Why do cucumbers pickled in a jar become soft and how to prevent the problem?

Housewives who often preserve cucumbers often find that they become softer in jars. It is recommended that you familiarize yourself in advance with why pickles become soft in a jar and how to correct this problem.

Why do cucumbers in a jar become soft and spoil after a while?

Many housewives are unhappy that their barrel cucumbers lose their strength and do not crisp. Most often, this problem occurs when vegetables are improperly fermented or due to poor treatment with cold water. However, there are other reasons for cucumbers to soften.

Mistakes during sterilization

Vegetables often lose their elasticity if they are preserved in unsterilized containers. Therefore, experienced housewives recommend thoroughly treating all containers with boiling water before use. If glass jars are used to pickle cucumber fruits, they are treated with steam.

To do this, place a pan of water on a gas stove and bring it to a boil. Then a mesh is installed on top, on which the jars are placed upside down. Processing the container should last 20-25 minutes.

Violation of tightness

It is no secret that when pickling, all cucumbers are placed in liter or three-liter jars, which are tightly closed with special sealing lids. Sometimes people don't seal the lids properly and this allows air to get inside. Gradually, because of this, the lids begin to swell and the vegetables inside spoil. Therefore, it is recommended to regularly check the jars to ensure they do not swell.

Effects of pectolytic enzymes

Sometimes fungi get into the container where the pickled cucumbers are located, which leads to the formation of pectic acid and pectin. This leads to the fact that the vegetables inside lose their elasticity and begin to deteriorate.

To prevent the pickle from spoiling, you will have to do the following:

• remove mold;
• pour the brine into a saucepan;
• add salt to taste;
• boil the liquid;
• pour the boiled marinade back.

Incorrect preparation of brine

People who have not previously made pickles often make mistakes when canning and preparing marinade. Common mistakes include the following:

• Insufficient salt. It is recommended to use 50-60 grams of salt per liter jar.
• Lack of vinegar. If vegetables are rolled into a three-liter container, use 60-70 milliliters of vinegar mixture.
• Long fermentation. Cucumbers should ferment for 3-4 days.

Mistakes when laying cucumbers

There are cases when cucumbers have become soft due to improper placement in containers. The cucumbers should be stacked in such a way that they fit snugly against each other. It is better to pickle them in three-liter jars.

You should not use containers that are too large, as the increased pressure in them causes the cucumber fruits to become softer.

Poor quality cucumbers

Sometimes pickles turn out tasteless due to the use of low-quality or spoiled vegetables. There are several recommendations that are taken into account when choosing fruits:

• cucumbers should be small, 5-7 centimeters in length;
• the skin of vegetables should not be very dense;
• You need to choose cucumbers without damage or signs of rotting.

Improper storage

Sometimes pickles spoil due to improper storage in winter. Lactic acid, which is a preservative, is rapidly destroyed under the influence of elevated temperatures. Therefore, experts advise keeping pickles in basements, where the temperature does not rise above 10-15 degrees.

Why are cucumbers empty inside when pickled?

Some housewives are faced with the fact that after canning, cucumbers turn into softened vegetables that are empty inside.

Using overripe fruits

Emptiness inside the fruit may appear due to canning of overripe vegetables. Overripe cucumber fruits spread and deteriorate over time. Therefore, you need to choose green and elastic cucumbers, on the surface of which there are no yellowish spots or darkening.

Long-term storage

Sometimes cucumber fruits dissolve, and their inner pulp turns into jelly. This problem occurs due to the pickling salt being stored in the cellar for too long. Salted vegetables can be stored for no longer than 2-4 years, after which it is better to throw them away as they begin to spoil.

Lengthy cooking process

To prevent pickled cucumbers from turning into mush, you should not delay the process of preparing them. The process of pickling vegetables lasts for 2-4 days. However, some people decide to ferment them for 10-12 days. You shouldn’t do this, as such a long cooking time will cause the fruits to spoil.

Why do cucumbers in jars shrink?

Another problem that many housewives face is that canned vegetables wrinkle.

Cucumbers shriveled due to the following reasons:

• the water used for salting is very soft;
• too much salt was added to the marinade;
• Dried fruits were selected for pickling.

How to prevent problems from occurring?

To prevent cucumbers from softening, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

• choose cucumber varieties suitable for canning;
• do not use spoiled fruits;
• store pickles in the cellar;
• Follow the rules for canning vegetables.

Conclusion

People who love winter preserves often encounter soft pickles.To prevent the fruits from spoiling quickly in the future, you need to familiarize yourself with the reasons for the spoilage of cucumbers and tips for eliminating this problem.