Appetizing cucumbers from a barrel - how to cook correctly and prepare crispy cucumbers, “like grandma’s,” by fermenting in glass jars for the winter? This question, sooner or later, is asked by any housewife. The secret of folk canning is passed down from generation to generation and does not lose its relevance. Let's look at the secrets of preparing “stray” cucumbers for the winter.
Features of pickling cucumbers using the fermentation method
This method of pickling cucumbers is the oldest. Our grandmothers preserved crispy vegetables this way.Natural acid, which is formed in the brine as a result of the fermentation process, acts as a preservative in the dish.
Barrel cucumbers always turn out crispy and flavorful. Using the fermentation method, you can also roll pickles into three-liter glass jars under iron lids.
It is important to follow all the rules of “stray” canning.
On a note! The best place to store jars is the cellar. In a warm, bright room, cucumbers quickly turn sour.
To prepare delicious, aromatic fermented cucumbers, take note of a few tips:
- be sure to add horseradish to the pickling: root or leaves;
- add a small chili pepper to add spiciness;
- choose varieties of cucumbers suitable for pickling;
- use freshly picked cucumbers;
- add coarse salt;
- pour cold water over the vegetables.
After some time, the brine of cucumbers pickled by fermentation becomes cloudy. You shouldn’t be afraid of this effect; on the contrary, it means that the fermentation process has started, and the salted vegetables are “under the control” of natural acid – a preservative. But it is not recommended to store the preparations for more than two years; cucumbers lose their crunchy properties.
Required Ingredients
Consider the classic recipe for “stray” cucumbers. Ingredients:
- fresh cucumbers;
- horseradish and currant leaves;
- dill umbrellas with seeds;
- black peppercorns;
- garlic cloves;
- water, salt.
Some housewives, to add piquancy to the brine, add basil sprigs or parsley root as spices. Over time, each chef develops his own secret ingredients.
All ingredients must be placed in a certain sequence in sterilized three-liter glass jars.Place peppercorns, garlic cloves and parsley root on the bottom of the containers. Then the cucumbers are packed tightly. Horseradish leaves, currants, dill are placed on top of the vegetables and salt is added.
Next, pour all the ingredients with cold water and roll the jars under sterilized iron lids. Store cucumbers in a cool, dark place.
How to select and prepare cucumbers
The less time passes between picking cucumbers and starting the pickling process, the better. Vegetables must be fresh - this is the main secret of successful canning.
The smaller the fruit, the crispier the “stray” cucumbers will be. The butts must be trimmed with a sharp knife on both sides. You can pour prepared vegetables only with cold water, this way the cucumbers will retain their elasticity.
It is important to choose the right variety of cucumbers for pickling. Some varieties of green vegetables are suitable only for salads and fresh consumption, and when pickled they immediately become soft. Give preference to varieties suitable for pickling.
Preparation of containers
The traditional recipe for making fermented cucumbers is to prepare the brine in barrels. The principle of preparing in glass jars is not much different. It is important that the containers used are sterile, including the lids.
Typically, jars are sterilized in a water bath for 15-20 minutes, and lids are also placed there. A sharp temperature change should not be allowed, that is, sterilized jars need to be allowed to cool down; they should not be suddenly filled with cold water, as the containers may crack.
How to close fermented cucumbers under iron lids?
Some recipes suggest closing the jars with ordinary plastic lids at the first stage of canning, and after a few days rolling the finished cucumbers under iron lids.It is not necessary to follow this order. For long-term storage, it is best to immediately roll the containers under iron lids.
A 3-liter jar takes about a kilogram of crispy vegetables; cucumbers must be salted at the last stage of canning, before closing the jars with lids.
Further storage of the finished product
The ideal temperature for storing pickled cucumbers is +7…+9 0C. Sunlight disrupts the fermentation process; cucumbers stored in well-lit rooms quickly turn sour, lose their crunchy properties, and become soft.
Do not store workpieces near heating radiators or on heated floors. Light and heat are obstacles for long-term storage of pickled cucumbers.
