Salting is the most common and easiest way to preserve cucumbers. The effect of canning during salting is achieved as a result of lactic acid fermentation and the accumulation of ethyl alcohol in pickled cucumbers , which improves the aroma and taste of the product.
There are a variety of recipes for pickling cucumbers, for example, pickling cucumbers in unpressurized containers, in glass jars, in Hungarian, in cucumber pulp ... But despite this variety, recipes for pickling cucumbers have a common cooking technology. In order for lactic acid fermentation to develop, cucumbers must be kept at room temperature for a day or two, but no more, since long exposure will lead to the development of gas-forming bacteria and soften the cucumbers.
All recipes for pickling cucumbers contain various seasonings and spices: dill (umbrellas), pods of red and bitter pepper, black and allspice grains, horseradish (leaves, roots), celery and parsley, bay leaf, and blackcurrant, oak or cherries, which are added so that the cucumbers are strong and crispy.
Cucumber salting recipes are not suitable for all varieties of cucumbers. For salting, it is recommended to use from early ripening varieties - Cascade, Competitor, Muromets 36, Universal, Rhythm, Lyubimets, and from late ripening - Nezhinsky, Druzhba 60, Pobeditel, Vityaz, Donskoy 175. Varieties of cucumbers, designed greenhouses and hotbeds for salting are less suitable, and dessert varieties are generally not suitable for this. Cucumbers are best selected small cucumbers with thin skin (greenery), collected on the day of pickling.
The cucumber pickle recipe consists of 10 liters of water and 800 grams of salt. However, each housewife can have her own, special secret to cooking brine. Because homemade workpieces provide such scope for experimentation and creativity! An interesting result can be obtained if sour apple juice is added to the brine , for example ...
When pickling cucumbers in tubs, an enamelled bucket, pan or barrel, first line the bottom with spices, then lay a layer of cucumbers and so alternate. The last layer of cucumbers should be covered with spices. On top of the container is lined with a cloth on which a wooden circle or plate with cargo is laid. The brine should cover the cucumbers for 3-4 centimeters.
For 10 kilograms of cucumbers you need to take 300 grams of dill, 50 grams of horseradish, red capsicum 3-5 pieces, 20 cloves of garlic and 9 liters of brine. Cucumbers in an open container cost 1-2 days, and then are transferred to the cellar for long-term storage. Storage temperature should not be higher than four degrees of heat.
Cucumbers pickled in jars are of higher quality. Cans filled with brine are covered with nylon covers and kept in a dark place until fermentation is completed, and then they are closed and transferred to the cellar for long-term storage.
Only fresh, solid cucumbers are suitable for salting, and overripe ones are not suitable for this purpose. But they can be used instead of brine, chopped on a grater and mixed with salt. Cucumbers intended for salting are washed, laid in a barrel, shifted with spices and poured with a cucumber mass. For 10 kilograms of cucumbers you need to take 10 kilograms of cucumber mass, 700 grams of salt, 200 grams of dill, 50 grams of horseradish (leaves), 15 cloves of garlic, 10 grams of hot pepper.
An interesting recipe for salted cucumbers in a bag. The recipe is interesting in that the pickling takes place in a dry way. Cut the washed cucumbers along, pour salt and spices into a plastic bag, put the prepared cucumbers there, tie the bag, shake well several times and put in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. All the light-salted cucumbers are ready.
Recipes for the blanks for the winter are especially relevant in the fall, when the time comes for these blanks. After all, any kind housewife wants the family to be able to eat tasty and satisfying all winter ...