The best recipe for cooking cucumbers for the winter by fermentation in jars
Appetizing cucumbers from a barrel - how to cook properly and prepare crispy cucumbers, "like grandma's", by fermentation in glass jars for the winter? This question, sooner or later, is asked by any hostess. The secret of national canning is passed down from generation to generation and does not lose its relevance. Consider the secrets of harvesting "stray" cucumbers for the winter.
Features of pickling cucumbers by fermentation
This method of pickling cucumbers is the oldest. Our grandmothers canned crispy vegetables in 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 are always crispy and aromatic. The fermentation method can be used to roll pickled cucumbers into three-liter glass jars under iron lids.
It is important to follow all the rules of "wandering" canning.
On a note! The best place to store jars is in the cellar. In a warm, light room, cucumbers quickly turn sour.
To make delicious, aromatic fermented cucumbers, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- be sure to add horseradish to the salting: root or leaves;
- add small chili peppers for spice;
- choose varieties of cucumbers suitable for pickling;
- use freshly picked cucumbers;
- add coarse salt;
- pour cold water over vegetables.
After some time, the pickle pickles pickled by the fermentation method becomes cloudy. You should not be afraid of such an effect, on the contrary, it means that the fermentation process is started, salted vegetables are "under the control" of a natural acid - a preservative. But it is not recommended to store blanks for more than two years, cucumbers lose their crisp properties.
Required ingredients
Consider a 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 spice up the brine, add basil sprigs or parsley root as spices. Over time, each chef has his own secret ingredients.
All ingredients must be put in a certain sequence in sterilized three-liter glass jars. Peppers, garlic cloves and parsley root are spread on the bottom of the containers. Then cucumbers are laid tightly. Horseradish leaves, currants, dill are placed on top of the vegetables and salt is added.
Then all the ingredients are poured with cold water and the jars are rolled up under sterilized iron lids. Store the cucumbers in a cool, dark place.
How to choose and prepare cucumbers
The less time elapses between picking cucumbers and the beginning of the pickling process, the better. Vegetables must be fresh - this is the main secret of successful canning.
The smaller the fruit, the more crisp the "stray" cucumbers will be. The butt must be cut with a sharp knife on both sides. Pour the prepared vegetables only with cold water, so the cucumbers will retain their elasticity.
It is important for salting to choose the right varieties of cucumbers. Some varieties of green vegetables are suitable only for salads and fresh consumption, and immediately become soft when salted. Choose varieties suitable for pickling.
Container preparation
The traditional recipe for fermented cucumbers is to prepare brine in barrels. The principle of stocking in glass jars is not much different. It is important that the containers used are sterile, including the lids.
Usually, jars are sterilized in a water bath for 15-20 minutes, and lids are also placed there. A sharp temperature drop should not be allowed, that is, sterilized banks should be given time to cool down, they should not be sharply filled with cold water, containers may crack.
How to close fermented cucumbers under iron lids?
Some recipes suggest closing the cans with ordinary plastic lids at the first stage of canning, and after a few days roll up the finished cucumbers under the iron ones. It is not necessary to follow this order. For a bookmark for long-term storage, it is best to immediately roll up containers under iron lids.
A 3-liter jar takes about a kilogram of crispy vegetables; it is necessary to salt the cucumbers 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 C. Sunlight disrupts the fermentation process, cucumbers stored in well-lit rooms quickly turn sour, lose their crispy properties, and become soft.
Do not store workpieces near radiators or on a warm floor. Light and heat are obstacles to long-term storage of pickled cucumbers.
