How to Store Cabbage For Longer Shelf Life

To store your cabbage in the refrigerator, you'll need to first remove any loose or damaged outer leaves off the head. Don't wash it before storing it; excess moisture will encourage mold.

Then place the whole head of cabbage into a perforated plastic bag or loosely wrap it in plastic wrap; this way, it allows air to circulate while helping to retain some moisture.

Finally, place the wrapped cabbage in your refrigerator crisper drawer, whose humidity level remains largely constant, thereby acting to keep the cabbage fresh for longer periods.

Benefits

• Simple and Effective: This method is easy and requires minimal preparation.
• Moderate Shelf Life: Keeps cabbage fresh for up to two weeks.
• Preserve Nutrients: Retains most of the cabbage’s nutritional value.

Begin by pulling away and discarding the loose outer leaves of the cabbage, and inspecting the vegetable for any signs of damage or infestation by insects. It is not advisable to wash the cabbage before storage.

Place the heads in a wooden crate or on shelves, allowing adequate spacing between the head for air circulation. Now, store the cabbage in a cool, dark, and humid area, such as in a root cellar. Ideal conditions include temperatures in the range of 32°F to 40°F 0°C to 4°C with a relatively high humidity of 90-95%.

Check on the heads of cabbage regularly for any that may be rotting or mold; immediately remove and destroy those showing spoilage to avoid the possibility of decaying into other plants.

Benefits:

• Long-Term Storage: Keeps cabbage fresh for up to several months.
• Natural Method: Utilizes natural cool and humid conditions without the need for refrigeration.
• Maintains Freshness: Preserves the cabbage’s texture and flavor over an extended period.

To freeze, remove the outer leaves, wash and cut into quarters or shred. Drop the pieces of cabbage briefly into boiling water in a minute or two. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.

Let the cabbage cool down, then pat dry with a clean towel to remove excess moisture.

After that, line a baking sheet with the cut pieces of cabbage in a single layer and freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen cabbage pieces into freezer-safe bags or containers. Be sure to label and date them for your future reference.

Benefits:

• Long-Term Preservation: Keeps cabbage usable for up to a year in the freezer.
• Nutrient Retention: Blanching before freezing helps retain the cabbage’s nutritional value.
• Convenience: Prepares cabbage for easy use in cooked dishes.

Start by removing the outer leaves of the cabbage and then washing it clean. Next, you have to cut the cabbage into desired sizes and divide the sliced cabbage into vacuum seal bags without over-crowding them.

Using a vacuum sealer bag, remove the air from the bags and seal them tight. Finally, place the vacuum-sealed bags either in the refrigerator for short-term use or in the freezer for longer-term storage.

Benefits:

• Extended Freshness: Vacuum sealing removes air, reducing oxidation and spoilage, and extends the freshness of cabbage for several weeks in the refrigerator.
• Space-Efficient: Vacuum-sealed bags are compact and save space.
• Flexible Storage: Vacuum-sealed cabbage can be refrigerated or frozen, offering flexibility.

Remove the loose or damaged outer leaves of the cabbage. You do not need to wash the cabbage, since excess moisture can cause mold to develop inside a cold storage room.

Store the cabbages in a cool environment, at room temperatures that range between 32° and 40°F or 0° and 4°C. The region to store the cabbages should be dark and with highly moist air, ranging between 90 to 95%.

You can place the heads of the cabbage on the shelves or inside wooden crates. There should be adequate areas between the heads to allow good airflow around the heads and hence reduce the chances of spoilage.

Periodically inspect the heads of cabbage for any spoilage or mold that may be setting in. When you find any, remove it from storage promptly; if you don't, mold may spread to another head.

Benefits:

• Long-Term Storage: Keeps cabbage fresh for several months.
• Controlled Environment: Maintains optimal conditions for preserving cabbage.
• Natural Method: This does not require refrigeration.

Trim off and clean the cabbage, leaving some of them with stems and roots. Do not wash the cabbage before putting it away because the additional moisture encourages mold to set in.

Put the heads into a clay pot with a lid, setting them in damp sand or sawdust that holds moisture and keeps the cabbage from moving around.

Then, cover the pot with a wet towel in advance of the lid. The extra layering helps sustain the humidity around the cabbage.

Store the clay pot in a cool and dark area to ensure quality conditions that will enable the cabbage to be stored for longer. It is important to check regularly on the wetness of the sand or sawdust to add water to maintain moist conditions to support storage.

Benefits:

• Natural Preservation: The clay pot and natural materials provide a consistent moisture and temperature environment, keeping cabbage fresh.
• Eco-Friendly: Uses natural and sustainable materials.
• Moderate Storage Duration: Keeps cabbage fresh and crisp for several weeks.

Wrap each head of cabbage in the paper. The paper will absorb any excess moisture and provide a layer of protection against mold.

Place the heads in a cool, dark place: a basement or some other cool storage area. This is the ideal environment to maintain the best conditions for preserving the cabbage.

Check on the cabbage from time to time to see if any of the heads are spoiled or moldy. In most instances, some of the newspaper would become too wet, so you would replace it periodically in order to preserve your cabbage and keep it fresh.

Benefits:

• Simple and Cost-Effective: This method is easy and uses readily available materials.
• Moderate Storage Duration: Keeps cabbage fresh for several weeks.
• Eco-Friendly: Uses recyclable materials.

Find a cool, dark place in your home - a basement or a pantry area that can maintain a temperature between 32°F to 40°F, while the atmosphere is dark and humid.

Arrange the heads on the shelves or in wooden crates in such a way that each is spaced with correct air passages so as not to retain excess moisture around any single head of the cabbage.

Periodically check the cabbage for any signs of spoilage or mold. Such affected heads should be promptly removed so that problems don't spread to the remaining cabbage.

Benefits:

• Natural Preservation: Utilizes the natural cool and dark conditions of a storage area.
• Moderate Storage Duration: Keeps cabbage fresh for several weeks.
• Easy to Implement: Does not require special equipment or materials.

Dig a shallow trench about 10 inches deep in the well-drained area of your garden, adding straw in the bottom to cushion it and absorb extra moisture.

Put the heads in the trench - not crowded-cover cabbages with straw, then soil to insulate and protect.

Keep it safe from rain and snow by tarping over or covering it with heavy plastic. This keeps the cabbage dry whenever in storage, away from any bad weather conditions.

Benefits:

• Long-Term Storage: Keeps cabbage fresh for several months.
• Natural Method: Utilizes natural outdoor conditions for preservation.
• Eco-Friendly: Uses natural and sustainable materials.

Fermentation

1. Preparation: Remove any damaged outer leaves and wash the cabbage. Shred the cabbage into thin slices.
2. Salting: Place the shredded cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt. Use about 2% of the cabbage's weight in salt. Massage the salt into the cabbage until it releases enough liquid to cover itself.
3. Fermentation: Pack the salted cabbage tightly into a fermentation crock or jar. Press it down firmly to ensure it is submerged in its brine. Use a weight to keep the cabbage submerged.
4. Covering: Cover the jar with a cloth or fermentation lid to allow gases to escape while keeping contaminants out.
5. Fermentation Time: Let the cabbage ferment at room temperature for 1-4 weeks, depending on your taste preference. Check regularly and skim off any mold that forms on the surface.
6. Storage: Once fermented to your liking, transfer the cabbage to airtight jars and store them in the refrigerator.

Dehydration

1. Preparation: Remove the outer leaves and wash the cabbage thoroughly. Shred or slice the cabbage into thin pieces.
2. Drying: Arrange the cabbage pieces in a single layer on dehydrator trays.
3. Dehydration: Dehydrate at 125°F (52°C) for 8-12 hours or until the cabbage is completely dry and brittle.
4. Storage: Store the dehydrated cabbage in airtight containers or vacuum-sealed bags. Keep them in a cool, dark place.

Pickling

1. Preparation: Remove the outer leaves and wash the cabbage. Slice or shred it into thin pieces.
2. Preparing Brine: Boil a mixture of equal parts water and vinegar, adding salt and sugar to taste. Spices like mustard seeds, peppercorns, and bay leaves can be added for extra flavor.
3. Sterilizing Jars: Sterilize the jars by boiling them in water for 10 minutes.
4. Pickling Process: Pack the cabbage into the sterilized jars. Pour the hot brine over the cabbage, ensuring it is fully submerged.
5. Sealing: Seal the jars with lids and let them cool to room temperature.
6. Storage: Store the pickled cabbage in the refrigerator. Allow it to pickle for at least 24 hours before consuming.