Delicate, healthy, tasty: how to properly store Chinese cabbage?

foto15800-1Peking cabbage is a plant that is demanding not only for growing conditions, but also for organizing storage of the harvested crop.

The short period of lying and the delicate structure of the vegetable require a serious approach to choosing a method for preserving cabbage, taking into account all the features of this vegetable crop.

How to store Chinese cabbage at home fresh in the refrigerator, whether it can be frozen, what is the shelf life of a vegetable, we will tell in the article.

Preparing for home storage

Chinese cabbage represented by a large number of varieties that differ in ripening terms:

  • early maturing;
  • mid-season;
  • late ripening.

Variety selection

Early and mid-season varieties are not suitable for long-term storage, but they can be preserved. Late ripening cauliflower, especially hybrids, has a higher density and better keeping quality.

foto15800-2Long-term storage, up to 4 months, has the following varieties:

  • Mojito;
  • Market;
  • Turquoise and others.

Up to 3 months:

  • Orange heart;
  • Nika and others.

Many varieties have a short fresh storage period. Among them:

  • Shanghai;
  • Tenderness;
  • Richie;
  • Hydra and others.
If a variety is chosen for planting, then zoning should be taken into account - orientation to local climatic conditions.

Competent harvesting

For high-quality subsequent storage, the cabbage heads must be correctly harvested. For the middle lane, the harvest, which is planned to be kept fresh, is carried out in September.

The necessary conditions at the time of collection are:

  • no frost;
  • dry weather.

Stale heads of cabbage are worse stored.

Inspection of heads of cabbage

foto15800-3All harvested Chinese cabbage should be sorted and inspected. For storage for future use, heads of cabbage are suitable that meet the following conditions:

  1. Correctly formed.
  2. Dense.
  3. No mechanical or other damage.
  4. Not susceptible to damage by pests and diseases.

Rejected specimens can be used for food immediately or made into blanks.

Primary processing

The outer leaves of the head are often damaged - then they must be removed.... In this case, you cannot remove too many sheets, since the more of them remain, the longer the head of cabbage will lie. After inspection and selection, each vegetable to be kept fresh should be wrapped in plastic.

Heads of cabbage intended for storage must be well dried. Do not wash if they are not intended to be kept fresh. This is due to the peculiarity of the formation of heads of cabbage and the type of leaves - when wet, it will be very difficult to remove water from them completely.

Moisture between cabbage leaves can cause rotting and shorten the shelf life of the vegetable.

Optimal conditions

Peking cabbage, including its winter varieties, has a delicate structure. Even with minor deviations from the conditions of detention, the vegetable quickly deteriorates.

foto15800-4The optimal conditions for Beijing are:

  • humidity - 95%;
  • temperature - from 0 ° С to + 2 ° С;
  • the absence of a nearby apple harvest (the limitation is associated with the ethylene excreted by the fruit, which stimulates the wilting of vegetables and fruits close to them);
  • good ventilation;
  • reliable darkening - with a complete absence of direct sunlight on vegetables.

Temperature deviation in storage leads to rapid deterioration cabbage, and its unsuitability for human consumption:

  • with thermometer readings above + 2 ° C, intensive germination begins;
  • at rates below 0 ° С, freezing of the prepared heads will be observed.

The video will tell you about the collection and proper storage of Peking cabbage:

The ways

You can store Chinese cabbage fresh and after processing. This requires appropriate conditions.

Fresh in the fridge

Peking cabbage in the home refrigerator in cellophane can be stored in a compartment for storing vegetables... If not available, a large enough plastic container of suitable size can be used.

Refrigeration does not allow for large quantities of food. This option is suitable for the current preservation of the vegetable - for salads.

Can I freeze for the winter?

foto15800-5Frozen cabbage can be shipped or cut into separate leaves for storage. Sliced ​​cabbage is useful for preparing first courses, and frozen in separate sheets - for stuffed cabbage.

The vegetable is pre-washed and dried.... It is advisable to put the sliced ​​Peking in separate portioned bags or plastic boxes so that, if necessary, use, not defrost a larger volume than required.

When properly frozen and kept at low temperatures, Chinese cabbage can stay for a long time - until the next harvest.

At room temperature

At room temperature, such a delicate vegetable cannot stay for a long time - no more than a few days.

For better preservation, cabbage is wrapped in foil and kept in good ventilation, away from direct sunlight and heat sources. At temperatures above + 4 ° C, the vegetable begins to germinate and wither.

On the balcony

foto15800-6The duration of the cabbage stay on the balcony depends on the arrangement of this room and the conditions created. Vegetables are wrapped in foil before laying and placed in boxes.

With warm glazing, if possible, the temperature should be maintained within the acceptable range for Beijing. In this case, it is necessary to organize protection from sunlight and air exchange.

On open balconies, or with cold glazing, cabbage will lie at its maximum until the onset of frost. The duration of the cabbage stay on the balcony is inferior to the conditions in the cellar and refrigerator.

In the cellar

If there is a cellar, it is possible to arrange sufficiently large volumes of the crop cabbage. But in order for the vegetable to lie well, it is imperative to monitor the conditions in the room. For example, if there is insufficient humidity, place a container of water near the storage area.

The cabbage wrapped in foil is placed in wooden boxes.Tightness of the container is not required - the vegetable can also be packed in cardboard or plastic boxes.

Alternative options

With a large harvest of Chinese cabbage, some of it can be preserved or dried.

Dried

Drying cabbage allows you to get a semi-finished product that does not take up much space and can be stored at room temperature.

For drying, cabbage leaves are chopped. You can dry it in the oven or with a special electrical appliance designed for vegetables and fruits.

Drying in the oven:

  1. foto15800-7The temperature in the oven is set to a minimum of 50-100 ° C.
  2. On a baking sheet, spread the sliced ​​cabbage in a thin layer.
  3. Place the baking sheet in the oven.
  4. Turn on the "convection" mode, and if it is absent, leave the door ajar.
  5. The dried vegetable is stirred periodically.
  6. After 3 or 4 hours, the cabbage will be ready.

In an electric dryer, drying is performed in a similar way:

  1. Sliced ​​cabbage is laid out.
  2. Set the temperature to + 50 ° C or + 60 ° C.
  3. Turn on the device for 5 hours.

After cooling, the product is laid out in canvas bags or glass jars. The advantage of storage in cloth packaging - the workpiece will have air exchange and will not get damp.

If a glass container is chosen for storage, then during prolonged storage, you should periodically open the lid to ventilate the contents.

In sauerkraut

Peking cabbage sourdough goes differently from white cabbage. For cooking you will need:

  • cabbage - 5 kg;
  • water - 0.3 l;
  • salt - 1 tsp;
  • sugar - 1 tsp;
  • garlic - 1 clove;
  • vinegar - ¼ glass.

Cooking process:

  1. foto15800-8Shink Peking.
  2. Transfer it to a large container, convenient for mixing all the ingredients.
  3. Pour in water and vinegar.
  4. Pour in salt and sugar.
  5. Squeeze a clove of garlic through a garlic press.
  6. All are mixed.
  7. Ramp down.
  8. Organize oppression.
  9. After 1 day, the cabbage is pierced with a wooden stick in several places.
  10. Withstand 1 day.
  11. Take out into the cold.
  12. Withstand another ½ month.

Sauerkraut for the winter, video recipe:

In salted

For cooking, you need the following ingredients:

  • Beijing cabbage (1 kg);
  • salt (0.1 kg).

Salting procedure:

  1. foto15800-9Rinse the cabbage.
  2. Cut the vegetable into pieces (if a small head of cabbage, then into quarters), but you can also chop finely.
  3. Add salt.
  4. Stir with your hands, gently wrinkle.
  5. Tamp tightly into prepared containers.
  6. Organize oppression.
  7. Leave in cool conditions for up to 4 weeks.
  8. Remove oppression.
  9. If necessary, transfer it to containers that are more convenient for storing the product.
  10. Store in a cool place.

When salting in glass jars, cut each roll should be small.

How much is stored?

Fresh Peking cabbage in heads of cabbage can last from 4 weeks to 4 months. This wide range is due to several factors:

  • vegetable variety;
  • compliance of the variety with climatic conditions;
  • quality of heads;
  • cultivation features;
  • conditions provided by the store.

Same harvest:

  • in a cellar with suitable conditions can lie for up to 4 months;
  • at room temperature in an apartment - a couple of days;
  • frozen - until the next harvest;
  • dry - up to 2 years;
  • in the refrigerator - 3-4 weeks.
If long-term fresh storage of a large harvest is required, it is necessary to acquire a cellar with suitable conditions. In its absence, it will be possible to save vegetables in significant quantities only in the form of blanks.

Prohibitions

Peking cabbage is a demanding vegetable. When organizing storage, a number of prohibitions should be taken into account:

  1. foto15800-10Fresh or cooked cabbage should not be stored in direct sunlight.
  2. At high temperatures (higher than + 4 ° C), the vegetable withers very quickly.
  3. Fresh vegetables cannot be stored with apples - they will quickly deteriorate.
  4. High humidity - about 100%, leads to decay of the vegetable.
  5. Top leaves should not be removed before storage unless they are damaged.

Recommendations

Storage advice Chinese cabbage will help to properly manage the harvest and prevent losses:

  1. The storage area for fresh produce should have high humidity, but condensation on the heads of cabbage should not be allowed. If this happens, the vegetable is dried, and the film is replaced.
  2. Periodic inspection of the heads of cabbage will allow you to notice damage in time.
  3. Late-ripening varieties with proper storage should be at least a month old.
  4. If the storage conditions are violated, the shelf life of the product is rapidly reduced.
  5. If the top leaves of the cabbage have begun to wither, the vegetable should be eaten in the near future.

Read about storing different varieties of cabbage here.

Conclusion

Although Chinese cabbage is not a shelf-stable product, it can be preserved for several months if the right conditions are arranged.

If you need long-term preservation, recipes for drying, sourdough and freezing of a healthy and tasty vegetable will come to the rescue.

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