5 step-by-step recipes for pickling cucumbers for the winter without sugar

One of the most common pickles for the winter is pickled cucumbers. There are many recipes, but sometimes you want to give a familiar dish an unusual taste. For example, you can try pickling cucumbers for the winter without adding sugar.

Features of pickling cucumbers without sugar

Most pickled cucumber recipes contain sugar. It gives the preservation a sweetish taste.But you can do without adding this ingredient. Use honey instead of sugar. It sounds strange, but cucumbers go well with this ingredient.

Rules for choosing ingredients

For pickling, it is best to use young and small cucumbers. They will turn out crispier and tastier. Overripe cucumbers are not suitable for pickling. To add aroma and taste to preservation, you cannot do without spices, herbs and herbs. The addition of these ingredients depends on taste preferences.

To keep the cucumbers crisp, you can add a few oak leaves to the marinade.

How to prepare containers?

Before storing cucumbers, jars are washed with soap and dried. Before laying the workpieces, they are sterilized. Wooden barrels are also used for pickling cucumbers without sugar. They also need to be thoroughly soaked and steamed first.

Methods for making pickles without sugar

There are many canning recipes without added sugar. These cucumbers turn out no worse than with the addition of this ingredient. If you want the pickling to be sweetish, you can add a couple of spoons of honey to the marinade.

Freshly salted

A large enamel bucket is suitable for this recipe. You don't have to mess with jars.

What you need to make pickles:

• filtered water;
• small young cucumbers;
• salt;
• several fresh raspberry, currant and cherry leaves;
• garlic;
• dill with seeds.

How to pickle:

1. Leaves, dill and peeled garlic cloves are placed at the bottom of the bucket.
2. Then lay out the greens. There is no need to pack them too tightly; there should be some room left in the bucket.
3. Salt is dissolved in water. For 3 liters of water you will need to take 1 glass of salt.Its quantity can be calculated based on the volume of the bucket.
4. Pour the brine over the greens, cover them with a lid and weigh them down with something heavy. After some time, white foam will appear on the surface; it is removed regularly. The cucumbers will be ready in 5-7 days, depending on their size.

In cold water

This recipe will require the same ingredients as the previous one. For spices, you can take mustard seeds, clove stars or dried dill seeds.

How to add salt:

1. Soak the greens for two days in cold water to remove all the bitterness. They can also be cut on both sides.
2. Dissolve 1 glass of salt in water (per 3 liters), then filter through cheesecloth.
3. Place leaves, dill and mustard seeds on the bottom of the jar. Toss the cucumbers.
4. Pour brine and immediately seal the jars.
5. The finished preserves are sent to the cellar.

In a barrel

What you will need:

• wooden barrel;
• cucumbers;
• garlic;
• salt.

How to pickle cucumbers in barrels:

1. The main thing in this recipe is preparing the barrel. It is pre-soaked in a large amount of water until water gets inside.
2. After this, it is steamed in water with juniper.
3. Salt is dissolved in water, greens are laid out in layers along with herbs and spices.
4. When the barrel is full, fill it with brine.
5. The cucumbers are covered with wooden circles and pressed down on top.
6. White foam will appear on the surface of the water and must be removed. In about a week, the cucumbers will be ready.

Pickled gherkins

You can twist the gherkins using the same recipes that are used for pickling large cucumbers. In order not to interrupt the taste of the gherkins, you do not need to put a lot of spices in the jars. Gherkins go well with mustard seeds, fresh basil and cloves.But you can use other spices to suit your taste.

Recipe with tomatoes

What you need for pickling:

• 1 kg of cucumbers;
• 1 kg of medium-sized tomatoes;
• ready-made marinade without sugar (you can put honey or molasses instead);
• spices and herbs to taste.

Wash the vegetables thoroughly, place them on a towel and let them dry. Prepare the marinade as usual. Before storing, sterilize the jars and place herbs and spices on the bottom. After that, fill them to the top with vegetables. Pour in the prepared marinade. Cover with lids and screw on. Wait until the pickling has cooled before putting it in the basement.

How and for how long can the preparations be stored?

Ready preserves should be stored in a room with a low positive temperature. For example, on the lower shelves of the refrigerator (if space allows), in the cellar or on an uninsulated balcony. The shelf life of pickles is about 2 years, but it is better to eat them within a year after preparation.