Producing sauerkraut as a business is an interesting idea for entrepreneurs involved in gardening. It is much more profitable to sell grown cabbage not raw, but in canned form. In addition, the fermented product is better stored, which extends the sales period and increases profits.
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What are the benefits of sauerkraut?
The production of sauerkraut is especially beneficial for people who have their own gardens.
These can be home gardens or farm fields where vegetables are grown on an industrial scale. The main advantages of such a business:
- production can be organized in small areas;
- the cost of the product is low, the margin will be significant;
- sauerkraut is always in demand, demand does not depend on the season;
- It is possible to produce a product with various natural additives, expanding the range.
When planning to organize a sauerkraut business, you should take into account some features:
- it is necessary to establish a sales network that guarantees constant sales and minimizes disposal;
- in autumn, competition increases from private traders offering goods in markets;
- When purchasing raw materials from manufacturers, profits are significantly reduced.
Where to start producing sauerkraut?
Draw up a detailed business plan taking into account upcoming expenses and possible income. Consider the possibility of expansion, as well as attracting borrowed funds.
Decide where you will purchase your raw materials. It is most profitable to ferment cabbage grown yourself. If you decide to rely on production rather than cultivation, purchase heads of cabbage at the base, trying to find regular suppliers with minimal prices.
Find a suitable premises. Small batches can be made in the kitchen itself, but when you reach a larger volume, you will have to organize a mini-workshop. A room of 20-30 m² is sufficient for a production workshop, as well as a small warehouse for raw materials and finished products prepared for shipment. According to SES standards, the premises must be equipped with water supply and a sewerage system.
Register a legal entity. The easiest way is to work as an individual entrepreneur, this will help save on taxes. Registration of a legal entity is necessary if you plan to work with retail and catering. Selling products on the market does not require official registration. However, in any case, it is necessary to obtain a certificate from the sanitary and epidemiological station confirming the safety of the product.
Purchase the necessary equipment: cutting tables, cutters, wooden or enamel containers for fermentation. If you plan to package your products yourself, you will need a line for producing packaging and sealing bags. It is possible to purchase used equipment; it will not cost too much.
1-2 employees per shift are enough to operate. It is advisable to have a person on staff who can sell and distribute finished products, as well as think through new forms of sales. The business owner can take on this function.
Recipe for making sauerkraut for the winter
To begin with, we thoroughly clean each head of cabbage - we get rid of all dirty and green leaves, rotten and frozen parts, and stalks. Next, for greater convenience, we cut the forks into pieces, 2-3, as a rule, and finely chop them with a special knife with a triple blade (to handle such a knife, in my opinion, you need remarkable strength, so my husband helps me handle it) or grater
Then we take on the carrots, which we also first peel and then shred - there is only a coarse grater, for me there are no options, although many, I know, prefer to manually cut into thin strips, which, in my opinion, is quite labor-intensive and not worth it.
Go ahead. Place the chopped vegetables in a large saucepan (enamel) and mix so that the cabbage and carrots are distributed more or less evenly among themselves. Then add some salt to the vegetables and mix again. Important: vegetables do not need to be intensively crushed or ground, just mix well; and it is very advisable to take coarse salt, intended specifically for canning, this is not only for cabbage, but in general it is better for preparing any pickles.
After mixing, compact the vegetables firmly, but without fanaticism, in the pan, press with a flat plate (so that the plate is directly pressed, and not just put and covered) and apply pressure, for which I usually use a jar of water. In this form, cabbage lasts for 2-3 days. These days, when the cabbage begins to release juice (it will accumulate around the pressed plate), I periodically remove it and release the gases formed during the fermentation of the cabbage, piercing it in several places. The deeper you pierce, the better, so for these purposes I have a telescopic fork - a very convenient thing.
After a couple of days, squeeze out the sauerkraut and place it in sterilized jars. Add sugar to the remaining brine, mix and pour it into jars. We close the jars with clean, also sterilized nylon lids, and send them for storage where it is cool and there is room for 3-liter jars - in a winter refrigerator or in a cabinet on a covered balcony.
It is believed that sauerkraut is very useful, namely:
Cabbage fermentation technology
For the basic recipe you only need white cabbage and salt. For 100 kg of raw materials without top leaves and stalks, you will need 3-4 kg of coarse non-iodized salt. It is advisable to use cabbage of mid-late varieties, which has a pleasant rich taste. Early heads of cabbage have a rich green color that is unusual for consumers; late varieties are not too juicy.
Peel the heads of cabbage from the top leaves, cut out the stalks. Slice the cabbage heads into thin strips using household or commercial cutters. Place the cabbage in portions in large enamel pans, sprinkle it with salt and mash it with your hands so that the leaves release juice. Then the raw materials are transferred into wooden or enamel barrels with a volume of 25-30 liters. When the containers are filled so that there is 10 cm left to the edge, cover the contents with a clean cotton cloth, place a wooden circle on top the size of the barrel and press it down with a 10 kg weight.
The fermentation process occurs at room temperature. From time to time, the contents of the barrels are pierced with a thin wooden stick to release gases. You cannot use metal knitting needles; the cabbage may darken and acquire an unpleasant taste.
The product will be ready in about 2 weeks. Don't forget to taste it. Cabbage should be juicy, crispy, dazzling white, with a pleasant subtle taste and aroma. During the fermentation process, it should not acidify, become too soft or acquire foreign odors and tastes.
Having mastered the basic recipe, you can diversify it by adding grated carrots, beets, parsley, celery, garlic, apples, lingonberries or cranberries. Customers especially like such products and increase sales.
Without salt
Many recipes for sauerkraut include salt, so people with gastrointestinal diseases are not always allowed to consume such a snack. To make the product dietary, healthy and accessible to everyone, it is necessary to slightly modify the combination of ingredients. The absence of salt will allow hypertensive patients and those who really want to lose weight to enjoy sauerkraut.
For this recipe you will need:
- white cabbage – 3.5 kg (1 large);
- carrots – 0.5 kg;
- dill seeds - a quarter cup;
- cranberries - less than half a glass.
Steps for preparing sauerkraut without salt:
- Wash and peel the vegetables.
- Finely chop the cabbage. Grate the carrots on a coarse grater.
- Mash the cranberries until pulpy.
- Mix the ingredients with the dill seeds. Mash the sauerkraut with your hands. Pack tightly into an enamel container.
- Cover with a plate on top and place under pressure. Its weight should be 2 times greater than the total amount of the snack in kg.
- After a day, change the pressure to a lighter one when you notice a sufficient amount of juice released.
- In a day or two, the sauerkraut will be ready to eat.
- Transfer it into glass jars and put it in a cool place.
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Subtleties of sales
The sale of finished products should be thought out at the initial stage when drawing up a business plan. Cabbage can be sold through:
- own market stall;
- online store, own or cooperative;
- wholesalers;
- catering enterprises;
- retail chains;
- neighborhood stores;
- vegetable stalls;
- seasonal food fairs.
Cabbage can be packaged in plastic containers or thick plastic bags. To give the products a more attractive appearance, the bags should be provided with labels with complete information about the product.
Another way to increase sales is to expand production by using sauerkraut as a filling for homemade pies, kulebyak, and dumplings. Baked goods can be sold in cafes and small shops, or sold through your own kiosks. It is possible to produce frozen semi-finished products from dough and cabbage with subsequent sale through retail chains or online stores.
A business producing sauerkraut can be quite successful. It is important to act gradually, starting with small volumes and gradually expanding production. Don't forget about advertising and constantly look for new sales channels.
Is it possible to ferment cabbage in a plastic bucket? Recipe for sauerkraut in a plastic bucket
Autumn-winter is the most favorable season for sauerkraut. By this time, the vegetable is ripe and completely ready for further use. For pickling, you need to prepare cabbage and other vegetables, spices, a sharp knife, a shredder, pressure and, of course, containers. Is it possible to ferment cabbage in a plastic bucket? This is exactly what the article will discuss.
What to ferment cabbage in?
You cannot find a more suitable container than a wooden barrel. But it is difficult to store it in an apartment, and it will turn out to be too much cabbage. Another problem is that it is difficult to buy a container of the required volume and made of good wood.
A large enamel pan is suitable for fermentation. Make sure it is free of chips. Otherwise, you risk spoiling the cabbage: it may acquire an unattractive gray color and an unpleasant taste.
If you need a small amount of sauerkraut, then glass containers are suitable for this: a three-liter jar or a five-liter bottle.
Under no circumstances should you take containers made of metal, such as aluminum or stainless steel. Typically, during fermentation, the acid reacts with the metal. Cabbage absorbs everything and loses its taste and usefulness. Many people wonder: is it possible to ferment cabbage in a plastic bucket?
Plastic buckets designed for cold food products are now being produced. Some sell fermented milk products, mayonnaise, salted fish, etc.
But is it possible to ferment cabbage in a plastic bucket, because during fermentation, acid appears, which, one way or another, reacts with the plastic? Sauerkraut absorbs smell and unknown elements. And buckets are not always made of the right plastic.
Other impurities may also be included in the composition. So, by using low-quality containers, we risk not only ruining the taste of the dish, but also our health.
But what to do if there is no other suitable container? Is it possible to ferment cabbage in a plastic bucket? Yes, you can, but you just need to listen to the following recommendations:
- Be sure to buy a plastic bucket for food grade use only. Feel free to ask the seller for a certificate to ensure the quality of your purchase.
- Buy buckets that are not made of colored plastic. It is best to take a colorless one, like a nylon lid for a jar, or a white one, like the one they sell sour cream in stores.
- Wash the new bucket several times. Then fill up with water and leave for a day. Then dry it in the open air.
- You can ferment cabbage in a plastic bucket by placing a plastic bag in it. Use only a food grade bag. Cling film used to cover the inside of the bucket is also suitable.
- You need to ferment the cabbage in a plastic bucket until fully cooked. Then it is better to transfer it into glass jars. Tamp the cabbage and pour in the resulting juice.
How to ferment cabbage in a plastic bucket? First you need to choose the right vegetables. Mid-late and late varieties of cabbage are the most suitable for harvesting for the winter.
They contain sugar, which is necessary for the fermentation process. Experienced housewives recommend taking those heads of cabbage that have been caught by a slight frost, and they have been lying around for a while.
Then the cabbage loses its bitterness. But avoid frozen vegetables.
For pickling, you need to choose intact and tight heads of cabbage. Leaves must be free of rot and wormholes. It is recommended to take large heads of cabbage. The result is more shredded leaves and less waste.
What can you add to sauerkraut?
Fermentation is impossible without salt. It’s best to take regular table food, and even coarsely ground. If you are starting fermentation for the first time, then you should adhere to the proportions indicated in the recipe. Experienced housewives salt by eye and to taste, which suits the needs of the family.
Bay leaves, black peppercorns, sweet and hot peppers, horseradish, apples, cranberries, pumpkin, lingonberries, plums, currant leaves and even oak bark are added to sauerkraut. And of course, there should be carrots, cut into thin slices or shredded on a coarse grater. It gives cabbage its flavor and crunchy properties.
To change the color, some housewives add sliced beets to the cabbage or add its juice. All vegetables or fruits in sauerkraut must be cut into strips.
How and where to cut a cabbage head
A wide and long chef's knife is suitable for cutting cabbage; it must be well sharpened. Sometimes they use a special cut for cabbage, but it cuts the leaves too finely and they are not very suitable for pickling.
You can find a shredder board, just remember that its knives are very sharp and can easily get hurt. Therefore, you need to learn how to use it and be extremely careful.
It is best to cut cabbage on a wide table or large wooden cutting board. The chopped leaves can be left here or poured into an enamel bowl, where we will mix all the ingredients.
There are several ways to cut cabbage. In most cases, the head of cabbage is cut in half and then chopped not too finely. You can also cut the cabbage into squares. There are ways to ferment quarters, halves and even whole heads of cabbage.
Shredded cabbage is combined with salt, spices, carrots and other selected ingredients. Mix thoroughly with your hands and leave for some time until the first juice appears.
Technology for laying and storing sauerkraut
Is it possible to ferment cabbage in a plastic bucket? Yes, sure. You just need to adhere to a certain technology. We begin to place the prepared vegetable mixture into the container. The bottom of the container should be lined with washed cabbage leaves. Next, add the cabbage and compact it tightly. As a rule, a wooden rolling pin is used. But you can do it with your hand.
We tamp each layer of the mixture until liquid appears on the surface. Cover the top with a cabbage leaf and white natural fabric (you can use a piece of gauze). They also use a wooden circle, plate or lid, which is smaller than the diameter of the container neck, but does not leave a large distance from the walls. Be sure to put oppression on top.
A stone, weight (wrapped in cling film) or a container of water is suitable for this.
We leave the container with cabbage for three to four days in a room where the temperature is not less than 17 and not more than 22 degrees. At this temperature, cabbage fermentation occurs during this time. As a result of this process, a lot of juice will be released, so place the container in another container into which the liquid will drain.
Gas bubbles and foam on the surface are considered to be indicators of proper fermentation. The foam needs to be collected from time to time. In order for the cabbage to sour evenly and for gas to escape, it must be pierced with a long wooden stick. This way you will get rid of the bitter taste of sauerkraut.
The cessation of the release of liquid and gas indicates the completion of fermentation. It's worth tasting the product. Cabbage should have a pleasant sour taste, slightly orange color and a specific aroma.
The container with sauerkraut is placed in a cooler place and stored at a temperature of 0 to 5 degrees. Some housewives practice freezing sauerkraut. The finished product is placed in freezer bags and placed in the freezer. To use, just defrost the cabbage. It is worth noting that neither taste, aroma, nor beneficial properties are lost.
Sauerkraut in a plastic bucket: recipe
To get 10 kilograms of shredded cabbage, you need to take 12 kilograms of whole cabbage.
We separate the top leaves from the head of cabbage, divide them in half and cut out the stalk. Shred the cabbage and mix with chopped carrots (300-400 grams), salt (no more than 250 grams), add bay leaf, as well as other vegetables or fruits.
Place cabbage leaves at the bottom of the bucket. Pour the mixture on top and tamp so that liquid appears above the layer. Cover the top of the cabbage with leaves, cover with gauze and place a weight.
The fermentation process will last from 3 to 5 days. Don’t forget to collect the foam and pierce the cabbage with a stick to the very bottom. Every day you need to wash the gauze and wash the load. Store ready-made sauerkraut in a cool place.
Recipe for sauerkraut in a plastic bucket with whole heads of cabbage
For this fermentation method, you need to take dense and small heads of cabbage. Remove the top leaves and carefully cut out the stalk. Place the prepared heads of cabbage in a container, line the bottom with oak bark, and place currant and cherry leaves on top of the cabbage.
Prepare the brine: dissolve 500-600 grams of salt in 10 liters of water. Pour over the cabbage so that the liquid completely covers the heads of cabbage. Cover with gauze, wooden circles, and apply pressure.
Recipe for sauerkraut with lingonberries (cranberries)
Chop 10 kilograms of cabbage, add 400 grams of carrots cut into strips, add salt (50-100 grams) and mix thoroughly.
Pour the mixture into a container, compact each layer and sprinkle with lingonberries (cranberries). In total you will need 700-800 grams of berries. The last layer should be cabbage. Cover with a cabbage leaf, cloth, plate and place pressure.
Every day, carry out water procedures for oppression and fabric, pierce the cabbage with a stick and collect excess foam. This recipe is suitable for sauerkraut with apples or pumpkin.
Cabbage pickled in its own juice is not only nutritious, but also very healthy. It contains vitamins B and C, which are stored for a long time. Don't be afraid to ferment cabbage. The suggested recommendations and secrets will eliminate mistakes, and the cabbage will turn out very crispy and aromatic.
Source: https://fb.ru/article/227157/mojno-li-kvasit-kapustu-v-plastikovom-vedre-retsept-kvashenoy-kapustyi-v-plastikovom-vedre
How much can you earn from producing sauerkraut?
The profit of an activity depends on the result obtained, which is calculated using the formula: funds to buy cabbage * labor = profit. In other words, this direction has no restrictions. In business you can earn from 5 thousand rubles. per month up to several hundred thousand rubles.
When producing 10 tons of product, the income will be more than 250 thousand rubles.
If you are unable to save money for tomorrow and are experiencing other financial problems, see our money management proposal. You will learn not only about the secrets of millionaires, but also be able to properly distribute your income.
How many days does cabbage ferment and how to store the finished product?
The packed cabbage is left in a room at an air temperature of +19 ° ... + 22 ° C for 3-7 days, depending on the quantity and volume of the container. A lower temperature inhibits the fermentation process, as a result the product takes a long time to sour or the process stops altogether. A high temperature will soften the cabbage and make it very sour.
in the photo - the process of ripening cabbage
To find out whether the ripening process is underway, look at the surface; the resulting foam and bubbles indicate the correct course of the processes. Foam is removed as it forms. After fermentation begins, the cabbage must be pierced daily, using wooden spoons (with the back side) to remove the resulting gases. They pierce all the way to the bottom to rid the cabbage of bitterness.
After 3-4 days, the cabbage will settle, the amount of juice released will decrease, which means the product is ready. Don’t rush to put it away for storage, first try the taste, which should be pleasantly sour if everything was done correctly. The fresh cabbage should be left to ferment for a couple of days until fully cooked.
Sauerkraut should be stored at a temperature of 0°...+5°C. In the cellar, refrigerator, basement, on the balcony, loggia, you can store cabbage for the winter, if the conditions are appropriate. Another way to store it for a long period is to freeze sauerkraut. Pack into bags, place in the freezer and use as needed. Bon appetit!
If there is no room left in the freezer, and there is nowhere to put the next portion of vegetables from the garden, it’s time to remember how our ancestors made preparations. Cabbage fermented in a barrel for the winter according to an old classic recipe was so tasty for our grandmothers that there was no end to those who wanted to try it. To prepare delicious pickles, you will need a large wooden container, a large shredder, a table, and, of course, fresh vegetables from your own garden.
If you don’t have your own garden, you can also ferment purchased cabbage. It is very important to choose it correctly, because not every one is suitable for putting into a barrel.
The ideal option is to take forks with white leaves of late varieties, cut in October, before frost. This cabbage leaf has a pleasant crunch, and there is enough juice in it for sourdough.
When choosing heads of cabbage, you need to lightly press them: those that emit a pleasant light crunch are suitable.
How much money do you need to start?
You can launch a business project with virtually no capital investment. You can start production in your own kitchen. To open a full-fledged production workshop you will need:
- Rent a room – 20 thousand rubles;
- To equip the workshop in accordance with the standards - 30 thousand rubles;
- Buy an electric vegetable cutter – 40 thousand rubles;
- Buy barrels for ripening - from 30 thousand rubles.
To produce 1 ton of cabbage per day, you need to invest 2 million rubles. But such costs are reasonable if there is a market.
