Delicious grandma's recipe for how to salt watermelons in a barrel for the winter

In the countries of the former USSR, one of the most common types of preparation of snacks is salting watermelons in a barrel. Each family has its own special recipes for pickling them: apples, cabbage are added to watermelons for pickling, various spices and herbs are used. The container can be either wooden or plastic. Salted fruit will decorate not only an everyday meal, but also a festive feast.

Pickled and salted watermelons are prepared exclusively without using vinegar. The lactic acid bacteria contained in watermelons are involved in the sourdough process, while pickling has to be done with vinegar.

Both pickled and pickled berries have their own flavoring advantages, but watermelons prepared by salting in barrels are most useful for the stomach. They store substances useful for the body. The disadvantage of this method is the need for a cellar or utility room where you can install a barrel of pickles.

Salting tips

Watermelons can be salted with wedges or whole fruits. The taste of cooked snacks can be sour, sweet, salty. Mustard, sugar or other seasonings are added as spices.

For pickling, it is better to use pink berries. Overripe specimens, which, when cooked, become viscous, unpleasant in taste, are not suitable. Preference should be given to fruits without damage, with a thin rind and dense pulp.

Salting watermelons for the winter in barrels is best done in early autumn. At this time, the air temperature is lower than in summer, which is necessary for the fermentation process.

Whole fermented watermelons in a barrel

For such fermentation, vegetables about 15 cm in diameter are suitable. They are put in a barrel in a barrel, thoroughly washed and scalded with boiling water. The fermentation process can be accelerated by piercing each fruit with a fork or knitting needle several times.

Then the barrel is filled with the prepared brine to a level higher than the berries are located. The brine is prepared from purified or well water, with the addition of ingredients per 10 liters - 500 g of salt and the same amount of sugar. With such proportions, the taste is delicate, with sweet, salty and sour notes. If households prefer a richer flavor, it is recommended to increase the amount of salt, up to 800 g, and reduce the granulated sugar to 400 g.

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So that the fruits do not float, but are immersed in the brine, oppression is laid on top. For this purpose, a wooden cover is used.For a couple of days, the barrels are placed in a room with an average temperature, and then tightly closed and set in a cool place, for example, in a cellar. After about 20 days, you can treat with ready-made pickles.

Barrel watermelons with sauerkraut

A layer of chopped cabbage (about 10 cm) is added to the barrel prepared in the above way, on top - a layer of berries, and then again shredded cabbage. This fills the entire barrel. Cabbage must be pre-salted, 60 g per 1 kg of berries. Watermelons are layered with apples or unripe tomatoes.

It is necessary to place chopped cabbage between each fruit so that the watermelons do not touch each other. The brine is prepared in the usual way (0.5 kg of salt and 0.5 kg of sugar per 10 liters of liquid). Sourdough procedure: 2 days at a temperature of -20 - 22 degrees, and then in a cellar. It is optimal to stop eating salted watermelons before mid-winter.

It is necessary to check the contents of the barrel from time to time. If mold has formed on the surface of the brine, it should be removed immediately and freshly prepared brine pour in.

Fermented watermelons in watermelon juice

After disinfection with boiling water, salted slices are placed on the bottom in a wooden, properly prepared barrel, with a layer of about 10 cm, and then whole fruits. Each new layer is sprinkled with chopped pulp.

After filling the barrel, squeezed watermelon juice is added in this way. For 50 kg of whole fruits, you will need about 25 kg of chopped slices. After a week of infusion at normal temperature, the barrel is lowered for storage in the basement. Salting is ready for use a little earlier than a month later.

Watermelons pickled in a barrel with spices

To add a spicy taste to pickled berries, use:

• horseradish roots;
• coriander;
• ginger root;
• cloves of garlic;
• allspice;
• celery;
• capsicum hot pepper.

These spices are evenly distributed throughout the container during the filling process with fruits before salting such watermelons in a barrel, and the recipe for making brine is similar to the previous methods.

Sauerkraut in ceramic barrels

Since salting watermelons in a barrel is not the best option for all families, you can ferment the berries in small ceramic barrels. Dense watermelons are cut into small slices lengthwise. The washed container is poured with boiling water and dried. Greens, hot peppers, garlic and other spices are spread on the bottom. Then the sweet fruits are placed. Garlic and branches of table herbs are placed on top. After filling the container, add salt and black peppercorns.

Recipe salting watermelons stipulates that the water used must be from a spring or well. It is boiled, cooled to a lukewarm state and poured onto watermelons in a barrel. A load must be installed on top so that the contents of the barrel do not float. After the start of the fermentation process, the container is transferred to a cold room. If the liquid has been absorbed by the watermelons, then the brine is added to the required level.

If the volume of the keg is too large, you can use a glass jar. The rest of the fermentation process is similar to the previous recipes.

The optimal temperature when watermelons will be stored for a long time is +3 degrees. As gourmets agree, salting in wooden barrels is the most ideal option.

Salted watermelon with hot peppers and herbs

For every 5 kg of sweet fruits you will need:

• 1 chilli pepper;
• medium head of garlic;
• 1 tsp peppercorns;
• a bunch of greens (parsley and / or dill).

The barrel filled with layers of medium-sized watermelon slices is filled with prepared brine. This amount of watermelon will require 3 liters of liquid. To this volume, 170 g of salt and granulated sugar are added. It is recommended to use purified water without chlorine impurities. Spices are spread evenly as the container fills.

Be sure to place a load on top so that all the ingredients are in the brine.As a load, some use a well-washed and boiled natural stone set on a wooden or ceramic circle. After the brine ferments, the barrel is lowered into the basement and the pickled berries are left there for storage.

Recipe for pickled watermelons with mustard powder

Before as salt watermelons, you need to stock up on a wooden or plastic barrel for 100 liters.

This volume will require:

• 20 pcs. medium-sized fruits;
• half a packet of powdered mustard;
• sugar - 400 g;
• purified water or water from a well - 10 liters.

Select fruits without visible skin damage. It is desirable to select their size approximately the same, weighing 2 - 3 kg. Rinse under running water and drain or dry with a towel.

Cut off the stalk of each berry, pierce the sides with a wooden skewer in several places, which will allow the brine to quickly penetrate into the fruit and shorten the fermentation time.

Salt the water in a bucket and add sugar according to the recipe, mustard seed powder. Wait for all crystals to dissolve. Pour the fruits laid out in a barrel with the prepared brine. After 3 weeks, the snack will be ready.