It is time for me to share my grandparents quick pickled cabbage recipe. A delicious, a tangy and stringy melange of cabbage, cranberries and carrots that starts off perky and alert. Two days later, transforms into a bright, lip-puckering pickle.
My Grandparent's Russian Sauerkraut
My grandmother hates throwing things out. Sadly, she is not the best at keeping things organized. And I hope she will forgive me for saying it, but cooking is not something that comes naturally to her, either. Like my mother, she does not get excited at the thought of baking a cake, or thinking up a new dish for the holidays. She can be a picky eater.
But as consolation, and not coincidentally, she is an amazing pickler. Her kitchen is a veritable lab, with pots and jars full of pickling experiments and jams, like her Russian kumquat jam, pickled eggplant, and raspberry preserves. Not unlike my own, her refrigerator is bursting at the seams with dishes and condiments (literally. For a while, my grandfather had to tie a rope around it to keep the door from opening. The rope was made out of old linens).
My grandfather invented, or perhaps perfected, a way of chopping a head of cabbage down to thin strands within minutes. You halve the cabbage, remove the core, and hold the half-head down with one hand, keeping your knife steady in place and instead moving the cabbage around the blade, letting the knife shave off different sides each time.
Together, they have developed and perfected many jams and pickle recipes, from kosher dill pickles to Russian marinated red peppers, but their quick pickled cabbage (a.k.a Russian quick sauerkraut) is the most famous one.
My grandfather claims it has miraculous healing qualities; for all I know, it probably does!
It certainly is delicious, a tangy and stringy melange that starts off perky and alert, and two days later, transforms into a bright, lip-puckering pickle. Perfect in a tofu taco with cabbage or Russian vinaigrette.
My Own Quick Pickled Red Cabbage Recipe
I have taken their recipe and tweaked it a bit, adding more vinegar for acidity. I like my quick-pickled sauerkraut bright and punchy, strong enough to cut through the ennui of winter.
Adjusting the Taste
I like my pickled cabbage to pack a punch, so I tend to have a heavy hand with the vinegar. If you, like my grandparents, prefer a more salty brine, go easy on it, or substitute lemon for a portion of it.
Equipment to Make Pickled Cabbage
For this quick Russian sauerkraut, the tools are simple but key.
- A 2-litre glass jar, clay crock, or enameled pot with a lid is essential.
- Wooden spoon or tamper for compacting the cabbage.
- A kettle or small saucepan is needed for heating the brine.
- A grater for the carrots
- Sharp chef's knife or mandoline for shredding the cabbage are a must
- A cabbage slicer from this guide to essential fermenting tools will save your wrists.
Before you begin, ensure all your tools are clean and sanitized. If you're new to fermentation or pickling, I highly recommend reviewing my breakdown of essential canning tools and the step-by-step process in Pickling 101, where I walk you through safety basics and flavor tricks.
These wide-mouth Mason jars make storing your jam super easy.
Top Tips for Quick Pickled Cabbage
Cabbage matters. Use dense, late-season white cabbage for the crunchiest results. You can also use a mix of white and purple cabbage for added visual flair and a slightly more complex flavor.
Don't skip the blend. Blending a small portion of the carrots and cranberries helps jumpstart fermentation and gives the brine a deeper hue and flavor.
Pack it tight. When loading your jar, press each layer of cabbage down firmly. This removes air pockets and helps extract natural juices, which are essential for a good ferment.
Let your kitchen guide you. In the heat of summer, this sauerkraut may be done in 24 hours. In winter, I let it go a full three days. Keep it in a dark, warm place and taste along the way. Don't fear the bubbles or the funky smell: these are signs your cabbage is coming to life!
Storing Pickled Cabbage
Once your cabbage has reached your desired level of tang, it's time to move it to cold storage. Transfer the pickled cabbage into sterile glass jars (if not already in one), making sure it's still submerged in brine. Cap tightly and store in the refrigerator, where it will keep for up to 2 months.
For long-term shelf-stable storage, you'll need to process your jars using proper water-bath canning techniques.
Recipe
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Quick Pickled Cabbage Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram of cabbage Use a dense late season, medium- or large-sized head. My grandparents use only white cabbage, but I sometimes use a mix of white and purple.
- Up to 30 grams of salt preferably pickling or canning salt, about 1.5-2 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup or 200 grams, of 5% vinegar, lemon juice, or a combination thereof
- 1 cup of carrot grated
- 50 grams (½ cup) of cranberries , or lingonberries (if you've somehow magically got 'em)
- A teaspoon each of black peppercorns whole allspice, whole cloves, and 2-3 bay leaves (or more, to taste)
- 800 ml of water
- A 2-litre jar a large crock, clay pot, or enameled pot with a cover
Instructions
- Prepare utensils for pickling: rinse your jar, crock, or enamel pot thoroughly with very hot, then cold water. Let dry.
- Wash cabbage in cold running water. Chop cabbage into narrow strips (julienne), or cut into small pieces of similar shapes. Set aside 2-4 whole cabbage leaves. Carrots also need to be washed, cleaned thoroughly and grated.
- In a deep bowl, mix chopped cabbage with ½ tablespoon of salt and massage well, so the cabbage lets out a little juice.
- Take ¼ cup of the carrot and cranberries and blend for a a few seconds in a blender, so that some of the berries break open and let out some liquid.
- Add carrots and cranberries to bowl with cabbage. Add your whole spices, and mix well. Let rest for a few minutes.
- At the bottom of your clean jar, crock, or enameled bucket, put 1-2 washed and scalded cabbage leaves, coating the entire bottom of the jar. Fill the prepared dish with chopped cabbage, carrot and cranberries mixture, patting it down tightly with a wooden spoon each time, to ensure the cabbage continues to let out liquid. Ensure that the jar is almost full of cabbage, leaving about 2 inches of room at the top.
- Prepare brine: Boil 800 ml of water and 200 ml of vinegar (or vinegar-lemon combination). Add one tablespoon of salt (non-iodized) and sugar to water, and stir until completely dissolved.
- Pour boiling brine into cabbage-filled jar. Cabbage should be completely covered with brine. Top with 1-2 whole cabbage leaves, washed in scalding hot water. close jar or crock tightly with lid.
- Place jar or crock in a deep dish (a pot, bowl or casserole dish will all do just fine), as some brine may seep out of the container as the cabbage lets out more water, and place in a dark and warm corner of the house. Leave at room temperature for 1 to 3 days, depending on your temperature (no more than one day on a hot summer day).
- After 1-3 days, store sauerkraut in a glass jar with a lid in the refrigerator. Enjoy in sandwiches, on its own, or as a side with potatoes and some marinated and grilled tofu, or braised meat.
Rose says
Like it has been said before. A picture is worth a thousand words.
In our home both my husband and I enjoy your recipes and pictures very much.
Happy Holiday
Kerrie says
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe. I was wondering if I could sub some ground sumac for the cranberry. Is the cranberry there to add another layer of a sour element or is it something else? I always have sumac on hand.
kseniaprints says
Yes, you can sub a bit of ground sumac or dried barberries.