There are different types of salt in retail stores and in nature. This product takes its necessary place in the human diet, but not all of these types are equivalent. It is important to correctly determine which salt is best for pickling cucumbers for the winter. After all, if you make a mistake in your choice, you won’t be able to get a quality product.
What influences the choice of salt for preservation?
When purchasing, choose between iodized, stone and sea.The choice of the right option for pickling cucumbers depends not only on the quality of the resulting product, but also on the composition.
It is a common belief that, although iodized salt is good for health, it is nevertheless not suitable for pickling vegetables.
Seafood and regular table salt are often used to make pickles, but the former contains a much more useful composition.
Product Options
Salt is divided according to the method of extraction and processing:
- They can be mined underground using machines or by washing with a special solution.
- Deposits of this product lie at the bottom of reservoirs.
- It is quite acceptable to extract salt from sea water.
After receiving, it is purified and enriched with useful substances.
Another important feature is the size of the grains, which characterizes salt as:
- crushed;
- large;
- fine-crystalline;
- powdery.
Stone
If you use rock salt when pickling, the taste of cooked cucumbers will be classic tart. The price of this variety is lower than in other cases.
With this pickling, the cucumbers will remain firm and crunchy. In this case, explosions of cans during storage are excluded.
Table salt is made from rock salt. The latter is mined underground using special machines.
Self-settling is found in the form of sediment at the bottom of reservoirs, gray in color and characterized by a large number of impurities.
There is also an evaporation-vacuum plant, which is mined at great depths by pumping in a special solution and the salt is washed out. Then the salt is evaporated from the resulting liquid using special methods.
Iodized
This type is gaining more and more popularity.It is known that a person needs to constantly consume a certain amount of iodine in food. On the other hand, in some areas residents suffer from iodine deficiency. Sometimes they consume no more than 20% of the required amount. As a result, brain function deteriorates and the thyroid gland suffers. Therefore, using this variety has health benefits.
However, an experienced housewife knows that this salt cannot be used for pickling. This affects the quality and shelf life of the pickling. This salt changes the taste of the product. It contains a characteristic taste of iodine and its inherent slight bitterness. Gradually the fruits soften.
There is a type of iodized salt on sale, which, according to manufacturers, is free from these disadvantages and has been processed with sodium iodate. It is believed that sodium iodanate does not decompose during heat treatment, as well as for a long time during storage.
Marine
Sea salt can be used for pickling and salting. However, it is usually more expensive compared to stone or iodized. Its use prevents the formation of edema in those who have eaten a lot of pickles. Sea salt contains dozens of beneficial substances included in its composition. It is believed that the use of coarse grinding is more suitable for pickling cucumbers.
What salt should I use for canning cucumbers?
Each type has its own characteristics. In order to figure out the problem yourself, you should make several jars of pickles, where different pickling options were used.
Then you will need to compare the results and choose the one that is most suitable.
Is it possible to cover cucumbers with fine extra salt?
If you roll cucumbers, it is better to use a coarse-grained product. If it is too fine, then dissolution will occur quickly and the fermentation time will be reduced. When using large crystals, dissolution will be slower and during this time the bacteria will cope with the pickling process and the housewife will receive tasty and crispy cucumbers.
Is it possible to salt tomatoes with iodized salt?
It is not recommended to use this product for tomatoes for the same reasons that it is not suitable for canning cucumbers.
Many housewives believe that iodine reacts with the product. which can lead not only to tasteless pickling, but also to the explosion of a can of tomatoes during storage.
Conclusion
Choosing the right salt will happen only after studying opinions about all types. So it is quite possible to choose the best option. However, another way is to close several jars of cucumbers using different types of salt and form your own opinion.
