Pickled Cabbage – Red or Green

Here is the recipe for Pickled Cabbage, requested by a listener from the ABC Tasmania Jams and Preserves Talkback this morning.

In the photo is a 12 jar batch of Pickled Cabbage I made a few weeks ago. The two jars at the front, standing in the stainless steel bowls, contain sauerkraut at the fermenting stage, that lovely alternative way to preserve cabbage.

Pickled Cabbage

1 cabbage (approximately 1 kilo in weight)

45g salt

950ml vinegar

30g sugar

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cloves

Remove the coarse outer leaves from the cabbage and cut out the tough core. Shred the cabbage finely. Layer with the salt and leave to stand overnight.

Next day, drain well and rinse. Place in an airtight jar (non-reactive lid).

Meanwhile, bring the vinegar and spices to the boil and then cool. Strain and pour over the cabbage.

Be sure that the cabbage is completely submerged in the vinegar mixture. If it tends to float, then crumple a piece of baking paper and submerge under the surface, making sure that there are no air pockets underneath.

If using several jars, it is important to have equal quantities of both cabbage and vinegar in each.

The cabbage can be used after one week; it’s best to use before 3 months or it will become soggy.