Those who still remember the Soviet era of global shortages are probably nostalgic for the then-sold preservation called "Bulgarian cucumbers." Their recipe in those years was not known, so as soon as they appeared on the shelves of grocery stores, banks were immediately swept away hungry for gastronomic variety.
With the advent of abundance in our stores, the excitement subsided. However, even now sometimes I want to open a jar and remember what they taste like, Bulgarian cucumbers. The recipe is now freely available, the ingredients are simple, and spinning does not present any special difficulties either. So a skilled housewife may well pamper her family with an unusual pickle.
How they are made in Bulgaria: the first approach
Authenticity lovers have the opportunity to roll up real Bulgarian cucumbers. The recipe, however, involves the scope of the workpieces. But if you do not shy away on an almost industrial scale, you can well use it.
For harvesting, cans are not sterilized, but simply washed with cool, clean water. Like all conservation components. Small cucumbers are selected; containers for them are not larger than a liter. Vegetables are displayed in containers. From seasonings go laurel, naturally dried dill (caps), fresh parsley, onions, hot pepper pods and peas. If you are interested in real Bulgarian cucumbers, the recipe for a 1 liter jar recommends taking a dessert spoon with a hill of salt and sugar and a 50-gram stack of vinegar. Moreover, in Bulgaria, vinegar is sold at 6 percent, so the volume of "ours" will have to be recounted. Banks on the "shoulders" are filled with clean cold water - and the Bulgarians move on to the next step.
How they are made in Bulgaria: second stage
The authors of the recipe usually make preparations in the yard, since the next step requires a huge vat like the Soviet boil-out (or maybe more). The container is placed on a special stove, and banks are formed into two, or even three floors, where future Bulgarian cucumbers are rolled up. The recipe requires to fill the container with cold water and light a fire under the boiler. The water level should be at least three fingers above the top of the can. When the contents boil, they are detected for 20 minutes. If there are many “layers”, then all 30. Vegetables processed in this way can be stored directly in the apartment, without a cellar and a refrigerator. Bulgarian cucumbers, the recipe of which is presented here, retain their taste for several years. Moreover, banks do not explode even in the summer heat.
Raw material requirements
Naturally, in urban conditions it is rather difficult to comply with the recipe. Yes, and tens of kilograms no one is now canning vegetables. However, the taste of cucumbers in Bulgarian is unforgettable, so the craftsmen developed a simplified procedure that gives a similar result. The key to success is in the correct selection of cucumbers and their competent preparation. First of all, size. It is necessary to select cucumbers no longer than 8-10 centimeters. The variety is exclusively pickling. Moreover, it is desirable that the total mass does not come across specimens of another variety, even suitable for canning.
The next caveat: vegetables, if they are not grown and not harvested personally before salting, you need to soak for four hours in cold water. This will provide the cucumbers with crispiness in the pickled form.
And the third: abandon the traditional set of greens. Set aside the leaves of currant, horseradish, cherry oak, etc. for other preservation. But keep fresh onions ready.
Adapted Recipe
Different housewives have their own opinions on how to close pickled cucumbers “like Bulgarian ones”. Each recipe considers only its own correct. It is encouraging that the taste of the final product is identical to the original. First, consider the most popular option. This recipe for Bulgarian cucumbers in liter jars offers the first thing to build a marinade. Two liters of water are boiling for him, a glass of sugar and three tablespoons of coarse salt are dissolved in them. When the grains disperse, a third of a liter of table vinegar is poured. And immediately cucumbers are put in the pan. After 5-10 minutes, they are caught and laid out on the heated sterilized jars removed from the oven. In each of them before this is placed a small onion (or half large), a few peas of pepper, a dill slider and a ring of hot pepper. This step is the most difficult: both cucumbers and jars are hot. The containers are filled with marinade, corked and wait in the wings on the shelves of the pantry.
Recipe Updates
The subtlety is not to digest the cucumbers, otherwise they will become like sluggish rags. After boiling the marinade with vegetables already immersed in it, they need to be mixed occasionally so that they absorb the brine evenly. The signal for removing from the fire - the color change of all copies.
If you like more spicy twists, you can add fresh parsley or cilantro to the jars. But from any leaves, garlic and horseradish is still better to abstain.
Another look at the question
Many housewives roll up Bulgarian cucumbers for the winter. At the same time, recipes are adjusted to personal convenience and individual tastes. You can try this one.
In each liter jar, spices are placed at the bottom. These include parsley (2 leaves), black pepper (6 peas), cloves (3 buds), a slice of onion and a sprig of parsley. Cucumbers are packed on top, not too tight so as not to become soft. A marinade is being prepared, for which water with spices is heated for three minutes at the rate of 20 peas of pepper, 7 leaves of laurel, a spoon with a good hill of salt and three sugar; all this per liter of water. After boiling for three minutes, half a glass of vinegar is poured, and the marinade is immediately distributed over the banks. Liter containers are sterilized for four minutes; if you are used to three-liter bottles, take seven minutes to sterilize. Roll up, flip, wrap.
Attention: subtleties
Before pouring into the container, the marinade must be filtered in order to remove the cooked spices. Those that are poured into jars are enough to make cucumbers fragrant.
Sterilization time is indicated approximately. You need to focus on the color change: as soon as the cucumbers get a nice olive shade - they are ready.
To get crispy cucumbers in Bulgarian, wrapping closed containers should last no more than an hour. Then the blanket is removed, and finally the banks cool slowly, naturally.
Bulgarian cucumbers: recipe without sterilization
Not everyone is ready to tinker with boiling packaged cylinders. And troublesome, and hot, and hot. For those seeking to preserve their health and time, we can offer an option without undesirable torment. True, no one has canceled the preliminary disinfection of dishes and lids, but this process is simple: it is enough to withstand them in a heated oven. Or drive the cans through the microwave, and boil the lids - to whom it is more convenient.
According to this recipe, in addition to cucumbers, you will need other vegetables. Carrot circles and rings of bell pepper are laid on the bottom of each jar along with peppercorns, a square of hot pepper, a bay leaf, a small dill umbrella, a segment of onion and sprigs of parsley and tarragon. From above vertically laid cucumbers - tightly, but without violence.
Water boils; with it, without any additives, the dishes are poured and covered with lids. Wait ten minutes, after which the water drains. Attention: it is not reused, so pour it into the sink so as not to forget about it.
A fresh portion of water is boiling. At the same time, salt and sugar are added to each jar (on a dessert spoon) and vinegar essence is poured - a little less than half a tablespoon. Or three full if ordinary vinegar is used. The container is filled with brine, corked and turned over. Important: you do not need to wrap it in anything. Wrapping up here will be absolutely superfluous.
Now it's up to you. Choose a recipe to your liking and pamper your family with cucumbers in Bulgarian. You will surely like them not only in taste, but also in the lack of mood during storage: you can not be afraid of explosions, souring or mold.