Pickled cucumbers are an indispensable classic meal product at all times. You can buy them at any grocery store, pick them up according to the recipe and your taste, or cook them yourself, which is more attractive.
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Cucumber selection
Housewives, along with spices, put a piece of their soul into each jar. For a Russian person, it is a real pleasure to crunch on a pickled cucumber prepared according to a classic recipe.
Many people are afraid to take on salting, considering the process laborious. In fact, although it takes time and effort, it is very interesting. Using the rules and secrets of salting, the appetizer will turn out to be very tasty.
The main ingredient, of course, cucumbers. Their choice must be approached carefully, otherwise the bank may explode. Tips and warnings will help select the best specimens for pickling.
Consider the criteria for selecting a vegetable in detail:
- Cucumber fruits should be fresh
- Length no more than 15 cm, this size is optimal for cans
- Fruits should be covered with pimples
- The shape of the vegetable should be even, let's say a slight bend. Cucumbers in the form of a hook send to marriage, without regret, they are not suitable for pickling
- The flesh should be firm and crisp, with no voids in the cut. It is optimal to choose varieties that have few seeds
- The taste of the fruit should be without bitterness, it can ruin the entire batch of cucumbers in a jar
- The skin should be firm and bright green in color. Thin-skinned vegetables will go limp and lack the crunch
Overripe vegetables are not suitable for pickling. They have a hard skin and seeds. An overripe fruit often has a void inside. Their salting will be uneven. The risk that the bank will explode increases exponentially.
Ideal for pickling
When choosing a fruit, you need to consider its quality. You cannot be guided by the fact that if there is a marriage, it can be cut off. It should not have any spots, cracks, signs of decay.
Defects can be cut off, but the bacteria have already affected the cucumber. Wrinkles in the stalk area indicate its staleness. The shiny fruit is most likely treated with a wax solution to make it marketable, it is difficult to wash it off.
If there are wet cucumbers on the counter, this indicates their staleness and resuscitation with water for sale. Short-fruited varieties are suitable for salting. The most fruitful are Muromsky and Nezhinsky. They turn yellow quickly.
Gardeners need to harvest every day. This will allow you to select more vegetables for harvesting for the winter.
Read also: Cooking beets for the winter - 17 wonderful recipes: very tasty and healthy Fruit preparation
After cucumbers selected, you need to start preparing for the process of salting them. First of all, wash each fruit well. Remove all spikes on the pimples.
The nose and tail are cut off from the vegetable.It is desirable to do this, because all nitrates accumulate in them. Moreover, if they lacked watering, the tail will taste bitter. If the cucumbers are from your own garden, of unconditional quality, then you can leave the fruits whole.
Prepared fruits should be poured with clean water for at least 3-4 hours, it is better to soak in water for 10-12 hours. She will nourish the cucumbers, fill the voids. They will not absorb the brine from the jar. This procedure will make them crispier.
Put the prepared gherkins on a napkin or kitchen towel. They are ready to be put into the bank.
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Brine Ingredients
The main component of the brine is water. It is better if it is spring or well. It is difficult for city dwellers to find this, so you can use bottled or filtered water. The less various impurities in it, the better for pickling cucumbers.
Spices are used to prepare the classic brine:
- black currant leaves
- Black peppercorns
- Leaves, pieces of horseradish rhizome
- Dill, it is advisable to use only umbrellas
- Garlic
- coarse rock salt
Read also: Cultivation of cucumbers in open ground: planting seeds and caring for them | (Photo & Video) +Reviews Jars preparation
Sterile jars
To preserve the pickles during the winter, the seaming containers need to be clean and sterile. First, rub the jars with baking soda and leave for 1 hour. Then wash well with soap. Be sure to rinse with clean water at the end.
Before filling jars with vegetables, a heat treatment process is required. This is done for disinfection. In the process, all microbes will be killed. Without this, they will multiply, which will lead to fermentation, as a result, winter preparations will deteriorate.
Do not forget about the lids, they are also sterilized. Put them in boiling water and cook for 5-10 minutes.
Covers must be even, without traces of rust and defects. When choosing turnkey covers, you need to check that the elastic fits snugly. For seaming, they need perfect, without any damage.
The sterilization process can be carried out in a convenient manner. There are several types of them:
Ferry
Steam sterilization process
For this method, you need a pot half-filled with water and a mesh, grill or a special sterilization lid with a hole in the middle. When the water boils, a jar is placed on top. In sterile containers, large drops of water form on the walls.
Sterilization time depends on the volume (see table):
| Can volume | Sterilization time |
| 1 liter | 10 minutes |
| 2 liters | 15 – 20 minutes |
| 3 liters | 30 minutes |
The jars are very hot after sterilization. Remove them carefully, using special tongs. If these are not available, you can use a clean kitchen towel. They are placed on the table upside down and covered with sterile lids. It is convenient to take out the lids from boiling water with a fork.
If you have a double boiler or multicooker, you can use them for steam sterilization. The process follows the same principle.
Boil in boiling water
This method is best used when sterilizing small jars. The pan is filled with cold water, jars are placed in it. Do not put in a hot glass container, because it can burst. Bring to a boil. Boiling time is 5 - 10 minutes. Easy to take out with tongs.
In the oven
Sterilization process
Banks are placed on the grate neck. Important condition: a cold oven, hot glass will crack. They must be wet, so they should be placed immediately after washing. Sterilization lasts 15 minutes at a temperature set to 160C.The drops on the glass should evaporate completely.
In the microwave
Using this method, be sure to pour a little water into the jar, otherwise it will burst. Sterilized for 3 minutes at a power of 900 watts. So you can sterilize a large container, for this, put it on its side by pouring water inside.
Using potassium permanganate
Potassium permanganate
The method is good when it is not possible to use the above methods. It is simple, after the glass container is washed, it is rinsed with a bright pink solution of potassium permanganate.
Read also: Cucumbers: description of 29 varieties, main characteristics and gardener reviews about them | (Photo & Video)
Classic salting recipes
Everything is ready - it's time to fill the jars
Spices are placed at the bottom. Then the canvas of the bank is filled with cucumbers. They will go crazy standing. Larger jars at the bottom, smaller ones at the top. If desired, spices can be laid out between the rows of vegetables. After everything is laid, the brine is poured.
There are several classic salting methods cucumbers:
- Hot
- Cold
- With vinegar or aspirin
Let's consider each in more detail, indicating the proportions:
hot way
Ingredients for the hot method:
- For 1 liter of water 2 tablespoons of salt
- Cucumbers - 1.5 kg
- Pepper - 5 peas
- Garlic - 3 cloves
- Dill - 2 inflorescences
- Horseradish - 1 sheet
- Oak - 2 leaves and a piece of bark
- Bay leaf 3 pcs
- In the hot method, the brine water is brought to a boil, with the addition of salt.
- It pours hot into jars. It is closed with a nylon lid, aged for 7 days.
- Only after that it is rolled up under iron covers.
- There is another way: Pour boiling water over a jar of cucumbers, let stand until cool.
- Drain into a saucepan and boil again, adding salt.
- Pour the brine into jars and roll up.
- Turn the lids down and wrap in a warm blanket, stand for a day.
- The salt is ready.
- It can be put away in a basement or designated storage area.
cold way
salting process
Ingredients for cold salting:
- cucumbers – 2 kg
- Water - 1.5 liters
- Salt - 3 tablespoons without a slide
- Dill - 2 umbrellas
- Pepper - 7 peas
- Horseradish - 2 sheets
- Currant - 3 sheets
- Garlic - 2 cloves
- Vodka - 50 g
- Cherry - 4 leaves
- Put the cucumbers in a glass container, shifting them with spices.
- Fill with cold water.
- Close with a nylon lid, put in a cold place.
- Within 2 - 3 days, fermentation will occur in the banks.
- You need to open the lids to release the accumulated air under them.
- Then close again and leave for another 24 hours.
- After a day, roll up with metal lids.
Salting with vinegar and citric acid
Additional Ingredients
Ingredients for salting with the addition of vinegar or citric acid:
- Cucumbers - 0.5 kg
- Dill florets, preferably with seeds, the more the better
- Horseradish - 1 leaf
- Garlic - 2 cloves
- Salt - 2 tablespoons
- Water - 1 liter
- Currant - 3 leaves
- Vinegar - 1 tablespoon or citric acid
In Russia cucumbers salted in barrels, this method should be considered a classic. Modern housewives most often do not have barrels at home. An enameled bucket or a large saucepan will come to the rescue. Salting takes place in two stages:
- Put spices on the bottom, then cucumbers.
- So, alternate layers almost to the top.
- Be sure to leave room for the brine to cover the vegetables.
- The brine is made at the rate of 2 tablespoons of salt per 1 liter of cold water.
- Press down on top with a load and leave for 4 days at room temperature.
- Oppression is placed so that the cucumbers are covered with brine and do not float.
- This ensures uniform salting.
- A heavy load can crush the fruit, ruining the entire pickle.
- Lactic acid should stand out from the cucumbers.
- The brine became cloudy, and the fruits were covered with a white coating.
- This is good, since it is a preservative.
- You can not wash it off, it will keep the cucumbers from mold.
- Drain the brine and boil.
- Boil the kettle separately, in case there is not enough liquid to fill the jars.
- Spices played their role and gave away the taste, it remains to throw them away.
- Arrange cucumbers in sterile jars and pour hot brine, if necessary, mix boiling water with salt and add to the top.
- Add a spoonful of vinegar or citric acid. They do not affect the taste.
- Their function is to keep pickles as long as possible.
- Roll up the jars with lids and turn upside down.
- Wrap up and leave for a day.
- As they cool down, you can put them away for storage in the cellar or pantry.
- Pickled cucumbers according to this recipe are stored for several years.
Some housewives use aspirin instead of vinegar in this cucumber pickle recipe. In conservation, it forms phenolic compounds. They are dangerous to human health. After eating such a snack, you can get problems with the liver and kidneys.
Salting with added sugar
Add sugar
salt cucumbers can be added with sugar. This will give a salty-sweet taste. The result is a very tasty pickle.
Ingredients:
- Cucumbers - 2 kg
- Salt - 2 tablespoons
- Sugar - 2 tablespoons
- Vinegar - 1 tablespoon
- Water - 1 liter
- Garlic - 2 cloves
- Pepper - 5 peas
- Dill - 2 inflorescences
- Put spices and fruits of vegetables in jars, pour boiling water over them.
- After cooling the water to room temperature, it is poured into a saucepan, boiled again with the addition of salt and sugar.
- Then it is poured again into blanks.
- Pour vinegar on top.
- Next, roll up the iron lid.
- They should cool upside down, covered with a blanket, during the day.
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Some useful tips from experienced chefs
- Late varieties of cucumbers for pickling are more suitable than early ones. They are more crispy.
- The brine is very important. A large amount of salt will make the snack too salty. Its lack will lead to fermentation, cucumbers will turn sour. The salt may be spoiled.
- To prevent the jars of cucumbers from exploding, you can add a pinch of mustard seeds to each.
- Oak bark will make the vegetable crunchier. You need to add a small piece to the jar.
- To speed up the pickling process, you need to pierce each cucumber through with a knitting needle.
- Horseradish root will protect the appetizer from mold.
- Garlic cloves need to be cleaned of films. So that they come off easily, the slices need to be filled with water.
Read also: Mint: its medicinal properties and contraindications (for women & men), peppermint, tea, tincture and other variations + Reviews The benefits and harms of pickled cucumbers
Pickled cucumbers are tasty and healthy. 100 gr. contains only 11 kcal. However, this is not a dietary product, because they increase appetite.
- Despite the salting process, they retain useful substances: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, iron, iodine, vitamins C, B, PP. They are rich in fiber.
- Thanks to vitamins, cucumbers increase human immunity. It is not for nothing that Russians are famous all over the world for their “heroic health”. Natural products prepared at home help in strengthening it.
- During fermentation, lactic acid is released. It has a beneficial effect on the intestines, stimulating the growth of beneficial bacteria. This acid increases the production of gastric juice.
- Cucumber pickle neutralizes the effects of alcohol. Those who drink it in the morning after the holidays are doing the right thing.
- Pickled cucumbers can also be harmful. They can cause fluid retention in the body. Therefore, people prone to edema should limit the use of this tasty product.
- Salt should be used with caution by those who suffer from obesity, hypertension, atherosclerosis, cholelithiasis, pyelonephritis.
- Harm can cause excessive consumption of cucumbers. Absolutely everyone can afford a small amount of corned beef.
Dishes with pickled cucumbers
Pickles are a great appetizer.They can serve as an independent dish, and as part of salads and soups. As one of the ingredients, cucumbers add spice to any dish.
Classic olivier recipe
Olivier has become a traditional salad on the festive table. The debate about the classic recipe does not subside. There is a version that it was originally prepared with hazel grouse and soy-kabul.
Favourite dish
Interesting, but no one knows what the ingredient is. The salad was brought to Russia by the French chef Lucien Olivier. Initially, the dish was served with components laid out in a slide.
This option did not take root with us, due to the inconvenience of mixing at the table. Let's take a closer look at how to cook Olivier according to the classic recipe with pickles.
Compound:
- Potatoes - 3 pcs.
- Carrots - 3 pcs.
- Eggs - 5 pcs.
- Green peas - 1 can
- Pickled cucumbers - 6 pcs.
- Onion - 1 pc.
- Doctor's sausage - 350 g.
- Mayonnaise - 200 gr.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Cooking steps step by step:
- Wash potatoes and carrots well using a brush. Boil in the skin. Once cooked, cool and clean. They need to be cut into small cubes.
- Boil the eggs separately. Clean and cut into cubes.
It is convenient to use an egg cutter. It is round, with a lattice, as in the photo
- Sausage is cut in the same way. Instead of sausage, you can use boiled meat, chicken or ham.
- Peel and chop the onion.
- Cut cucumbers and squeeze out excess juice. This will avoid excessive wateriness of the salad.
- Open a jar of green peas and drain all the liquid.
- Mix all ingredients.
- Add mayonnaise and spices.
- Before serving, put in a salad bowl and garnish with herbs.
Cut cubes of medium size. Too finely chopped vegetables will turn the salad into porridge. On the table, it will look unappetizing.
classic vinaigrette recipe
For Russia, salads are not a typical dish. They appeared on the tables in the 19th century under Tsar Alexander I. Vinaigrette was invented in our country, only we know it under this name.
All over the world it is called Russian salad. Vinaigrette is considered the most useful salad. It is very popular with vegetarians.
Now it has many options. Mistresses are experimenting by adding ingredients: meat, fish, mushrooms, green peas, avocado. With any composition, the basis is a classic recipe.
Compound:
- Boiled potatoes in skin
- Beets, baked or boiled
- Carrots, boiled
- Salted cucumbers
- Sauerkraut
- Onion
- Greenery
- Salt
- Unrefined sunflower oil
- table vinegar
Handsome vinaigrette
- Boiled vegetables in vinaigrette are placed chilled.
- All components are taken in the same proportions, with the exception of carrots, they put it a little less.
- Cut the ingredients into cubes.
- For salad dressing, oil, salt and a small amount of vinegar are mixed.
- The original recipe called for boiled eggs.
- In Tsarist Russia, the version with salted herring was popular.
- For him, the fish was soaked in milk for an hour.
- It was cleaned from bones and skin, finely chopped.
- In this version, there was no sauerkraut, but they put more potatoes.
- It is very important that the sauce is prepared separately and the salad is dressed before serving.
- There should be enough sauce so that the vegetables absorb it well.
- They should not float in a gas station.
Pickled cucumber recipe video
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