How to prepare pickled cucumbers, like in a store: recipes and tips

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Every housewife has her own time-tested ways of home-preserved vegetables. But sometimes you want to put into practice other, new recipes. For example, how to close pickled cucumbers at home, as in a store? Let's look at some of these useful recipes. Also in this article are tips and tricks for preparing this amazingly tasty and appetizing snack.

What's so special about the fresh crunch and flavor?

Home-made preparations are always good, but sometimes you want them to have a “store-bought” taste. What is so special about a store-bought snack? After all, it seems that these cucumbers look ordinary, but they crunch more cheerfully, and the aroma from the jar is somehow elusive, specific and appetizing. Surely such pickled cucumbers for the winter are prepared somehow differently. Crispy, they are obtained either by observing certain technological rules, or by using specialingredients. Let's reveal some secrets that can be successfully applied in practice when canning vegetables at home.

Proper preparation of cucumbers for preservation is the key to a successful result

Of course, the set of ingredients according to the recipe and compliance with all technological stages are very important. But a lot also depends on the quality of raw materials. Therefore, if you want your pickled cucumbers for the winter, crispy, to be of the highest quality, follow these rules:

- Take only fresh vegetables that have been harvested in the previous 1-2 days (and only in the morning or evening, cool hours, and not at the hottest noon).

- Sort the cucumbers according to size and shape, it is preferable to pickle fruits no more than 10-12 cm in length and 3 cm in diameter.

- Pour cold water over cucumbers at least 30-50 minutes before starting work. They will be fed with additional moisture.

- For specific spices that give a special crunch to cucumbers, use dry mustard, horseradish leaves and root, stone fruit leaves.

How to close pickled cucumbers at home, like in a store? Cold pour method

1. In a clean jar at the bottom, put garlic (3 medium cloves), 2-3 leaves of blackcurrant, cherry, dill inflorescence (can be dried), 1 hot pepper (cut the tip with a “panicle”), 1 large horseradish leaf (cut off the middle hard vein).
2. From cucumbers (tosoaking in water) cut off the ends on both sides. Then put them tightly in a jar and pour gently, in small portions, boiling water.
3. While the cucumbers are warming up, prepare the marinade from 1 cup cold spring water, 3 tbsp. l. s alt, 1 tbsp. l. dry mustard and 1 tsp. Sahara. Stir the dry ingredients thoroughly until completely dissolved.
4. After infusing for half an hour, drain the water from the jar.
5. Then proceed with extreme caution, as again there will be a sharp change in temperature, which may cause the glass to break. Pour 2 tbsp over cucumbers. l. 9% vinegar and prepared solution. If there is a shortage, fill the jar with clean water.
6. Cover with plastic lid and refrigerate.
7. Periodically, after 3 hours during the day, shake the jar.
8. After 4-5 days pickled cucumbers, as in the store, are ready. The shelf life of such a snack (in a cool place and in the refrigerator) is no more than 10 days.

"Hot" preservation option. Pickling cucumbers without sterilization

This recipe differs from the previous one in the way it is cooked. In addition, you can store such pickled cucumbers all winter. "Like in a store!" - it's about them too! But the aroma is somewhat different, but the crunch is preserved. Put similar seasonings in a jar (sterile) and additionally black peppercorns (5-6 grains), 1-2 pcs. cloves and bay leaf. Then - prepared cucumbers, and pour boiling water on top. Wrap up with a lid. After 40-50 min. pour the solution into the pan and adds alt and sugar in it in the following proportions: for 1 liter of water - 1 tbsp. l. sugar and 1.5 tbsp. l. coarse s alt. Acidify the cucumbers on top with vinegar - 100 g per jar. Then pour the boiled marinade and immediately roll up the lid. Turn gently upside down, wrap and wait until completely cool.

Method using sterilization of jars filled with cucumbers

Also delicious pickled cucumbers for the winter are obtained by processing with double thermal heating. With a decrease in time (up to 10 minutes) for a preliminary filling with boiling water, it is necessary to additionally sterilize the jars. To do this, after filling the marinade (stage 2 of heat treatment), place the containers in a saucepan, after covering the bottom with a cloth. Then fill the free space around the jars with hot water and put on fire to sterilize. After boiling, soak for 15 minutes. Take out the jars, roll up the lids and cover with a dense material. Cucumbers are crispy and fragrant!

Cucumber platter

This common winter snack can be not only one-part, but also vary with other vegetables. So, we pickle cucumbers in jars with tomatoes, carrots, bell peppers and cabbage. Take as a basis the recipe for hot filling without sterilization, filling the jars with a "fun" platter. You can combine vegetables at your discretion, while always observing the main rule of laying in levels from bottom to top:

- spices, - cucumbers, zucchini, carrots, - pepper, cabbage, -tomatoes.

The most delicious pickled billet is obtained if the vegetables are small and approximately the same in size. To do this, peppers are usually cut in half, carrots - lengthwise into four parts, cabbage - into slices with a stalk base.

Happy conservation!