How to pickle cucumbers: 5 best recipes

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

With herbs, mustard, horseradish, carrots, vodka or bread, cucumbers will be crispy, tasty and aromatic.

Things to consider before pickling cucumbers

1. Pickled and pickled cucumbers are not the same thing. For the preparation of the former, vinegar or citric acid is used, and for the latter, only salt.

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2. Previously, cucumbers were salted in wooden barrels, but now this method is rarely used. It is much more convenient to salt vegetables in ordinary glass jars. Moreover, cucumbers turn out to be as tasty as barrels.

3. There are two methods of salting: cold and hot. In the first case, vegetables are poured with cold water, and in the second - most often, first with cold water, and then with hot infused brine. Jars of cold pickled cucumbers are closed with nylon lids and kept in the cold. Jars of cucumbers filled with hot water are rolled up with iron lids and can be stored at room temperature.

4. To make pickles thick and crispy, soak them in ice water for 3-4 hours. You can keep it longer, especially if purchased cucumbers.

5. Vegetables and herbs must be washed, and jars and lids must be sterilized.

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6. After pouring the cucumbers with cold water, it is better to put a wide dish or basin under the jar. This is just for convenience: due to fermentation, liquid may seep through the lid.

7. Pickles will be ready in at least a month.

How to cook pickles

All ingredients are designed for one 3 liter can. You will need about 1-1½ kg of cucumbers and about 1-1½ liters of water for the brine.

However, it is better to determine the exact amount empirically: the cucumbers must be tamped very tightly, and the jar must be filled with water to the very edge.

1. Classic pickles with herbs and garlic

A very simple recipe that does not take much time and effort. The cucumbers will be excellent.

The method of salting is cold.

Ingredients

• 2 horseradish leaves;
• 2 black currant leaves;
• 2 cherry leaves;
• 2 dill umbrellas;
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• ½ hot pepper - optional;
• cucumbers;
• 3 tablespoons of salt;
• water.

Preparation

Put horseradish leaves, currants and cherries, dill and coarsely chopped garlic and pepper on the bottom of the jar. Tamp the cucumbers tightly into the jar.

Dissolve the salt in a glass of water. Pour cucumbers with clean cold water up to half the jar. Then add the saline solution and completely fill the jar with cold water. Close the jar with a tight nylon lid and immediately put it in a cold place.

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2. Pickles with carrots, bell pepper and horseradish

Vegetables will give the cucumbers an unusual pleasant aroma. And in winter, salted carrots and peppers can be used to cook or decorate other dishes.

The salting method is hot.

Ingredients

• 3 carrots;
• 1½ bell pepper;
• ½ hot pepper;
• 1 horseradish root;
• 2 dill umbrellas;
• cucumbers;
• 8-10 cloves of garlic;
• 7 black peppercorns;
• 7 allspice peas;
• 2½ tablespoons of salt
• water.

Preparation

Cut the carrots into slices, the bell peppers into small wedges, and the hot peppers into small pieces. Put coarsely chopped horseradish root and dill at the bottom of the jar. Tamp the cucumbers into a jar, alternating with carrots, garlic and all kinds of peppers.

Dissolve salt in clean cold water and pour over vegetables. Close the jar with a nylon lid and leave for 3 days at room temperature. Then pour the brine into a saucepan and bring to a boil.

It is not necessary to wash off the formed white bloom from the cucumbers. Pour boiling brine over them and roll up the jar. Place it upside down and cover with a warm blanket until it cools completely.

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3. Pickles with dry mustard

Thanks to the mustard, the cucumbers will acquire a light spice, and the rest of the ingredients will make them very fragrant.

The method of salting is cold.

Ingredients

• 2 dill umbrellas;
• 1 horseradish sheet;
• 3 black currant leaves;
• 3 cherry leaves;
• cucumbers;
• 3 cloves of garlic;
• 3 tablespoons of salt;
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• water.

Preparation

Place the dill, horseradish leaves, currants and cherries on the bottom of the jar. Tamp the cucumbers, alternating with garlic. Leave some space at the top of the can.

Pour salt and mustard into the jar. They will just occupy the space left from above. Pour cucumbers with clean cold water. Close the jar with a nylon lid, shake slightly and place in a cool place.

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4. Pickles with vodka

Vodka will make the cucumbers even crisper and more flavorful without the alcoholic flavor of the vegetables.

The salting method is hot.

Ingredients

• 3 dried bay leaves
• 3 horseradish leaves;
• 1 dill umbrella;
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• cucumbers;
• water;
• 3 tablespoons of sugar;
• 2 tablespoons of salt;
• 100 ml of vodka.

Preparation

Put lavrushka and horseradish leaves, dill and garlic on the bottom of the jar. Tamp the cucumbers. Dissolve sugar and salt in clean cold water and pour over vegetables. Pour vodka on top.

Cover the jar with cheesecloth or a perforated lid. Leave the jar in a dark place at room temperature for 3 days, regularly skimming off the foam.

On the fourth day, pour the brine into a saucepan and bring to a boil. After 5 minutes, pour boiling brine over the cucumbers and roll up the jar. Turn over, wrap with a blanket and wait until it cools completely.

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5. Pickles with rye bread

Cucumbers are obtained with a slight sourness and a barely perceptible bread flavor.

The salting method is hot.

Ingredients

• water;
• 2 tablespoons of salt;
• 60 g rye bread;
• 5 dill umbrellas;
• cucumbers.

Preparation

Pour water into a saucepan, dissolve salt in it, bring to a boil and cool. Break the bread and place it on the bottom of the jar along with the dill. Cut the ends off the cucumbers and place the vegetables in the jar.

Pour in the chilled brine, close the jar with a nylon lid and leave at room temperature for 3 days. On the fourth day, drain and strain the brine. Bring it to a boil and pour over the cucumbers. If there is not enough brine, add boiling water to the jar.

Roll up the jar, turn it upside down and cover with a warm blanket.