It’s already the middle of summer and cucumbers are growing in full swing in many gardens. They've already eaten enough of them, so it's time to put them away for the winter. After all, in the cold season it is very tasty to add them to, and winter. This means it’s time to take care of the availability of jars of pickling on the shelves in the cellar.

Today I will pay attention to marinades. After all, we want to get moderately sweet and moderately salty cucumbers, without a strong and intrusive vinegar smell and with a pleasant crunch on the teeth.

And the correct composition of the brine is responsible for this. I will give all the recipes for 1 liter of water. If you close three-liter jars, then multiply all the ingredients by 3, if you have two-liter jars, then by 2, respectively. I think there is nothing complicated about this.

Let me briefly describe the preparation process so that you only have to choose the recipe for the marinade itself for pouring.

So, fresh, non-prickly cucumbers need to be washed and dried. If they were collected yesterday and have already lost a little moisture, then they need to be soaked in clean water 2 or 3 times.

We always cut off the ends a little. If the fruits are prickly, then after soaking, carefully wipe them with a clean sponge, then the fruits will become smooth.

The following spices are usually taken (I will immediately indicate their quantity per 1 liter jar):

• 2 allspice peas,
• 5 black peppercorns,
• dried cloves - 2 pcs.
• a piece of capsicum,
• cherry leaves - 5 pcs,
• currant leaves - 5 pcs,
• 1 garlic clove,
• 5 slices horseradish root,
• a couple of horseradish leaves,
• 2-3 dill umbrellas,
• 3 bay leaves.

Of course, not all of this list fits into jars right away.

For example, we often put dill umbrellas, peppercorns and horseradish. Rarely add garlic. Because I find that it softens the fruit and makes it less crunchy.
The main highlight is the marinade.

So, I think the most popular brine recipe is the one that contains vinegar. It preserves preparations well and they do not succumb to souring longer.

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp without top 70% vinegar,
• 20 g salt,
• 14 g sugar.

1. So, let's start with the fact that we have already placed the spices and cucumbers in the jars.

2. Set the required amount of water to boil and fill the jar with the ingredients with it. This is done in order to preserve the fresh green color of the cucumbers and warm them up a little.

3. After 5-10 minutes, pour this liquid into a container and add granulated sugar, a spoonful of salt and a spoonful of vinegar. As soon as we saw that the brine was bubbling, we wasted no time and immediately filled the jars to the very neck. Be careful, it's very hot right now!

4. Take a wide pan, cover the bottom with a towel and set out the jars. Pour warm water into the pan up to the hanger of the container. Attention! We do not use cold water, otherwise our jars may crack due to temperature changes.

5. And sterilize for 5-6 minutes. Then immediately roll up the lids and turn all the containers upside down. This way we will check whether the seal is broken and whether air is getting inside the workpiece.

6. We send the cucumbers “under a fur coat” for 12 hours.

Option of brine with aspirin for 1 liter jar

Aspirin is also an acid, like citric and acetic acid, it can extend the shelf life of canned food. But to enhance the effect, add a little lemon to it.

Attention! Before preparing, make sure that no one in your household is allergic to acetylsalicylic acid.

Ingredients for 1 liter of water:

• 1 tablet of aspirin,
• 1 tsp without a slide of citric acid,
• 1 tbsp. salt,
• 1 tsp Sahara.

1. Fill the filled jar with boiling water, cover with a lid and a towel. Let the vegetables warm up for 15 minutes.

2. Drain the boiling water from the jar. And put aspirin and a spoonful of citric acid inside.

3. Put water on the stove to boil, in which we stir sugar and salt.

4. Bring to a boil and fill the jars. Immediately screw on the lids and place them upside down to cool naturally under a towel.

Recipe with lemon juice (without vinegar) and without sterilization

Another popular recipe that does not require sterilization of the contents. But it definitely requires steam and high-temperature canning.

Brine per 1 liter of water:

• salt - 2 tbsp. without a slide,
• granulated sugar - 2 tbsp. with a slide,
• citric acid - 1 teaspoon.

1. This stage is standard everywhere: brew the cucumbers with boiling water, cover them with a lid and leave for 15 minutes. Then pour the liquid into the pan.

2. Now we prepare a marinade based on this drained water. Mix sugar and salt in it.

3. Bring the brine to a boil.

4. Before pouring the filling, pour citric acid into each jar. And only then pour boiling water. We don’t waste time and immediately roll up the jars.

There is another option to use lemon - add it to the boiling brine, not immediately, but after turning off the heat.

Method for preparing sugar-free marinade for lightly salted cucumbers

We usually don’t put horseradish leaves in lightly salted cucumbers; it doesn’t have time to fully release its flavor.

We also removed sugar in the recipe for this marinade. There is absolutely no need for it here, because we just need to soak the pulp a little with salted brine.

1. Wash the cucumbers and cut them lengthwise into four parts.

2. Place them in a deep enamel container and mix with dill and garlic. You can add allspice for added spice.

3. And prepare the brine:

• 1 tbsp. salt,
• 1 liter of water.

4. Heat the saline solution to a boiling state and pour in the vegetables.

5. Cover with a lid and remove the cucumbers to steep for 6-8 hours.

Sweet marinade for pickling cucumbers

And we have lovers of everything sweeter. For these incorrigible sweet tooths, I have prepared a sweeter pickle recipe than you are used to seeing.

Ingredients for 1 liter of water:

• Sugar - 150 g,
• Salt - 40 g,
• 1 tsp lemons.

1. All preparatory stages are similar to the previous ones. We also fill the filled jars with boiling water.

2. Warm up the container and vegetables for 10 minutes, then pour the liquid into the pan and turn on the heat.

3. Pour sugar, salt and lemon into the jars themselves.

4. As soon as the water boils, remove it from the heat and fill the jars. You cannot hesitate here, otherwise the required temperature will drop and proper sterilization of jars and vegetables with steam and boiling water will not occur.

Preservation brine with 9 percent vinegar

I have housewives I know who do not use vinegar essence in their preparations. Therefore, I give the ratio of ingredients with 9 percent vinegar.

For 1 liter of water:

• salt - 1 tbsp,
• granulated sugar - 1 tbsp.,
• vinegar 9% - 30 g.

1. Pour boiling water over the cucumbers for five minutes.

2. Then drain the brine and set it to heat up again.

3. Stir in a spoonful of salt and sugar, and pour a spoonful of vinegar into the jars themselves.

4. Wait for the marinade to boil and pour it over the cucumbers.

5. Roll up the lid, turn it over and put it under the fur coat.

I consider the selection complete, this is the ratio of the necessary seasonings for the brine, which will make the taste balanced and the texture of the vegetables crispy.

Happy cooking!

Every housewife has a bottle of vinegar in her kitchen. But here’s the problem: vinegar of different concentrations is used for different purposes. Which vinegar is better to buy and how to dilute vinegar essence to the percentage you need, we will consider below.

What is vinegar essence

First, let's clarify what vinegar essence is. This is a 70% aqueous solution of acetic acid. This solution contains 7 parts acid and 3 parts water. Sometimes you can find 80% and 30% essence on sale. Accordingly, in the first the ratio of acid and water will be 8:2, and in the second - 3:7. Such concentrated solutions are dangerous; if taken orally, they cause burns to the mucous membranes of the digestive tract. In industrial production it is called the food additive E260, and housewives use it in the kitchen and for household purposes in the form of diluted table vinegar. Table vinegar is also sold in stores, its concentration ranges from 3% to 9%. In addition, on the shelves you can find vinegar made from natural raw materials: apple, wine, malt, balsamic, sherry and even coconut. This product is used for preparing culinary dishes.

And yet, the essence is most in demand for everyday needs. After all, from one teaspoon you can prepare a whole glass of table vinegar. Before we learn how to dilute vinegar essence 70%, let's focus on the quality of the original product.

How to buy good quality vinegar

High-quality essence is sold only in glass bottles. There should be three convex rings on the neck of the bottle to warn visually impaired people that the product is dangerous for ingestion. There are also four horizontal stripes on the bottle; between the bottom two there is a manufacturer’s stamp on the inner surface of the glass. The label indicates the concentration of vinegar - 70%. When shaken, the contents foam, then within two to three seconds they become the same. If the bottle is counterfeit, the foam will last longer than ten seconds. Do not buy counterfeits, they are harmful to your health and, at best, will ruin your prepared dishes and preserves.

Usually the label gives very brief instructions on how to dilute vinegar essence. Manufacturers write that you need to dilute the original product with water one to twenty. To obtain a solution of different concentrations, the amount of initial ingredients will be different. You can use a mathematical formula.

Mathematical calculation

For those who are good with mathematics, the easiest way to dilute the essence to the required concentration is using the formula:

• The amount of essence required to obtain table vinegar = the desired concentration of the solution * the volume of the finished solution we need / the concentration of the essence.

For example: how to dilute vinegar essence to obtain 200 ml of 9% table vinegar.

9% * 200 ml / 70% = 25.7 ml of essence, add water to 200 ml.

In another option, you can go from the opposite.

• Amount of water required for dilution = amount of essence * concentration of essence / desired concentration of solution.

For example: it is necessary to dilute 15 ml of 70% vinegar essence to 6% table vinegar.

To do this, you need the following amount of water: 15 ml * 70% / 6% = 175 ml of water.

To measure volume, you can use a measuring cup or rely on the following numbers:

1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 dessert spoon = 10 ml, 1 tablespoon = 15-20 ml (depending on its depth). Classic faceted glass: full = 250 ml, rim = 200 ml, vodka shot glass = 50 ml.

For those who don’t want to bother with calculations, we suggest using standard coefficients.

How to make nine percent vinegar

Table vinegar of this concentration is used for canning food. How to dilute vinegar essence to obtain a solution with a concentration of 9%? It is necessary to dilute the essence with 70% water in the ratio: 1 part concentrate and 7 parts water. That is, for 0.5 liters of water you need to add 75 ml of essence (one and a half shot glasses).

A solution of table vinegar is recommended to be used as a rubdown for diseases accompanied by an increase in body temperature. How to dilute vinegar essence at temperature? Pour one liter of water into an enamel bowl and add 2 tbsp. l. 9% table or apple cider vinegar.

How to make six percent vinegar

Six percent table vinegar is added to meat marinades. How to dilute vinegar essence: 10.5 parts water to 1 part concentrate. To obtain 0.5 liters of solution, take 45 ml of essence (three tablespoons).

How to make three percent vinegar

Table vinegar with a concentration of 3% is used to season ready-made dishes: salads, dumplings, pickled mushrooms, onions, sauces, etc.

How to properly dilute vinegar essence and get a three percent solution: take 22 parts of water for one part of essence. To prepare 0.5 liters of table vinegar you need 20 ml of vinegar essence 70%.

Dilute the essence in a glass or enamel container. First, the required amount of clean drinking water is measured into it. The water should be cool. Then add the calculated amount of vinegar essence. Avoid contact of the concentrate with the skin and especially with the mucous membranes of the eyes and mouth. But if such a nuisance does occur, rinse the affected area under cool running water. Store vinegar essence in a dark place out of reach of children. Remember - this is an acid, and if handled incorrectly, it can cause harm to health.

Winter preparations from vegetables are ahead of a variety of jams and compotes: this is not just a dessert, but a full-fledged dish. Pickling and pickling cucumbers in liter jars helps create a quick, healthy lunch from them. When preserving, brine plays an important role, for which you need to carefully calculate the ingredients so as not to reduce the shelf life.

How to prepare brine for lightly salted cucumbers in 1 liter of water

There are a lot of recipes for liquid for canned vegetables. Few housewives use the standard brine composition - water and salt. Various spices, herbs, herbs, as well as vegetables and even berries - everything benefits the taste, aroma and color of the preservation. There is no single correct ideal recipe: it is undesirable to deviate only from some axioms regarding the proportions between salt and water, or the amount of vinegar at . The remaining nuances are left to the discretion of the hostess.

Some important tips from professionals for getting a tasty brine:

• Do you want your cucumbers to be crunchy regardless of the pickling method? Add currant, oak, grape or horseradish or cherry leaves. Do not forget that before screwing on the lids you will need to remove them - the leaves are only needed when preparing the brine.
• Need a flavorful, savory snack? Throw bouquets of cloves and a little coriander into the jars after the brine has been poured.
• A classic set for universal pickles - bay leaf, allspice, dill umbrella. Take 1 unit per liter of water, and only 3-4 peppercorns.
• When creating a brine, it is important not to overdo it with garlic, as it can kill the entire dish. For a liter of water, only 1 small clove is enough.
• If you take horseradish, then for a liter of water you need a piece of root the size of 1/3 of your little finger. Take only 1/4 of a pod of hot pepper, and dried tarragon - on the tip of a knife.
• Do not try to put all the available ingredients into the brine, especially if there is only a liter of water: the more there are, the higher the chance of seeing fermentation in the jar.
• If you decide to try the old vodka pickle recipe for cucumbers, you can reduce the amount of salt. This alcoholic product perfectly prevents fermentation processes, therefore it acts as a very high-quality preservative.

Cold salting method

This simple and quick option is suitable for creating long-lasting winter preparations and for preparing snacks that can be eaten in just a few days. A significant advantage is that the cucumbers will crunch, even if you did not take the densest specimens. Hot water often has a negative effect on the consistency of the product. However, due to the lack of heat treatment, preservation has a greater chance of deteriorating or exploding before winter sets in, so special attention must be paid to preparing the brine.

Professionals give some important advice:

• The volume of liquid depends on the number of cucumbers: a liter jar will take about 2-2.5 glasses, but it is recommended to make 4 glasses of brine. You can always get rid of the excess.
• A brine for cucumbers prepared using this technology per 1 liter of water should contain 2 large heaped tablespoons of salt: this is approximately 70 g. You cannot take less, even for - there is a high probability of spoilage.
• It is advisable to pour the brine over the cucumbers 2-3 times, leaving them for half an hour to an hour before adding spices and finally sealing the jar.
• It is better to seal cucumbers in small jars - liter or half-liter: such preparations will be stored longer.

Hot brine recipe for lightly salted cucumbers

This cooking option is convenient because you don’t have to wait to open the coveted jar: the cucumbers are ready the very next day. With cold preservation, the period extends to 3 days, which not all housewives like. Cooking lightly salted vegetables in hot brine is also convenient due to the reduced amount of the main preservative, because the dish will undergo sterilization and will definitely survive more than one winter if it is not eaten earlier.

Classic hot brine per liter of water is obtained from:

• dill umbrella;
• black peppercorns – 5 pcs.;
• rock salt – 55 g;
• aspirin – 1 tablet.

Preparation:

1. Boil water and dissolve salt in it.
2. Place the cucumbers tightly in a jar, alternating with pepper and dill.
3. Pour in brine.
4. Sterilize, add aspirin, roll up.

How to make brine for pickled cucumbers

In terms of taste, this preservation differs only in its increased astringency and piquancy. Vinegar, the main component of all marinades, increases the acidity of the product, so the finished snack will not be useful for everyone. Marinating is carried out according to the same rules as for containers of larger or smaller volume. The marinade itself is prepared in the same way as brine, only vinegar or its essence is added here.

How much vinegar is needed for a liter jar of cucumbers?

The volume of this ingredient depends on its variety: the lower the concentration, the more vinegar needed in the marinade. In the absence of sterilization, the standard parameters are increased, as well as with an increase in the proportion of sugar. A separate approach is for essence, which is administered literally in drops. From the position of professionals, in the classic brine for pickling cucumbers per 1 liter of water with sterilization, use:

• acetic acid 70% concentration - 1/3 tsp;
• 9% table vinegar - 1 tbsp. l.;
• 6% table vinegar - 2 tbsp. l.

How much salt per liter of water to use

The classic concentration for cucumber brine is considered to be 20%, but if you have to pickle rather than pickle vegetables, this parameter is lowered, because vinegar is included in the list of ingredients. Additionally, you need to take into account that the taste qualities of simple fine table salt and coarse rock salt are different, so the volume per liter of water also varies. Professionals recommend focusing on the following points:

• In a traditional marinade you need to add a level tablespoon of table (not sea) salt for each liter of liquid. The share of sea water is reduced to a dessert spoon.
• A marinade with acetic acid may require 1.5-2 level spoons for the same liter of water.
• If sugar is added to the marinade and you want tender, crispy cucumbers, use 2 tablespoons of salt and 4 tablespoons of sugar for every liter of liquid.

Cucumber pickle for the winter with vodka

Pickled cucumbers for the winter in liter jars, prepared according to this recipe, are distinguished by their high density and shelf life, but are unacceptable for children and adolescent food - the alcohol concentration is too high. Classic set of ingredients for 1 liter of water:

• salt – 40 g;
• sugar – 50 g;
• vinegar – 1/5 tbsp.;
• vodka - spoon.

Preparation of brine:

1. Dissolve sugar and salt in boiling water, add vinegar by spoonfuls.
2. Boil for several minutes, if desired, add your favorite spices at the same time.
3. Carefully place the cucumbers into the container and immediately pour in the hot brine.
4. Add vodka last.

Video

Pickled cucumbers will turn out tasty and crispy only if the marinade is prepared correctly. Whether it is tasty or not can only be determined by the individual housewife, depending on her taste sensations.

Preparing marinade for cucumbers - recipe for 1 liter of water with 70% vinegar

It is worth noting that when preparing a dish, the concentration of vinegar is very important. It should also be taken into account that if vinegar is prescribed in the recipe, then you should not use vinegar essence. This is due to the fact that its concentration is much stronger than in vinegar.
To prepare this recipe you will need one kilogram of cucumbers, one pod of bell pepper, two dill umbrellas, five cloves of garlic, one liter of water, sugar and salt to taste, one teaspoon of 70% vinegar, allspice and black peppercorns, several bay leaves leaf.

There is no need to sterilize cucumbers prepared according to this recipe.

1. First, thoroughly wash the cucumbers and leave them in cold water for several hours. We rinse liter jars with soda and sterilize them for five minutes. Boil the lids for no more than ten minutes.
2. Next, place the dill and bay leaf in boiling water for one minute.
3. We put cut sweet peppers, two bay leaves, allspice and black pepper, dill and garlic into jars.
4. Place the cucumbers vertically in the jars. First you need to cut off their “butts”. Next, lay the cucumbers horizontally. Place garlic and dill on top of them. Pour boiled water into the jars and leave for ten minutes. Then drain the water and immediately fill in new water.
5. After the second filling has completed, remove the water again. This is done only to give a beautiful appearance to the rolled up jar. After all, the poured water is slightly cloudy and foamy.
6. To prepare the marinade you will need one liter of water, a tablespoon of salt and two tablespoons of sugar. Bring water to a boil and dissolve salt and sugar in it.

Pour fresh marinade into jars. Add one teaspoon of 70% vinegar and immediately close them. Then turn them over and wrap them until they cool down.

Pickled cucumbers with 9% vinegar

The choice of spices should be taken very carefully. For example, if you overdo it with garlic, the cucumbers will turn out soft. Ingredients such as cloves, allspice, bay leaves and currant leaves do not affect crunchiness in any way. If you choose a recipe for 1 liter of marinade water for cucumbers according to your taste preferences, then crispy cucumbers will fit perfectly into homemade preparations for the winter.

When cooking, you should use 9% vinegar, then you can do without sterilization. To prepare these cucumbers you will need:

• half a kilogram of cucumbers;
• two teaspoons of sugar and two teaspoons of salt;
• two peas of allspice;
• garlic clove;
• two teaspoons of 9% vinegar;
• hot pepper, horseradish, dill and currant leaves;
• onion or bell pepper.

After all the ingredients are prepared, we begin to prepare the roll. To begin, select cucumbers of the same size. It is desirable that they are dense and their pimples have a dark green color.

1. Place the cucumbers in a large container with ice water and leave them there for three hours. It is advisable to pour colder liquid every half hour.
2. Pre-sterilize the jars. There are no clear recommendations for this, because each housewife does it in her own way. For example, using the opening of a kettle, microwave or oven. It is more convenient to carry out this procedure in the oven if there are a lot of cans. Boil the lids in a saucepan.
3. Place garlic, pepper and herbs at the bottom of the jar. We place the first row of cucumbers standing, and the rest are reported to the top in free form. Place a leaf of horseradish or cherry on top.
4. We take a large saucepan, boil water in it and pour it into jars. Then cover them with lids and leave them in this state for ten minutes.
5. Carefully pour the water from the jars back into the pan, add sugar, salt and mix well. Pour the resulting marinade into jars, adding a little to the top. Take 9% vinegar and pour two teaspoons into a jar. Then quickly roll up the lids.

Cooking is completed using the standard procedure. We turn the jars over and wrap them in a blanket for better sterilization. After they have cooled, we transfer them to the basement.

Canned cucumbers with aspirin

Everyone knows the method of pickling cucumbers with aspirin. Housewives agree that such a dish will turn out crispy and tasty. These cucumbers are perfect as a snack or as an ingredient for a salad. Marinade with aspirin perfectly preserves vegetables all winter.
Many people know that aspirin creates a wonderful acidic environment in which bacteria die. This preservation process allows you to store cucumbers for a very long time. It should not be forgotten that excessive presence of a preservative in a saline solution promotes the formation of phenolic compounds. That is why acetylsalicylic acid was banned from use in food production.

In order to close a liter jar of this dish you will need:

• 0.3 kilograms of cucumbers;
• several sprigs of parsley and dill;
• laurel leaf;
• 4 pieces of peppercorns;
• garlic clove;
• water and aspirin tablet;
• a few tablespoons of salt and a leaf of horseradish.

1. We take liter jars and sterilize them. Boil the lids in a container of water for about ten minutes. Then we put the spices in the jar. They should be evenly distributed.
2. We wash the cucumbers, making sure they are free of damage and rot. If we come across such ones, then we put them aside. Place the cucumbers in the jar vertically or horizontally. Place laurel, dill and parsley on top. Peel the garlic and add it along with horseradish.
3. Prepare the marinade. To do this, take hot water and dilute salt in it. Place the resulting liquid on the stove and boil for five minutes. Then pour the marinade into jars and put one aspirin tablet in them. Leave them in this form for fifteen minutes. After this time, twist them.

At the end of cooking, place the jars with lids on the floor and wrap them in a warm blanket. After a few days we put it in the basement.

How to marinate cucumbers without vinegar

Everyone knows that vinegar allows you to preserve products for a long time, but at the same time they lose their beneficial properties. This is a rather aggressive product that can spoil the gastrointestinal tract.

If you use a preservative without vinegar, then it must be replaced with one that simply suppresses the growth of microflora. Citric acid is very popular and is perfect for home canning. Its taste is not as strong as that of vinegar, but food stores perfectly.

You can replace vinegar with red currant juice. To do this, just pour the berries into a jar of cucumbers and pour boiled saline solution over it all.

There is also a very interesting preservation in which vinegar is replaced with vodka. It is added before rolling up the jar. Just a couple of teaspoons of this drink is enough.

It can also be noted that apple or wine vinegar are perfect for marinade. These are natural products that retain beneficial vitamins in vegetables and fruits.

For example, let’s take a recipe for making cucumbers with citric acid marinade.
To prepare a liter jar of cucumbers with marinade without vinegar you will need:

• cucumbers;
• three oak leaves;
• several cloves of garlic;
• two small pieces of carrots;
• two or three strips of bell pepper;
• half a chili pepper;
• teaspoon of citric acid;
• half a liter of water;
• one teaspoon of salt;
• three spoons of sugar.

1. Soak the cucumbers in water for several hours, after which be sure to rinse them under cold water.
2. Place the cucumbers along with garlic, pepper and peas. We also add strips of bell pepper and carrot pieces.
3. Boil water and pour it into previously prepared jars of vegetables for fifteen minutes. Then pour this water into a saucepan, add sugar and salt and boil for another five minutes.
4. Pour citric acid into a jar of vegetables and fill it with previously prepared brine up to the very neck. Cover tightly and turn upside down.
5. The jar should be wrapped in a blanket until it cools down.

When preparing pickled cucumbers, the above recipes can be slightly adjusted and spices added at your discretion.