Preserving cucumbers with citric acid is no more complicated than using table vinegar. Moreover, such vegetables are much more tender and tasty.
In finished form, this product has a pretty strong resemblance to store Hungarian cucumbers. They are the same sharp and crispy, and therefore eaten almost in one sitting.
Preservation of cucumbers with citric acid is preferably carried out in liter jars. For the safety of such a product, filled containers should be sterilized in a pan with water. But first things first.
Step-by-step recipe for canning cucumbers for the winter
There are many different ways you can harvest cucumbers for the winter. To implement the presented recipe, we need the following components:
- small fresh pimply cucumbers - 5 kg;
- medium-sized granulated sugar - 150 g;
- cold tap water - about 5 l;
- citric acid in bags - 10 g;
- coarse salt - 200 g;
- fresh dill (use only umbrellas) - 30 g;
- fresh peeled horseradish root - 50 g;
- fresh grape leaves - about 30 g;
- garlic cloves - about 100 g (use as desired);
- peppercorns - apply as you wish.
Ingredient Processing
How should pickling with citric acid be preserved? First you need to buy fresh vegetables. It is better to use small and pimply cucumbers. They are laid out in a basin and filled to the brim with cold water. In this form, the vegetables are kept for 4 hours.
Laying out vegetables
The presented recipe for preserving cucumbers for the winter should be used if you want to get spicy and tasty pickled vegetables, which are ideal for a festive snack.
After the cucumbers are soaked in cold water, proceed to lay them in jars. Glass liter containers are scalded with boiling water, and then fresh grape leaves, dill umbrellas, whole cloves of garlic, horseradish root and peppercorns are placed on the bottom. Next, put all the vegetables in the jars. At the same time, they are carefully compacted.
Cooking brine
Canned cucumbers in banks should be carried out in stages. After all the containers are full, proceed to the preparation of the marinade. To do this, boil water in a large pan, and then add salt, sugar and citric acid to it.
Preservation and Seaming Process
After the brine is cooked, it is poured into jars of cucumbers and left in this form for 5-7 minutes. Over time, it is again drained and boiled. In the future, banks are again filled with brine. Then they are covered (loosely) with lids and put in a large pot of water (add to the shoulders).
In this form, cucumbers are sterilized for 5 minutes (after boiling the liquid). At the end they are rolled up and turned upside down. After a day, cucumbers can be removed to the cellar or underground. It is advisable to use them after 1.5 months.
Canned cucumbers: recipe for 1 liter jar
If you do not like to use pickled or pickled cucumbers, then harvesting them for the winter in large quantities does not make sense. Therefore, we recommend that you make only 1 liter jar of homemade marinades and use them to prepare various salads and snacks. To do this, we need the following components:
- small cucumbers - optional (to fill a liter jar);
- drinking water - about 500 ml;
- coarse salt - ½ a large spoon;
- small beet sugar - ½ large spoon;
- greens (currant leaves, tarragon, cherry leaves, horseradish root, dill umbrellas) - apply to taste;
- garlic cloves - a pair of pieces;
- peppercorns - 5 pcs.
Component Preparation
How to make canned cucumbers? A recipe for a 1 liter jar requires the use of a small amount of small vegetables. They are thoroughly washed and poured with cold water. After 2 hours, spread the cucumbers in a prepared container, where currant and cherry leaves, as well as horseradish root, garlic cloves, tarragon, peppercorns and dill umbrellas are placed in advance.
Preparation of brine and method for storing vegetables
Canned cucumbers without vinegar turn out to be much more crunchy than those vegetables that are prepared using the aforementioned means. After the jar is full, you should begin to prepare the brine. It is done exactly the same as in the first recipe. Drinking water is brought to a boil, and then sugar and salt are dissolved in it. Next, the brine is poured into a container with vegetables and kept in this form for 10 minutes. Over time, the water is again drained and boiled.
After the described actions, the vegetables are again poured with hot brine and immediately closed with a lid. In this form, the jar is left at room temperature for a whole day. If desired, you can wrap it with a thick blanket.
After the canned cucumbers without vinegar are completely cooled, they are sent to the refrigerator. Keep them throughout the winter should only be in the cold.
You can use crisp cucumbers for salads and snacks after 2-3 weeks.
How to harvest vegetables with table vinegar?
About how the conservation of cucumbers with citric acid occurs, we described above. However, it should be noted that most housewives prefer to carry out this procedure using table vinegar. According to them, such a product helps to produce vegetables that can be stored for a long time even at room temperature.
So, to make tasty canned cucumbers for the winter, we need the following components:
- fresh medium-sized cucumbers - 2.5-3 kg (depending on the size of the fruit);
- table vinegar 9% - 2 large spoons for each liter jar;
- drinking water - about 5 glasses;
- oak leaves - 3 pcs. to the can;
- table salt - 2 large spoons;
- garlic - 3 cloves (for each jar);
- cherry leaves, dill umbrellas, mustard seeds, peppercorns - use at will;
- beet sugar - 1 large spoon.
We process components
To obtain delicious and crispy cucumbers using table vinegar, it is recommended to use oak leaves during the preservation of this product. In the absence of such a product, ordinary horseradish leaves can be used .
After all the components have been prepared, fresh cucumbers should be washed thoroughly. If they are stale, then it is better to previously withstand it in ice water (for several hours).
While the vegetables are soaked, it is necessary to do the preparation of containers. Liter cans are sterilized over steam. Prepare tin lids. They are laid out in a bowl and boiled for several minutes.
Once the containers for vegetables are prepared, oak leaves, cloves of garlic, cherry leaves, dill umbrellas, mustard seeds and peppercorns are placed on their bottom. Next, the processed cucumbers are laid out in the jars, cutting off the tips from them or piercing with a toothpick (you can cut into slices). This is necessary so that they absorb the brine well, become tasty and spicy.
Marinade preparation
A pickle with vinegar for pickling cucumbers should be prepared in the same way as described above. The water is boiled, salt and sugar are added to it, and then it is poured into jars. Next, the brine is again poured into the pan and brought to a boil.
After removing the dishes from the stove, table vinegar is added to the marinade and again poured into containers with vegetables.
Final stage
To keep homemade cucumbers with vinegar for a long time, they should be sterilized. For this, the banks are boiled in a large saucepan for about 5 minutes, and then rolled up, covered with a blanket and left in this form for a whole day.
Once the cucumbers have cooled, they are put underground. You can use them only after 4-7 weeks. During this time, the vegetables are saturated with the aromas of marinade, will become sharp and crispy.