Sauerkraut is not only tasty, but also healthy. But sometimes mucus forms in the brine. Because of this, people question the suitability of the product for human consumption. In this article, I will tell you in detail what to do if mucus appears in sauerkraut, and how to save the dish.
Causes of the appearance of mucus in cabbage
The main reason for the appearance of mucus in sauerkraut is pathogenic microflora. That is, during the salting process, lactic acid bacteria are released. When they join the rest of the microorganisms, the taste of the dish and its appearance are questionable.
Sometimes sauerkraut spoils due to the inappropriate container in which it is cooked. It is best to use wooden barrels for this rather than plastic buckets. But also enamel or glass containers are suitable for the fermentation process.
Before cooking cabbage, the container must be carefully inspected for defects. It must be washed and dried. Also, mucus may appear in cabbage due to an incorrectly selected vegetable variety. It is recommended to salt medium- and late-ripening varieties. And early cabbage is not suitable for this. For pickling, cabbage with a strong head of cabbage and white leaves is chosen.
Sometimes a dish can go bad due to poor quality ingredients. As additional products (except for cabbage), it is customary to use:
- carrot;
- apples;
- lingonberries;
- cranberries;
- bell pepper;
- beets.
In order not to introduce harmful microorganisms into the cabbage, all vegetables are thoroughly washed and dried. Seeds must be removed from apples, all branches from berries.
When choosing products for the preparation of sauerkraut, special attention is paid to the choice of salt. It is better to give preference to a large stone one. And iodized salt is considered an antiseptic and prevents the fermentation process. Therefore, it is not used in the preparation of sauerkraut.
Violation of cooking technology
Most often, mucus in cabbage appears when the technology of its preparation is violated. That is, during the cooking process, the correct proportions of products and temperature conditions were not observed. Most often, mucus appears for the following reasons:
- due to incorrect temperature conditions. It is best for the air temperature to be +20 degrees above zero. If the temperature is higher, harmful microorganisms and mucus will appear in the dish;
- in case of violation of the strength of the brine. Keep in mind that too much salt will inhibit the development of harmful bacteria, and intestinal bacteria will appear in slightly salted brine.
Common mistakes when fermenting cabbage
I have noted the following errors affecting the cooking of sauerkraut:
- did not crush the cabbage leaves enough. As a result, they practically do not emit juice, and the dish becomes moldy;
- did not block the oxygen supply. But in the process of fermentation, gases will be formed, which must be periodically released;
- a small amount of brine has a negative effect on fermentation. If the cabbage is not completely covered with brine during the first 24 hours after fermentation, the dish may deteriorate.
What to do if mucus appears
If mucus appeared on cabbage even during its preparation, you must:
- drain the old brine, prepare a new one and pour over the cabbage;
- remove the container with cabbage from the battery or other heat source.
Is it possible to eat slippery cabbage
I believe that if the product is without a pungent odor, and there is no mold on the mucus, then it is possible. The main thing is to rinse the cabbage well under running water.
If you still have doubts, then you can cook from such a product: cabbage soup, stewed cabbage with meat, or bake pies. At high temperatures, all harmful bacteria will die, and the taste of the cabbage itself will improve.
Tips to keep sauerkraut from getting mucus
To prevent mucus from forming on cabbage during the fermentation process, I recommend:
- choose suitable varieties of cabbage;
- thoroughly wash and sort out all the ingredients;
- use only rock and coarse salt;
- observe the correct salt concentration (for 1 kg of cabbage - 1 tbsp. l. salt);
- monitor the temperature regime.
As you can see from all of the above, it is quite easy to prevent the formation of mucus in sauerkraut. But, if you nevertheless missed something, the finished product does not have to be thrown away at all, but you can try to save it or cook other dishes from it.
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