9 best recipes for cold pickled tomatoes for the winter

Cold pickled tomatoes for the winter turn out incredibly tasty and aromatic. The cold method makes it possible to preserve the maximum of vitamins and minerals found in fresh vegetables. You can put these tomatoes on both an everyday table and a festive one.

Features of cooking tomatoes in a cold way for the winter

Cold-cooked tomatoes can be used not only fresh, but also used to make aromatic adjika, ketchup or sauce.

Hot salting is quite difficult, because it requires heating the water several times and sterilizing the container. Cold requires slightly less time, but certain features must be observed. Otherwise, the workpiece will swell, and all the housewife’s efforts will go down the drain.

Cold salting, in addition to saving time, has other advantages. Among them are:

• tomatoes do not lose nutrients and microelements;
• the technology is quite simple and you can remember it immediately;
• Tomatoes according to recipes are ready in 3-4 weeks.

The vegetables turn out elastic, their skins do not fall apart, as often happens if you pour boiling water over them several times (with the hot salting method).

Requirements for main ingredients

Tomatoes for all recipes are selected to be medium-sized, but fleshy. They will come from your own garden, or from a store or market, but always homemade. Be sure to choose red tomatoes. Green and pink ones are not suitable for the cold marinade method. Each fruit is carefully inspected for rotting or mold. The tomatoes should be of the same degree of ripeness, but in no case overripe - they will fall apart and settle to the bottom like porridge.

Each vegetable is thoroughly washed and dried. The stalk is removed, and a small hole is made with a toothpick near the place where it is separated. This is necessary so that the skin does not crack during storage.

How to properly prepare containers for the start of the process

The containers are prepared as follows:

• Take three-liter jars, wash them thoroughly with detergent and soda;
• Hold each container over water vapor for 5 minutes;
• Cover with a towel and leave neck down.

Contrary to popular belief, you can use any salt for the cold method recipe. But certain accents appear when choosing one or the other. So, if you add iodized salt, a little bitterness will appear in the brine, which is not to everyone’s taste. Marine is also suitable, but it is the most useless (you need to take 1.5 times more). Black ones contain a maximum of potassium, therefore they will compensate for its deficiency in the human body. It is advisable to use coarse salt. There is a risk that using small grains will cause the tomatoes to fall apart.

How to cook tomatoes cold at home

Take one of the recipes you like.

Simple recipe with vinegar

You will need to take:

• 2 kilos of main ingredient;
• 20 grams of vinegar 9 percent;
• 1 tablespoon each of sugar and salt.

The marinade is made classic, which is also used for the hot method. To it, based on a three-liter jar, add 4 cloves of garlic, 2 umbrellas of fresh dill, currant leaves, horseradish, and cherries.

First, all the leaves are placed on the bottom. Load the tomatoes in tightly, but without pressing them down. Add dill and garlic to the top. After this, pour cold water, add seasonings, salt, sugar and set aside in a cool place.

After three days, the liquid will become cloudy and a specific smell will appear. You need to strain the brine, pour it back into the vegetables and leave for a few more days. After this, the jars are placed in the refrigerator and kept for 2 weeks.

Option with mustard

Ingredients:

• 2 kg of tomatoes;
• 150 g salt;
• 1 tbsp. l. Sahara;
• to taste laurel, garlic, dill, cloves, celery, pepper;
• 3 tbsp. l.mustard as fresh as possible.

Tomatoes are placed in layers in a sterilized container, and spices are added between each layer. The marinade is prepared separately. To do this, add sugar, salt and seasonings to two liters of water. Pour the cooled mixture over the tomatoes.

The peculiarity of the recipe is that it makes a so-called mustard plug. The algorithm is as follows:

• fold the gauze tightly;
• line the neck of the jar;
• Place three tablespoons on each jar. l. mustard;
• cover with a second layer of gauze.

Leave in a dark place for several days.

Ancient recipe

To prepare according to the old recipe, you will need:

• 2 kg of main ingredient;
• 3 tbsp. l. salt and sugar;
• 5 tbsp. l. vinegar;
• dill, garlic, parsley, celery, basil, cloves, bay.

The brine is made in the standard way and cooled. Only mineral or well water is taken. The tomatoes are placed with leaves and garlic in a bucket, filled with brine on top, and covered with leaves. After three days, the marinade is decanted and clarified by boiling.

Using green tomatoes

Completely standard products are taken. The difference from the standard recipe is that a cut is made near the stalk - green versions will not be able to absorb moisture and spices through a small puncture.

Using salted tomatoes

Such products turn out incredibly tasty. The peculiarity is that the marinating is done with already salted tomatoes. They are laid out on top of the container and left to cook for four or even five days.

With honey

It is made according to the classic recipe, but half the amount of granulated sugar is added. Honey is melted before use.

With garlic

For a three-liter jar, add 4 cloves of garlic, dill, and plant leaves.

First, leaves are placed on the bottom, tomatoes on them, and dill and garlic on top. After this, pour cold water, add seasonings, salt, sugar and set aside in a cool place.

With sweet pepper

The recipe is no different from the classic one. Per kilo of the main ingredient take 0.6 kg of pepper. It is better to choose multi-colored peppers to make it beautiful.

With carrots

Carrots are loaded together with tomatoes. Cut into thin strips or grate on a large grater.

Terms and conditions of storage

You can eat tomatoes after pickling within three weeks. But it can be stored for up to three or even four months. Keep in a dark, cool room.