How to preserve small cucumbers. Crispy pickled cucumbers with vodka

This is the preservation of a popular vegetable crop, with the obligatory use of acetic acid. Vinegar creates the conditions for a preservative effect and starts the pickling process. To ensure long-term storage, pickled cucumbers are poured with a special solution - marinade prepared according to a precise recipe and pasteurized.

Since the time of Tsar “Pea”, or rather I. the Terrible, peasants have cultivated cucumbers everywhere, since climatic conditions make it possible to grow a good crop in open ground. Having received a decent harvest, the peasants were concerned about the question: how to preserve the fruits longer. At first, the cucumbers were simply salted, but there were experimenters who added apple cider vinegar to the brine. This is how a popular product for the winter appeared - pickled cucumbers.

Both methods guaranteed the preservation of fruits during the winter in village tubs. This continued until, in the 19th century, Nicholas Appert, the French inventor of canned food, proposed rolling cucumbers into jars. With the advent of new technologies, every thrifty housewife will find a jar of pickled cucumbers.

How to pickle cucumbers so they are crispy:

Let's look at the fundamental principles, the observance of which will help us get pickled cucumbers using any recipe for the whole winter while maintaining the crispy properties of the product.

1. For preservation, choose ripe, smooth, small cucumbers. A young cucumber should have thin, non-rough skin and dark-colored pimples.

2. Pickled cucumbers will never be crispy if picked from the garden and not pickled for 24 hours.

3. The best marinade comes from not iodized table salt.

4. The basis of the marinade is clean well or spring water, without any admixture of bleach.

5. You can get crispy cucumbers for the winter if you resort to proven tricks. First, add blackcurrant leaves to the jars. Oak leaves performed well in the marinade. Finally, the horseradish root shoots provide the crunch you need.

6. An important step is soaking. Freshly picked cucumbers cannot be pickled without first soaking them. Vegetables should be immersed in cold well water for 5 hours. The lock will prevent the formation of hollowness in the finished pickled cucumbers.

7. Avoid overusing garlic in marinade recipes. Prolonged exposure of cucumbers to garlic juice causes them to soften.

8. Whole mustard seeds added to the preparation add rigidity to pickled cucumbers, providing the necessary firmness.

9. To make the cucumbers crispy, there is an extraordinary trick - try adding 1 tbsp to a three-liter glass container. l. vodka, the result will not be long in coming.

10. Pickled cucumbers will be crispy if preserved by repeatedly pouring and pouring the marinade brought to a boil.

11. Under no circumstances do you insulate the jars after rolling. On the contrary, it is necessary to create cool conditions for them to cool down. There is no better place than a cellar or basement for pickled cucumbers.

By following the principles described above, you will most likely be able to pickle crispy cucumbers for the winter, resorting to the most exotic recipe.

1. Pickled cucumbers in vinegar for the winter - a proven recipe

Ingredients:

  • young cucumbers 6 kg;
  • bay leaf – 2 leaves per jar;
  • colored granulated pepper 4-5 grains per jar;
  • black pepper 2-3 grains in a jar;
  • white mustard, half a teaspoon per jar;
  • a couple of slices of carrots;
  • garlic cloves;
  • a piece of horseradish root;
  • bush dill

Marinade– components for a 6.5-liter container:

  • 10% vinegar 1.5 liters
  • 5 liters of water
  • sugar 10 tablespoons
  • coarse salt 7.5 tbsp. l.

Preparing for marinating:

1. Boil water with salt, vinegar and sugar. For 1 liter of water add 1.5 tablespoons of salt and two tablespoons of sugar. This is how we will prepare the brine for the marinade.

2. Even if you have just picked cucumbers from the garden, they must be washed. Next, you should soak them for 2 hours and drain the water.

We arrange each jar: add dill, carrot slices, a piece of horseradish, half a tablespoon of mustard, bay leaf, colored pepper seeds, garlic cloves, two or three hot peppercorns. Pack the cucumbers into the jars more tightly. An additional pair of dill umbrellas on top of the workpiece will not be superfluous.

3. Pour hot marinade and place the jars in a container with boiling water. Pasteurize for 5 minutes until it reaches boiling point. After this time, take out the jars, tightly roll up the lids, check that they are well tightened, and leave them to cool, turning them upside down.

Pasteurization time depends on the size of the jar. After cooling, transfer the pickled cucumbers in jars to a cool place, such as a basement. We do not open the jars earlier than 7 days; the cucumbers must be ripe (a minimum of 7 days of marinating is required). Bon appetit!

2. Crispy pickled cucumbers for the winter, recipe for a couple of jars

The method allows you to obtain 1000 ml of marinade. One liter should be enough for a couple of liter jars of pickled cucumbers for the winter.

You will need:

  • young cucumbers - 2 kg
  • water - 1 liter (for 2 jars)
  • salt - 1 tbsp. l. with a slide
  • sugar - 2 tbsp. l.
  • vinegar (9%) - 1 tsp. (for 1 jar)
  • black pepper – 5 -7 peas
  • spicy cloves - 4-6 pcs.
  • fresh horseradish leaves
  • dill and cilantro
  • garlic cloves

Step-by-step marinating instructions

  1. Preparing jars. We wash them using a pinch of soda. Cover the bottom with cilantro and dill, add 3-4 garlic cloves.
  2. Preparing cucumbers. Remove a centimeter from both ends. We lay the cucumbers vertically, compacting the first layer and sprinkling it with fragrant herbs and horseradish leaves. Then fill the jar to the top with cucumbers - the preparation is ready.
  3. Pour boiling water over the workpiece. Let it cool for 10-15 minutes and pour the liquid back into the container - we will need it to prepare the brine. There is no need to time it with a stopwatch if you are able to hold the jar with your hands - a sure sign that the brine can be drained.
  4. It is necessary to pour boiling water over the workpiece again. Pour fresh boiling water over the cucumbers. Again we wait 10-15 minutes. Drain completely - we won’t need this water anymore
  5. We take the initially drained liquid - it will serve as the basis for the future marinade. Pour the prepared ingredients into it: cloves, black pepper, sugar, salt and sugar. Place on the stove and wait for it to boil.
  6. At this stage, add one teaspoon of vinegar to our jars and pour boiling marinade brine into them, evenly distributing the spices.
  7. The final stage is to roll up our blanks with boiled lids and turn the jars over - this is necessary to check the tightness of the sealing. If the brine does not leak out, then everything is fine. We leave the jars to cool; there is no need to wrap them or insulate them. After 10 days, the pickled cucumbers will be ready and can be served for the feast.

3. Sweet crispy pickled cucumbers

Some prefer pickled cucumbers, others prefer pickled cucumbers, but few will argue - a marinade with a sweet and sour taste is simply delicious. As soon as you put them in a plate on the table, they immediately disappear. There will be no end to those interested. For those who decide to stock up on crispy cucumbers for the winter, but don’t know how to do it, I’m posting the recipe.

  • cucumbers;
  • peppercorns and chili;
  • carrots, cut into circles;
  • chopped onion and garlic into rings (cut into strips);
  • horseradish and black currant leaves;
  • dill;
  • laurel and mustard seeds.
  • 30 grams of salt (heaped tablespoon);
  • 200 grams of sugar powder;
  • 200 ml 9% vinegar.

The amount of salt, sugar and vinegar is indicated per 1 liter.

When pickling cucumbers, you should understand that the more correctly the marinade is prepared, the tastier the preservation will be. It is necessary to maintain the proportions correctly.

This does not apply to onions and carrots. You can put as many of them as you wish. But it is extremely important to dilute the sugar powder and salt in the recommended ratio.

Place as many cucumbers as you like, but do not forget that it is better to place the largest vegetables at the very bottom, and the smaller ones on top. It doesn't make much difference how they will be located. In horizontal or vertical position. It will be equally delicious.

The order of sweet pickling is as follows:

1. Before starting, you should wash the vegetables and cut off the tails.

2. Place all spices and chopped ingredients in a jar. Add chili to taste, it all depends on how spicy you like it.

3. Now it's time to lay out the main culprit - cucumbers.

4. Pour boiled water for 20 minutes. After the allotted time has passed, pour it into a container and set it to heat. It will be necessary for preparing the marinade.

5. After waiting for clean water to boil, pour it into the jars for 10 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, add salt and sugar powder into the marinade water, then vinegar.

7. Drain the water again and fill the cucumbers with the prepared marinade solution.

8. Lids must be sterilized. This must be taken care of in advance. We twist the jars with them, put them upside down, and wait for them to cool down.

4. Marinate cucumbers with mustard

If you've never tried pickled cucumbers with mustard, this recipe is for you. Mustard will give the marinade a special taste. The main thing is not to be afraid of experiments, and your creation will definitely be appreciated. The process also takes place in three stages.

For this you will need:

  • cucumbers;
  • peppercorns;
  • horseradish leaves, black currants (if you don’t have black currants, you can use red currant leaves);
  • laurel;
  • a little dill;
  • garlic (cut into strips).

Ingredients required for the marinade:

  • 60 grams of salt (corresponding to three tablespoons);
  • 250 grams of sugar powder;
  • 150 ml table vinegar;
  • one jar of mustard.

The quantity of a set of traditional spices is indicated per 1 liter.

The marinating procedure is as follows:

  • Place the spicy spices and pre-chopped ingredients into a jar.
  • Add cucumbers. Nothing new, we follow the same scheme as in the previous recipe.
  • The water has boiled - pour in for 20 minutes. After the allotted time has passed, pour it into a container and set it to heat. It will be necessary for preparing the marinade.
  • After waiting for clean water to boil, fill the jars with it for 10 minutes.
  • Add salt and sugar powder into the marinade water, then mustard and vinegar.
  • Again we repeat the process of draining and pouring our marinade over the cucumbers.
  • You need to take care of sterilizing the lids in advance. We twist the jars with them, put them upside down, and wait for them to cool down.

If you don't like vinegar, you can add citric acid. Both components are necessary to ensure that your cucumbers last as long as possible.

5. Marinating without sterilization

Marinating involves the use of citric acid as a preservative. Just fill the jars with cucumbers with boiling water.

Products you will definitely need:

  • cucumbers;
  • peppercorns;
  • horseradish and black currant leaves;
  • a bunch of dill;
  • laurel;
  • garlic (cut into strips) and mustard seeds.

Necessary components for marinade per 1 liter:

  • 40 grams of salt;
  • 60 grams of sugar powder (three large spoons without a slide);
  • a third of a spoon of citric acid.

The marinating procedure is as follows:

  • Place all the spices and pre-chopped ingredients in a jar.
  • We take cucumbers. The process is the same, the only thing is that we do not sterilize the jars.
  • Pour boiled water for 20 minutes. To prevent jars from cracking due to high temperature, you can put a spoon in them.
  • Carefully drain the liquid.
  • After waiting for clean water to boil, fill the jar again for 10 minutes.
  • Dissolve sugar and salt in the marinade water in the specified volume.
  • We put citric acid into the jar as a preservative and finally fill the cucumbers with the prepared solution.
  • We close the jars and put them on the lids.

crispy pickled cucumbers for the winter in jars - put on the lids

6. Marinate with vodka

Vodka is an excellent product for pickling small cucumbers. Thanks to it, pickled vegetables are stored for quite a long period of time. They are absolutely harmless for small family members. Therefore, you should not refuse them if they express a desire to try your creation.

To do this you will need:

  • Small cucumbers. Take the quantity to fit in the jar;
  • 20 grams of salt;
  • 30 grams of sugar powder (one tablespoon with a small slide);
  • one and a half tablespoons of vinegar 9% (apple vinegar is possible);
  • 15 grams of vodka;
  • two cloves of garlic;
  • horseradish leaf – 2-3 pieces;
  • two inflorescences of dried dill;
  • a third of hot pepper;
  • 4 or 5 peppercorns;
  • pure water.

The marinating procedure is as follows:

Fill the cucumbers with cool water for three hours. While we wait, it is advisable to change it a couple of times. Without wasting time, carefully wash the jars and lids using detergents. We also rinse them thoroughly. Preferably not once, but several times. There will be no need to boil it.

At the bottom of the container we throw two pieces of horseradish leaves, a couple of dill umbrellas, a couple of pepper rings, and strips of garlic.

In the same sequence, larger ones at the beginning, then smaller ones, place the cucumbers. If there are no small ones, you can cut the larger ones. Next, we throw in a standard set of spices, you can add something of your own, don’t be afraid to improvise.

All this must be poured with boiling water and wait 20 - 25 minutes until it warms up. Don't forget to cover with a lid.

After the time has passed, drain, pour boiling water again for 15 minutes, close with a lid.

We put water with salt and sugar on low heat, wait until they dissolve, then add vodka and vinegar.

Carefully pour the boiled marinade into a jar and roll up the lid.

These recipes will help you decorate any table. Pickled cucumbers will be a great addition to main dishes. They will allow you to enjoy vegetables in the winter, delight you and your guests, and whet your appetite. Preservation is a great alternative to salads.

How to Fix Store-Bought Pickles

What to do if you bought cucumbers at the nearest supermarket, but you are not satisfied with the taste? You can, of course, throw it away, but it’s a pity. If pickled cucumbers are soft and limp, then you can’t help them. But if they are dense and crispy, but the problem is the taste, then you can try to correct the situation.


We recommend pickled cucumbers – brand: Uncle Vanya

For this we need tomato juice. Of course, you cannot make a second mistake: the juice must be tasty. First of all, it’s worth deciding what exactly the problem is. Vinegar in a purchased product is usually present in excess, so there is no need to add it to the juice.

As for the spiciness and presence of spices, depending on their quantity, the correction technology will vary slightly. A few chopped garlic cloves definitely won't hurt!

New marinade for cucumbers

We start by completely removing the brine from the jar of pickled cucumbers and rinsing the pickled vegetables in chilled boiled water. If the original product is very salty, then you should add a little granulated sugar to the tomato juice, stir and heat the juice (without bringing to a boil!) so that the sugar is completely dissolved. Then you need to cool the juice and pour it over the washed cucumbers, sprinkled with garlic cloves.

Sometimes, although very rarely, there is a lack of salt in cucumbers. Then the juice must be additionally salted, just as in the case of sugar, heating will be required, followed by cooling to room temperature.

If the taste of store-bought pickled cucumbers lacks balance, then you will have to add salt and sugar to the juice at the same time. It is assumed that sugar in this mixture should be in proportions of 1/3.

If you don’t like the way the pickled cucumbers are seasoned, you can try to fix that too. We will need garlic and a set of spices. The most accessible: dry dill (seeds), cumin, coriander seeds, dried tarragon (tarragon), any other dried herbs (if its aroma suits you), black and allspice. And also horseradish: if you don’t have the root, you can use ready-made ones from a jar. In this case, you should not add raw greens.

Dry dill seeds can be preheated in a dry frying pan, and then slightly ground in a mortar (not into dust!). This way the aroma will be brighter. There is no need to heat the greens, just rub them with your palms. Also lightly crush the pepper in a mortar. You can add a mixture of seasonings to tomato juice, or just one to your taste.

Stir the juice thoroughly so that the spices do not float on the surface. As in the case of salt and sugar, the juice with spices must be heated, then cooled and only then poured into the cucumbers with garlic. If you add horseradish, add it after the juice has cooled (horseradish loses its pungency when heated).

Shelf life of pickled cucumbers

For small cucumbers to absorb new flavors and aromas, spending 1–2 days in the refrigerator is enough. If the pickled cucumbers are large, then they can be cut crosswise into several pieces. It is better to use “corrected cucumbers” within one to one and a half weeks. Keep refrigerated.

What do you need to prepare to pickle fragrant, crispy cucumbers with vinegar for the winter? The best recipes and tips for preparing cucumbers in jars.

As soon as the first crispy, elastic cucumbers appear, zealous housewives begin to think about preparations for the winter. Homemade pickled cucumbers cannot be compared with store-bought, factory-prepared ones: they are more aromatic, and sometimes the recipes are extremely original. How to prepare an amazing appetizer or preparation for any salad? Of course, pickle the cucumbers in vinegar. We'll tell you how to do it correctly. Tips, recommendations and a selection of the best recipes for making pickled cucumbers.

How to choose the right cucumbers?

Preparations for the winter begin with the selection of cucumbers. We choose fruits no more than 10 cm long, without cracks or spoilage. It is better if they are of an even shape and the same size - this is more beautiful and more convenient when putting them in jars. A few defective cucumbers can ruin the entire preserve.

How to prepare marinade for cucumbers?

There are many ways, but the basis is the use of marinade. It is best cooked in an enamel bowl or stainless steel pan. It's quite easy to do. Pour the amount of sugar and salt indicated in the recipe into the pan, then pour in water, bring to a boil and keep on medium heat for about 15 minutes.

At the end of this time, you need to add the spices, herbs and vinegar according to the recipe, reducing the heat to low. Bring the marinade to a boil again, turn off the gas and leave covered for about half an hour. It is no longer possible to boil the marinade after adding vinegar, since high temperature contributes to the rapid volatilization of acetic acid and aromatic substances of spices.

Vinegar

Table vinegar is the main preservative in pickling. It reliably prevents unwanted microflora from penetrating into the preservation. But vinegar also gives the final product a specific sour taste. Some gourmets do not like it, and for a significant number of people, vinegar is generally contraindicated.

The quality of pickled cucumbers can be improved by using grape or fruit vinegar, but for the most part this is purely a matter of taste and personal preference.

Why use spices?

The cucumbers will remain dense and hard if you add leaves of shrubs and trees with tanning properties (black currant, oak, cherry) to the jars. It is these additives that will make cucumbers deliciously crunchy.

Horseradish leaves, whole cloves of garlic, peppercorns, cloves and other seasonings, spices or aromatic herbs will give the preparation the desired flavor and spiciness.

Preparation

Soak the selected twin cucumbers in well (artesian) water for 5-6 hours. Change the water several times. The fruits will absorb moisture and become noticeably fresher. The point of soaking is to prevent the cucumbers from absorbing too much marinade during storage. The liquid level in the jar will drop, and harmful bacteria may appear in the empty space.

This procedure can be omitted if the cucumbers were picked from the garden bed the day before or on the day of preparation.

Double sterilization is required

Place the cucumbers and spices in pre-sterilized steamed jars, fill them with brine and put them back in boiling water for sterilization. The heat treatment period determines the volume of the jar:

  • 0.5 l – 5 min.
  • 1.0 l – 8 min.
  • 2.0 l – 10 min.
  • 3.0 l – 12 min.

Experienced housewives don't look at their watches. They know by heart how to pickle cucumbers for the winter in jars with vinegar: as soon as the color of the cucumbers begins to change to olive, it’s time to seal the container.

Threaded caps

Convenient screw caps and jars are not always reliable. If you do not want to roll up the jars with a key the old fashioned way, after sterilization, be sure to turn the threaded jars upside down and leave them to cool in that position. Then check to see if the marinade is leaking.

If a puddle is found under the lid, the jar must be heat treated again and the lid replaced.

Recipes for pickled cucumbers with vinegar

We present the best recipes: by making preparations according to them, you will definitely get tasty, aromatic and crispy cucumbers.

You will need:

  • Onions – 6 pieces
  • Large garlic – 6 heads
  • Mustard seeds – 600 g

Ingredients of the marinade:

  • Well water – 5 l
  • Coarse salt – 300 g
  • Sugar – 1 kg
  • Vinegar 9% – 0.5 l

Place the cucumbers in hot sterilized jars, sprinkle with mustard seeds, finely chopped onion and garlic (divided into cloves). Boil the marinade for two minutes, dissolve salt and sugar in it. Fill the cucumbers and roll up the lids.

Palekh-style pickled cucumbers

  • Small cucumbers: 4 kg
  • Gooseberries: 500 g
  • Garlic: 1 head
  • Medium size horseradish root: 1 pc.
  • Cherry leaves: 10 pcs.
  • Currant leaves: 5 pcs.
  • Horseradish leaf: 1 pc.
  • Dill seeds in an umbrella: 1 inflorescence
  • Black and allspice peppers in peas: 10 pcs.
  • Cloves: 1 pc.

Marinade per 1 liter of water

  • Vinegar 9%: 80 ml
  • Sugar: 3 tbsp. spoons
  • Salt: 2 tbsp. spoons

Rinse the cucumbers thoroughly in running water, place in a large enamel basin, and cover with clean water for 4 hours. After this, cut off the ends of the cucumbers on both sides. Wash all the greens and finely chop them with garlic and horseradish root. Place one tablespoon of the resulting mixture at the bottom of each jar, place the prepared cucumbers tightly and add about a handful of washed and dried gooseberries. Sterilize the jars and fill them with the required amount of marinade prepared according to the recipe. Roll up the lids, turn upside down, and leave until completely cool.

Cucumbers marinated with pepper

Ingredients are based on one liter jar.

  • Cucumbers: 0.6 kg
  • Horseradish leaf, finely chopped: 1 pc.
  • Greens and dill seeds: 1 tbsp. spoon
  • Celery and parsley: 1 tbsp. spoon
  • Red chili pepper: ⅓ pod
  • Garlic: 3 cloves
  • Cinnamon: 1 pinch
  • Cloves: 2 pcs.
  • Allspice: 3 peas
  • Black pepper: 6 peas

Marinade per liter of water

  • Salt: 75 g
  • Sugar: 50 g
  • Acetic acid: 1 tbsp. spoon

Rinse the cucumbers in running water and soak overnight, then trim the ends on both sides. Place cucumbers and spices with herbs in jars. Prepare the marinade according to the recipe, cool it to 80 degrees, quickly pour it into jars with cucumbers. Cover with boiled lids and place in a container with hot water for sterilization. Sterilize jars with boiling water: half-liter jars - 5 minutes, liter jars - 8 minutes, three-liter jars - 15 minutes. Seal tightly, turn upside down and leave until completely cool.

Cucumbers marinated with apples

  • Cucumbers: 2 kg
  • Sour green apples: 2 pcs., cored, peeled, cut into slices
  • Garlic: 4 cloves
  • Cherry leaves: 10 pcs.
  • Currant leaves: 10 pcs.
  • Bay leaf: 4 pcs.
  • Dill umbrellas: 1 pc.
  • Allspice: 6 peas

Marinade per liter of water:

  • Sugar: 5 teaspoons
  • Salt: 4 teaspoons
  • Vinegar essence: 2 teaspoons

Place the prepared, washed and pre-soaked cucumbers in sterilized jars, chop the garlic and herbs, add to the cucumbers, topping with apple slices. Prepare the marinade according to the recipe, fill the jars, and roll up the prepared boiled lids. Turn the jars upside down and leave until completely cool.

Cucumbers marinated with lingonberries

  • Cucumbers: 2 kg
  • Fresh lingonberries: 500 g
  • Salt: 50 g
  • Sugar: 100 g
  • Clean water: 1 l
  • Spices and seasonings to taste

For this preparation, the youngest small cucumbers straight from the bush, of the same size, are best suited. Prepare the marinade in a stainless steel or enamel-coated pan, rinse the cucumbers under running water and cut off the ends on both sides. Rinse the lingonberries in a colander and dry. Place the cucumbers in sterilized jars, add spices if desired, sprinkle evenly with lingonberries. Pour in the marinade, once again brought to a boil, cover with lids, place the jars in a large saucepan with water and sterilize for 20 minutes after boiling. Cover the jars with lids, turn them over and wait until they cool completely.

Cucumbers marinated with pine twigs

Cucumbers prepared according to this original recipe have a pleasant, slightly resinous taste. If you want to add greens, it's best to stick to herbs like rosemary, thyme and basil, and avoid overly aromatic herbs like dill.

  • Cucumbers: 3 kg
  • Young green pine branches 5-7 cm long: 5 pcs.
  • Green herbs and spices: to taste
  • Water: 1 l
  • Sugar: 1 tbsp. spoon
  • Salt: 2 tbsp. spoons
  • Apple cider vinegar: 4 tbsp. spoons

Sort through the cucumbers - it is best to choose the smallest and strongest ones, rinse thoroughly with running water, soak overnight, then cut off the ends. Pour over boiling water, then immediately with ice-cold clean water, place in sterilized jars, top with washed and dried pine branches.

Prepare the marinade according to the recipe, pour hot into jars, cover with boiled lids, place in a pan with water and sterilize after boiling for 20 minutes. Roll up the lids, turn them upside down and leave until completely cool.

Pickled cucumbers with mustard and garlic

You will need:

  • Selected fresh cucumbers (10-12) cm – 10 kg
  • Onion – 6 pcs.
  • Large garlic – 6 heads
  • Mustard seeds – 600 g

Ingredients of the marinade:

  • Well water – 5 l
  • Rock salt – 300 g
  • Sugar – 1 kg
  • Vinegar 9% – 0.5 l

In a spacious bowl, fill the cucumbers with water and vinegar. Cover and leave for 2 hours.

Place the cucumbers in hot sterilized jars, sprinkle with mustard seeds, finely chopped onion and garlic (separated into cloves).

Boil the marinade for a couple of minutes, dissolve salt and sugar in it. Fill the cucumbers and roll up the lids.

Cucumber is one of the most popular vegetables for canning. Canning cucumbers does not require any complex skills from the housewife, and the rich harvest of cucumbers and their cheapness during the season make you think about how to use natural wealth in the most rational way. The popularity of the snack is also explained by the fact that canned vegetables go well with any dish. So pickled cucumbers are a welcome addition to meat, poultry, regular potatoes, and any side dish.

Pickled cucumbers in jars

Pickled cucumbers for the winter are made using vinegar. Pickling cucumbers is easy. The marinade needs to be brought to a boil, pour the cucumbers into jars and sterilize. You can add citric acid and spicy herbs to the twist. Pickled cucumbers are both an everyday snack and a festive table decoration, especially on New Year's Day. However, if you try and take the preparation issue seriously, making enough jars of canned cucumbers for the winter, then you won’t have to wait until the holidays. You can regularly open pickled cucumbers in jars and enjoy their piquant taste.

Recipe for pickled cucumbers for the winter

We have already briefly described how cucumbers are canned for the winter. Let's look at some important details. The taste of cucumbers can be shaded and improved with the right additive. Some people use blackcurrant leaves, others add dill, tarragon and horseradish. However, this is largely a matter of taste and habit. Therefore, take a recipe for pickled cucumbers for the winter from someone whose cucumbers you liked. You can conduct a “field study” - make different jars, labeling where and what you put. For the next season, you will only have to choose the most successful recipe for pickled cucumbers for the winter.

Preserving cucumbers is very popular in Russia. In addition to pickled cucumbers, you can also preserve cucumbers without vinegar. This is popular. Cucumbers are salted cold - soaked in cooled brine. Cucumbers are also fermented in barrels. Choose according to your taste! Canning cucumbers for the winter: work once, enjoy all winter!

Do you want to know how to pickle cucumbers for the winter in jars with vinegar so that the whole family will be delighted? The article describes the five best recipes for making this snack. Each method is based on traditional marinating rules, but there are also useful secrets.


: Fragrant cucumbers

The main highlight of this recipe is that the taste and smell of cucumbers are unforgettable. Despite the small amount of ingredients and ease of preparation, the preparation turns out amazing, including for the holiday table. The number of components is indicated taking into account the fact that we will prepare cucumbers in a liter jar.

Ingredients:

  • medium-sized cucumbers (as many will fit);
  • one medium onion;
  • two cloves of fresh garlic;
  • 5 peppercorns;
  • two bay leaves;
  • half a liter of well water;
  • granulated sugar - about a tablespoon (tablespoon);
  • two teaspoons of salt;
  • 4 teaspoons vinegar 9%.

Cooking method:

First, wash the cucumbers well and trim the ends. We take well water into a saucepan (you can also use regular store-bought water) and put each vegetable in there for a couple of hours. At this time, prepare the jar. Cut the onion and garlic into medium sized cubes. Place all the spices, onions and garlic on the bottom. We take the cucumbers out of the pan and place them tightly. At this time, mix all the ingredients for the marinade (the last four on the list) in water and boil over the fire. Pour the brine into a jar with vegetables. You can’t do without sterilization: it will take 10-15 minutes. After this, we roll up the jars with lids, as usual, turn them over, and wrap them in thick towels.

Recipe 2: Cucumbers with crunch

This simple preparation method is also familiar to our grannies. The secret is to use very young cucumbers and soak them for a long time. We will seal the vegetables in liter jars, using a variety of seasonings. The piquant taste and ringing crunch of ready-made cucumbers will make the recipe one of the housewife’s favorites in her arsenal.

Ingredients:

  • two kilograms of small cucumbers;
  • fresh garlic;
  • one carrot;
  • two branches of parsley;
  • a teaspoon of vinegar;
  • liter of water;
  • 2 tbsp. sugar, 1 tbsp. salt;
  • peppercorns;
  • 1 cherry leaf;
  • carnation.

Cooking method:

Soak the cucumbers for 6-7 hours. We prepare the jars. Place garlic, carrots, and herbs on the bottom. Place cucumbers in them, pour boiling water over them, leave for 10 minutes. Pour into a saucepan. Fill with boiling water again. Add spices, leaves, seasonings, salt and sugar to the first drain. This is a marinade. We fill the cucumbers with it, having previously freed the jar from the second drain. Add vinegar, roll up, wrap. If you add all the ingredients, the crispy cucumbers will turn out very piquant. They go well with any side dish. We advise you to cook as much as possible, because they are eaten with amazing speed.

Recipe 3: For mustard lovers

Many people like the mustard flavor. Why not use it in a stock recipe, making the cucumbers even tastier? We will marinate cucumbers with mustard in 3 liter jars.

Ingredients:

  • 5 kg of fresh large cucumbers;
  • 2 onions;
  • finely chopped garlic;
  • mustard seeds – 0.3 kg;
  • 3 l. water;
  • 100 g salt, 500 g sugar;
  • vinegar 9% - 300 ml.

Cooking method:

As usual, soak our vegetables in cool water. After 4 hours, take it out and wash it well. Cut each into 5 pieces. Place in a saucepan. To prepare the marinade, mix vinegar and water. Soak the chopped cucumbers for an hour. Distribute into sterile jars, sprinkle with mustard and chopped garlic and onion. Strain, pour into a container, add salt and sugar, and boil. The marinade is ready, pour it over the cucumbers. We close the jars with lids and place each in a container with heated water. Next, pasteurize the jars for 15 minutes at a temperature of 90-95 degrees. Let's roll up. If you use mustard seeds, you get a very tasty and aromatic brine.

Recipe 4: Gourmet cucumbers (with tarragon and horseradish)

This recipe is for sophisticated gourmets and lovers of spicy foods. The combination of tarragon and grated horseradish will not leave either the former or the latter indifferent. Ingredients in quantities per liter jar.

Ingredients:

  • small cucumbers;
  • parsley;
  • 2 cloves of garlic;
  • cherry leaf;
  • ¼ fresh bell pepper;
  • horseradish - half the root;
  • horseradish leaves, tarragon and peppercorns;
  • 500 ml. water, 25 g sugar, 40 g salt, bay leaf, peppercorns, 50 ml. table vinegar (this is for the marinade).

Cooking method:

Wash the cucumbers and soak for 3 hours. Cut off the ends (on each side). Place all the leaves and herbs, chopped garlic, pepper, seasonings, and grated horseradish on the bottom of the jar. Pre-sterilization of jars is required. Fill them with cucumbers, pour boiling water over them, and leave them open for 20 minutes. Drain and change the water. At this time, prepare the marinade from the first drain. Add the remaining ingredients (salt, sugar, pepper) to it. Add vinegar at the very end, when the water boils. Pour the prepared marinade over the cucumbers. We roll up the jars.

Recipe 5: Lemon cucumbers

A very simple recipe. The cucumbers turn out very tasty.

Ingredients:

  • 1 kg. medium-sized cucumbers;
  • garlic clove;
  • 1 bay leaf;
  • a tablespoon of dill with seeds;
  • half an onion;
  • grated horseradish - a heaping teaspoon;
  • liter of water;
  • 100 g salt;
  • 130 g sugar;
  • 1 tbsp. citric acid;
  • peppercorns - to taste.

Cooking method:

At the first stage, we do everything by analogy with previous recipes. Wash, remove ends, soak. Place all the leaves, herbs, and chopped vegetables on the bottom. Fill the container with cucumbers to the very top. Prepare a mixture of water, citric acid, sugar and salt, boil and pour into jars. This is followed by sterilization for 10-15 minutes. Ready!

And a few words about the secrets of successful harvesting. When pickling cucumbers, you should not use fruits that are too large. Overripe vegetables often become soggy, and they are not so convenient to eat. Ideally, use young cucumbers with bright green skin and black spines. They shouldn't taste bitter, so it's worth tasting the vegetables before cooking. The water for the marinade should be good. It is better to use water from a well. Be sure to soak vegetables (at least two hours).

The recipes described are the basis for preparing a wonderful snack. They can be changed by adding new ingredients, seasonings, and production technology. We wish you bon appetit and new culinary discoveries!

A traditional Russian appetizer, pickled cucumber, is a full-fledged participant in both the festive feast and everyday meals. With a variety of cooking methods, the choice of your personal, “most delicious recipe” is determined by your favorite, proven and proven options. We will give you the most interesting and delicious recipes for pickled crispy cucumbers in jars for the winter.

Fragrant, moderately spicy and salty, crispy - these are the main characteristics of this homemade delicacy. But only by correctly using the recipe and following the preparation technology, you get a product of excellent taste.

Soak

An indispensable condition for obtaining crispy, dense pickled cucumbers is pre-soaking. Greens collected from the garden, even if stored for a short time, quickly become “dehydrated.” As a result, absorbing part of the marinade during canning, the top cucumbers become exposed.

Placed in cold water for several hours, the fruits are “soldered off.” If you neglect this stage of preparation, all your work will go down the drain.

Other Important Points

In addition to soaking, to make pickled cucumbers crispy and strong, you need:

  • size – 10-12 cm;
  • tuberous, “black-thorned” varieties;
  • strong, not flabby fruits;
  • spring or well water;
  • do not use iodized salt;
  • preserve without sterilization.

Tara


In addition to the taste and decorativeness of canned products, an important criterion is the safety of canned food. The very concept of “harvesting” determines that pickled cucumbers are intended for long-term storage.

Currently, several types of cans are offered for canning: for a seaming machine, with a screw, with a lock.

For hot marinating The first two options are suitable, for cold method It is preferable to have lids with a lock, or special nylon ones for canning.

The primary condition is the impeccable cleanliness of the container. Bacteria accumulating on the walls produce gases and toxins, so sterilization is indispensable.

When preparing ingredients, pay special attention to greenery processing. You need to wash the herbs thoroughly, or better yet, soak them in salt water for 1 hour (1 tablespoon per liter).

Visible signs sterility violations during storage are:

  • cloudy marinade;
  • swollen lid;
  • absence of a characteristic click when opening.

All this clearly indicates a violation of the seal in canned food.

Pros of cold pouring

Cooking technologies that involve canning are a labor-intensive process. Of course, if it is possible to store the workpieces in a cellar or underground, the task is simplified. Here are the preferences on the side of cold poured blanks:

  • cucumbers are more aromatic and retain the taste of freshness;
  • complete preservation of vitamins;
  • ease of preparation.

An important and mandatory condition is water only from a well or spring, or in the worst case, bottled water.

It’s easy to preserve pickled cucumbers by choosing any recipe you like. The main thing here is to follow the recipe and cooking technology step by step. Gradually, gaining experience, taking into account the nuances, we develop our own “signature” recipes.

It will also be interesting: in liter jars.

Video recipe for pickled crispy cucumbers from Yulia Minyaeva

Without sterilization


To prepare crispy pickled cucumbers without sterilization, based on three liter jars of the finished product, you will need:

  • 1.5-1.7 kg of cucumbers up to 10 cm;
  • one head of garlic;
  • three dill umbrellas;
  • three leaves each: currant, cherry, laurel;
  • one tablespoon each of chopped dill and parsley;
  • two peas of allspice;
  • three carnation inflorescences;
  • one teaspoon of mustard seeds.

For the marinade you will need:

  • 1.5 liters of water;
  • 3 tablespoons salt;
  • 2.5 tablespoons of sugar;
  • 3 teaspoons acetic acid 70%.

Preparation

The washed greens are soaked for 7-8 hours, trying to change the water more often.

This technique should not be neglected, since it is long-term soaking that ensures the crunchiness of pickled cucumbers.

The greens are thoroughly washed and chopped if necessary.

The jars must be washed, placed in the oven and sterilized at a temperature of 200°C for 20 minutes. Boil the lids for 10 minutes.

Pickling

Cucumbers and herbs are placed in cooled jars. There are also greens and garlic.

Pour boiling water over, cover with lids and leave for 15 minutes. Drain the water, add salt and sugar, and bring to a boil again.

Add acetic acid to the boiling marinade and remove from heat. Carefully pour the marinade into jars and roll up. The rolled up jars are turned upside down and wrapped until they cool completely.

Tip: You can disinfect jars using table mustard. The powder will perfectly disinfect and clean containers.

Crispy cucumbers with vodka (alcohol)


An unexpected, but quite common method for many housewives is pickling cucumbers for the winter with the addition of vodka (alcohol). A completely safe additive plays the role of an additional preservative, makes cucumbers crispy and preserves the taste of freshness.

Only pickling varieties are suitable for cooking. The fruits should be “pimply”, up to 10 cm in size (ideally gherkins).

Product composition for five 1 liter cans:

  • cucumbers – 2.5 kg;
  • water – 2.5 l;
  • garlic – 10 cloves;
  • black peppercorns – 20 pcs;
  • cloves – 5 pcs;
  • red hot pepper (fresh) – 5-10 rings;
  • chopped dill - 5 tbsp. l;
  • salt – 5 tbsp. l;
  • sugar – 4 tbsp. l;
  • vinegar 9% – 1.5 tbsp. l;
  • vodka/alcohol – 1 tbsp. l./1 des. l.

Preparation

Cucumbers are soaked in cold water and kept for several hours, not forgetting to change the water. This is a mandatory technique when canning. ensures the absence of voids and makes the fruit crispy.

The jars are soaked in soda solution, washed with mustard or just soap. Rinse and sterilize in a convenient way:

  • over steam – 5-7 minutes;
  • in a microwave oven – 3-4 minutes;
  • in a preheated oven – 10-12 minutes.

The lids are boiled for 5-8 minutes.

Preparation

Place the cucumbers in clean jars along with the rest of the ingredients.

To prepare the marinade, boil water with salt and sugar. After boiling, pour into jars, cover with lids, and leave for 15 minutes.

The marinade is drained to boil again, pepper and cloves are added, and the cucumbers are poured again. Vinegar and vodka (alcohol) are added to the jars and immediately sealed. The blanks are covered with something warm and cooled for 24 hours.

Tip: when canning, the processing of jars and lids should be carried out especially carefully. If the rules for disinfecting containers are not followed, swelling of the cans and spoilage of canned food is inevitable.

With citric acid - replacing vinegar


Another recipe for pickled crispy cucumbers for the winter among all the variety is canning with citric acid. If it is necessary to eliminate the vinegar content in canned food, then citric acid will perfectly replace it.

To prepare 4 kg of cucumbers (8 liter jars) with citric acid you will need:

  • water – 4 l;
  • salt – 8 tbsp. spoons;
  • sugar – 7 tbsp. spoon;
  • citric acid – 8 teaspoons;
  • garlic – 16 cloves;
  • currant leaf – 8 pcs;
  • cherry leaf – 8 pcs;
  • dill umbrella – 8 pcs;
  • black peppercorns – 24 pcs;
  • mustard seeds – 4 teaspoons;
  • bay leaf – 8 pcs.

Pickling recipe

The cucumbers are soaked for 4-5 hours, changing the water 2-3 times. Meanwhile, clean jars are sterilized and the lids are boiled.

The ends of the prepared fruits are cut off on both sides and placed in jars along with spices and herbs.

To prepare the marinade, add salt and sugar to boiling water. Let it simmer for one minute. Citric acid is added to the jars and filled with hot marinade. Covering with lids, place the workpieces in a container for sterilization for 10-12 minutes.

The blanks are removed from the container and immediately rolled up. Cool by wrapping it in something warm. Then they are put away for storage.

Tip: when placing cucumbers in jars, do not try to compact them tightly - the cucumbers will turn out crumpled and will not crunch.

With horseradish in cold brine


Recipes for making pickled crispy cucumbers for the winter have a huge number of options. It is enough that each housewife adds something of her own when cooking, some kind of zest. Some people change the proportions to taste, while others change the proportions to a set of herbs or spices. It is not for nothing that it is believed that different housewives do not have the same preparations.

You might find the recipe for pickled cucumbers with horseradish in cold brine interesting.

For one three-liter jar of pickled cucumbers you will need:

  • fresh cucumbers – 1.5-1.7 kg;
  • water – 1.5 l;
  • table salt – 3 tbsp. spoons;
  • sugar – 4 tbsp. spoons;
  • vodka – 30-50 ml;
  • acetic acid – 1 teaspoon;
  • small horseradish root – 1 piece;
  • small horseradish leaf – 1 piece;
  • medium dill umbrellas - 2 pcs.;
  • cherry and currant leaves - 3 pcs.;
  • garlic – 5 cloves.

Preparation

  • Cucumbers picked from the garden no more than four hours ago are pickled immediately.
  • If it has been lying around, soak it in cold water for several hours, changing the water.

The jars are washed and doused with boiling water. The greens are thoroughly rinsed, the garlic and horseradish are peeled.

The fruits are trimmed on both sides and placed alternating with garlic, dill, horseradish, cherry and currant leaves.

To prepare a cold marinade Only spring or well water is suitable, or, as a last resort, chilled boiled water.

Salt and sugar are dissolved in water, acetic acid and vodka are added. Fill the jars with cold marinade to the top of the neck. Cover with nylon lids and store in a cold place.

Tip: too much vinegar or acetic acid when preparing the marinade will make the cucumbers soft. The optimal amount is one teaspoon of acetic acid per three-liter jar of the product.

Vigorous cucumbers


Preparing spicy, crispy pickled cucumbers for the winter means that they really have an increased pungency of taste - vigor.

The required amount of clean fruits is soaked in cold water for several hours. At this time, you can deal with containers for blanks:

  • jars - thoroughly washed and sterilized;
  • lids - kept in boiling water.

To prepare 2 liter jars you will need about a kilogram of young pimply cucumbers 8-10 cm long.

In each sterilized jar we put:

  • garlic – 4 cloves;
  • chopped dill – 1 tbsp. spoon;
  • currant leaf – 2 pcs;
  • medium horseradish leaf – 2 pcs;
  • allspice – 2 peas;
  • black pepper – 4 peas;
  • medium hot pepper – 1 pc.

To prepare the marinade for our spicy snack, dissolve 4 tbsp in two liters of boiling water. spoons of salt and 3-3.5 tbsp. spoons of sugar. Boil over low heat for several minutes and pour into jars, adding 1 tbsp to each. spoon of 9% vinegar.

Place a cloth or wooden circle at the bottom of a large container (pan or tank) and add water. The blanks are placed in a container, brought to a boil and sterilized for 10-12 minutes. When finished, roll up the jars, turn them upside down, and leave to cool.

Tip: if horseradish leaves are missing during salting, they can be replaced with oak leaves - both leaves have similar properties.