Perfectly Salted Cabbage
Quick answer
The secret to perfectly salting cabbage for the best kimchi texture.
What makes this special
- Kelp and shiitake broth provide the umami backbone for properly salted Sogeum-baechu cabbage.
- Sea salt dissolved in kelp and shiitake broth gives the brine umami backbone
- Flipping midway ensures even brining across thick and thin layers in 6-8 hours
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Trim any damaged outer leaves from 2 heads of napa cabbage.
- 2 Put 2 L water, 1 piece dried kelp, and 2 dried shiitake mushrooms in a pot over medium heat.
- 3 Dissolve 1 cup coarse sea salt fully into the cooled base to make the brine.
The secret to perfectly salting cabbage for the best kimchi texture.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Trim any damaged outer leaves from 2 heads of napa cabbage.
Cut only a deep slit through the base, then pull the cabbage apart by hand so the leaves stay intact and the white stems split cleanly.
- 2Control
Put 2 L water, 1 piece dried kelp, and 2 dried shiitake mushrooms in a pot over medium heat.
Once it boils, simmer 5 minutes, then cool completely so hot liquid does not soften the cabbage too quickly.
- 3Season
Dissolve 1 cup coarse sea salt fully into the cooled base to make the brine.
Use aged salt with the bitterness drained out, and add the optional 1/2 tsp New Sugar only if using it.
- 4Season
Dip each cabbage half deeply in the brine so liquid reaches between the leaves.
Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup coarse sea salt mainly between the thick white stems, using less on the tender leafy parts.
- 5Season
Place the cabbage in a large container and pour in the remaining brine.
Salt for 6-8 hours, turning the top and bottom pieces after 3-4 hours so pressure and brine reach every section evenly.
- 6Season
The cabbage is ready when a white stem bends softly without snapping.
Rinse 3 times under running water, then set the cut sides down and drain at least 2 hours so kimchi seasoning can cling well.
After the steps
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Tips
Nutrition (per serving)
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