[bonjives]

Hi could anyone tell me a good way to freeze cabbage, I have tried this way once and was'nt pleased with the results. Chopped the cabbage, dropped into boiling water and blanched for 1 min, strained then put into iced water, placed onto baking sheet in single layer then in the freezer, but it was soggy when we cooked it in the steamer. Is there a better way please!

[WG.]

Cabbage is one of these veggies which you can have fresh almost all the year round with a little planning.

I do freeze leftover cooked cabbage for use in soups but otherwise I haven't found a way to improve on yours.

[muntjac]

me niether ,tastes horible as well

[mushroom]

Is there a better way please!

yes, by not freezing it

Freezing turns it to mush when thawed and we all know how ugh overcooked cabbage is - look at the freezing doing the same thing as cooking. Best way of keeping cabbage is by pickling it, at least that way it keeps (some of) its texture.

[WG.]

Pickled red cabbage before, never tried green.

But there is always Sauerkraut.  Yummy!  Just don't poison yourself.

[gobs]

Pickled red cabbage before, never tried green.

But there is always Sauerkraut.  Yummy!  Just don't poison yourself.

What do you mean? poison  :oops:  :oops:  :oops:

[WG.]

Making your own sauerkraut takes a bit of know-how.  I've seen one or two batches which Alexander Fleming would have been proud of.

Anyone do it please?  How about a recipe?

[gobs]

The thing is, you can't get good saurkratz here. Good ones are fermented in barrels, my grannie used to make lots. They were trodden down, as for grapes. So I donno if recipe would be any use, but definitely need caraway seed with them.  Got any whisky barrels spare, mate?

[WG.]

Got any whisky barrels spare, mate?

Yup.

[gobs]

I'll get you a good recipe tonight, then.  

[Lynne]

I have frozen cabbage once or twice. I cut the head into quarters, washed it and just put each into bags and straight in the freezer.

The secret seems to be to cook them when they're still frozen when you get them out. They don't seem to go so mushy then.

[bonjives]

 thanks for all the advice, decided to give our neighbours some of the cabbage instead of freezing, at least they will  be eaten fresh. will have to put less in next year. New to allotments and growing veg so have learnt a lesson about cabbages, only plant the veg you can use or freeze!

[muntjac]

they wil last even with frosts if you fleece em with a wire shelter ,,,,,you dont have to cut them all at once matey

[gobs]

Soured/Barrel Cabbage

Basic ingredients: very clean barrel and the same for all gear used(wash with boiling hot water)
white, large, heavy, dense headed winter cabbage - outer green leaves removed, finely(1.5-3mm) shredded, cores retained(smaller, looser heads can be added whole with core cut out, this is optional)
salt - 3% of the weight of cabbage

Flavourings(depends, where you're coming from): white or black peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic, crab apples, chillies, savory, horseradish, dill, caraway seeds.(I'm picking the ones I like, do not mix bay and caraway)

Method:
1) You can layer the bottom of the barrel with larger cabbage leaves(or omit)  Put on it peeled crab apples, 1-2 handfuls of savory, if used, a few med hot chillies whole, a few garlic cloves, 2-4 horseradish roots cut in half)
2) Put the cabbage, salt, caraway(almost as much as salt) into the barrel in layers, scatter the seasonong over the cabbage evenly and so between layers
3) Treading it down: you can use a wooden club. Gently but firmly press the cabbage down, without breaking it to remove air pockets.
Repeat 2 and 3 till ingredients are used up. Leave AT LEAST 10 cm or more space from top of the barrel.
Retained cores(and whole cored small heads) get packed in around the middle, the same way, surrounded by the cut cabbage, no air pockets left.
Make incisions in cores and rub with salt.
If well clubbed down it already should have a lot of juices, if not keep clubbing, juices should cover the cabbage at all times.
4) Sealing and weighting down
perforated cling film, wood planks or lid, weighted by stones or else on top, to keep cabbage under juices.(20-25% of the weight of cabbage)
Lid should be level.

Fermentation

warm 21-24 C

Depending on cond cabbage ferments at a high range, 0-20 C, so the process can take 5-90 days. Autumn average: 30.
During ferm it needs frequent checking, bubbles and all gunk forming needs regular removal. If it is overrunning needs cooler place. If juices are lost, or not enough forming needs topping up to well cover cabbage with boiled, cooled 3% salt water solution.

Storage

cool -2-0 C

Due to acid formation and chemical processes the later the cabbage is used the longer its cooking time will be. Try to consume as much raw, as you can and pleeease do share!

[mushroom]

snarf! cheers for the recipe