. Coarse salt has less intense "salinity", and if instead of 1 tbsp. tablespoons of rock salt to use the same amount of evaporated salt (type "Extra"), then the output of the product will get too salty taste.
3. Salting took much longer than necessary - at the right time (with the appearance of foam on the surface of the product) the first puncture was not made to release the gases formed.
4. The cabbage for fermentation did not have the required amount of air, as a result of which the leaven process did not occur - instead, the cabbage was simply salted. This happens if the ingredients are too compressed, due to which the oxygen needed for fermentation does not flow to the layers below.

Did you know? By the number of vitamins and minerals, pickled product is many times greater than white cabbage, from which it is prepared.

What to do if sauerkraut is over-salted, and how to remove excess salt

Now let's talk about what can be done to make sauerkraut less salty. There are several methods to smooth out taste. About it below.

Water addition

The method is used at the initial stage of the starter culture, when the juice has started to pour in the mixture. First of all, you need to taste the brine (it contains the bulk of the salt) and evaluate the degree of its salinity. Then approximately one third of the brine should be cast and the same amount of cool water should be added.

Important! In no case should merge full pickle — the cabbage will turn out fresh and tasteless.

When the liquids are mixed, the concentration of the composition will decrease and the desired medium will be formed for the vegetable.

It should be noted that this method can be used only if fermentation takes place in small containers, since the container will have to be shaken periodically for the spread of brine diluted with water, which is impossible in the case of a barrel.

The method of adding eggs

This technique is used when the pickling process is completed and the product turned out to be too salty at the output.

You will need a raw chicken egg, which must be carefully, keeping the yolk, broken into a doubled cheesecloth or in a permeable bag (e.g. tea bag). Then the package with the contents must be placed for 10-15 minutes in the container with the product. During this time, the egg will “draw out” most of the salt. However, these manipulations must be done extremely carefully - if the egg spills out of the bag, the cabbage will finally disappear.

Important! It is necessary to strictly control the time spent by the egg bag in the bowl — microflora contained in a raw egg with prolonged exposure can negatively affect the environment required for souring.

How to avoid oversalt

In order not to salt the cabbage, you must:

1. Strictly adhere to reliable recipes and use measuring utensils.
2. To pickle pick late cabbage.
3. Choose heads weighing from 800 g to 2 kg.
4. Do not use a product with signs of decay.
5. Make control taste tests at all stages of salting.
6. Before putting chopped vegetables under oppression, grind them until juice appears.
7. In time, make punctures to exit the gases formed during fermentation.

Tips for housewives

In order to produce a useful and no less tasty product, you should adhere to the main recommendations:

1. Preparatory stage. Find the right packaging. The ideal option is a wooden tub with a circle and a stone for oppression, but in a home environment a large pot or plastic bucket is suitable, and a three-liter jar of water is suitable as a press, and an ordinary three-liter jar is also suitable for souring. We must take care of the salt. Iodized and boiled (especially Extra) will not work - they will give a taste of bitterness, the best option is rock salt.
2. Purchase of vegetables. Cabbage - late varieties, with a dense white head of cabbage, without signs of decay and cracks. Carrots - ordinary, juicy, saturated orange. For 1 kg of cabbage - 1 medium-sized carrot.
3. Chopping. Free the head of cabbage from the outer leaves and cut it into two even halves. Next - finely chop the cabbage (the longer and thinner the strips - the better). Pass carrots through a grater and mix with shredded cabbage.
4. Ambassador. Salt is added to taste, usually 20–25 g per 1 kg of cabbage. Based on this recommendation, evenly salt the mixed vegetables and then add a little (at the tip of the knife) sugar to speed up the fermentation. Mix and knead everything, the main thing is that the vegetables give juice. Taste, if necessary - add salt.
5. Bookmark in capacity. Wash the container thoroughly and disinfect it with vinegar inside. Lay vegetables tightly by compressing each layer. It is necessary to lay so that at least 10 cm is left to the edge of the vessel, this is necessary so that the juice does not go over the edge during fermentation. Arrange a suitable plate on top, press firmly and press down with a load - a jar of water, a pan, etc.
6. Fermentation. To speed up the process, it is recommended to place the container closer to the heat; for full ripening, a temperature of + 15 ° C is needed. After 2-3 days, the cabbage will turn sour, fill with gas and foam will appear on top. This will be a signal that the gases should be released. To do this, remove the load and the plate under it, and pierce the mass to the very bottom with a wooden probe, then compact everything and set the load in place. Then you need to periodically take a sample. When ready, put the product into cans, close them with nylon covers and place in a cool place.

Did you know? If you add a little rye bread or crackers to the prepared mass — the fermentation process will begin immediately.

So, it is quite possible to save the salted sauerkraut. However, it is much better to strictly follow all the recommendations for the selection and preparation of the product - then you will not have to worry because of a spoiled taste.