Should I top up pickling cabbage solution?
I'm making a first attempt at pickling cabbage. I compressed some cabbage in a suitable container, and added hot vinegar with spices to it, making sure to fill it right up to the brim. I put it in the fridge.
The next day I take a look at it, and presumably the cabbage absorbed some of the liquid, since there's a 5cm or so gap at the top.
Should I add more vinegar to it and top it up? Or just leave it as it is?
Best Answer
Generally yes you should top up the solution, anything exposed to air even in the fridge will start to spoil. Many pickling jars have an insert and/or weight that you can add at the top to make sure the food remains submerged.
Pictures about "Should I top up pickling cabbage solution?"
Can you top up pickling liquid?
You can absolutely reuse that brine as long as\u2026 You're only using it to make refrigerator pickles. Once a brine has been used to can something, that's it.Can you reuse brine?
No, It Is Not Safe to Reuse the Brine Discard the brine solution after use. The brine will contain proteins, blood, and other stuff from the meat that soaked in it. From a food safety standpoint, it is not advisable to reuse brine, even if it is boiled first. You should dump it down the drain after its first use.Can you reuse Claussen pickle juice?
Seal the jar and refrigerate. It's no surprise that the reused Claussen pickles were my kids' favorites. We often reuse pickle brine just by sticking sliced cucumbers straight into the leftover brine, but the Cook's Illustrated method of salting the cucumbers and boiling the brine infused far more flavor.Can you pickle with leftover pickle juice?
To make quick pickles from leftover brine, toss cucumber slices in a colander with salt (1 1/2 teaspoons per pound of cucumbers) and let them sit for 1 hour; then transfer them to a jar. Bring the brine to a boil and pour it over the pickles. Seal the jar and refrigerate the pickles for 24 hours before eating.How to Pickle Cabbage at Home
More answers regarding should I top up pickling cabbage solution?
Answer 2
Are you making vinegar pickles or fermented pickles? Sauerkraut is usually a fermented product, which uses salt, not vinegar. So, I am a little unclear.
In either case, I'm doubtful that the cabbage absorbed anything, but your vegetables should always be submerged. Usually that is accomplished by weighing them down. If they are fully compressed you can certainly top off your container with a brine solution. The reason for this is that the cabbage above the solution will likely develop mold.
The refrigerator is not a typical place for fermentation to happen. Pickling usually takes place at slightly warmer temperatures (though, if you are just making vinegar pickles, which are not fermented, the fridge is the right place). I keep mine in a cold basement room, for example. Refrigeration will dramatically slow the fermentation process.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Laker, Mikhail Nilov, icon0.com, Ant