Mock Sweet and Sour Cabbage

What to do with extra turnips? Why, make mock cabbage, of course. Tastes just like the real thing

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: Makes approximately 8 quarts or 16 pints

Prep Time: 4-16 hours (most just sittng and waiting for salting to finish)   Cook Time: 45ish (also 10-15 for BWB)  

Ingredients

Roughly 50 Pounds of Turnips
12 C Vinegar (Cider perferred but any will do)
3 C Water
2 C Sugar (more or less depending on taste)
3 T Mustard Seed
3 T Celery Seed
3 T Caraway Seed (Reserve 1/2)
11/2 T Peppercorns

Directions

Peel turnips. If you have old turnips, peel at a 1/4 inch depth of peel, or take a peel, pull, and see how how thick it comes off and peel to that level. Grate by hand or in a food processor. Salt turnips liberally, mix until a good bit of juice is let out of the turnips. Let set for several hours or overnight. Drain turnips and rinse. Squeeze all liquid out after each rinse. For more cabbage taste rinse twice for less cabbage flavor a least four times or until it no longer tastes of salt. After four times the turnips will be quite neutral now and will take on most any flavors.

Set aside in a large pot. (Quantity may benefit from splitting into two pots to make it easier to mix and cook.)

Mix remaining ingredients except the reserved caraway seed. Bring to a low boil for five minutes, stirring well to combine all the spices and sugar to melt. Reserve 1/3 of brine and keep hot in a pot on low. Pour the remaining brine over the turnips. Add the reserved caraway seed; mix well to incorporate the brine and caraway with the turnips. Cook on low, stirring frequently to check for moisture. If turnips are dry, add enough water to keep very moist. Continue to cook until fork tender, approximately 45 minutes. When done, pack into hot sterile jars, adding enough reserved hot brine to each jar so turnips are moist. Leave 1/2 inch headspace. BWB pints 10 minutes; quarts 15 minutes. Makes approximately 8 quarts or 16 pints. (Also can be frozen but has to be completely cooled and packed into freezer bags with all air released. Must be used within 3 months to preserve flavor and texture.)

Categories: Boiling Water Bath, BWB Pickles & Pickled Stuff, BWB Vegetables, Canning, Preserving

Submitted by: cblystone1 on September 29, 2011