Pickled cucumbers, like Bulgarian ones, are the most delicious
If you love cucumber preserves, here's a simple option: pickled cucumbers, like the Bulgarian ones we made here, are the most delicious. The base is a slightly spicy marinade, as a bay leaf is added to the jar, and that's what marinates the cucumbers. If you enjoy the flavor of bay leaf in preserves, be sure to try this recipe. It's best to chill the finished cucumbers before serving.
Ingredients for pickled cucumbers:
- cucumbers – 4-5 pcs.;
- water – 300 ml;
- bay leaf – 1 pc.;
- black peppercorns – 3-4 pcs.;
- onions – 0.5 pcs.;
- dill rosettes – 1 pc.;
- cherry leaf, currant leaf – 1 pc.;
- salt – 1 tsp;
- sugar – 2 tsp;
- vinegar 9% - 2 tbsp.
The process of making pickled cucumbers like Bulgarian ones
You can soak the cucumbers beforehand to ensure they're crisp and appealing after pickling. Prepare the jar in advance: wash it with baking soda and sterilize it, then boil the lid in boiling water for 10 minutes. Place the pickling herbs in the bottom of the jar. Add some chopped onion to the jar along with the herbs.
Place the bay leaf in a jar and add black peppercorns.
If the cucumbers are small, preserve them whole; if larger, cut them into wedges. Trim the ends of the cucumbers on both ends and check for bitterness.
Fill the jar with cucumbers. Once the jar is full, shake it a couple of times to ensure the cucumbers are packed tightly together.
Cook the marinade on the stove – add salt and sugar to the water, boil for a couple of minutes and pour in the vinegar.
Pour the marinade into the jar with cucumbers.
Place the cucumbers in a large saucepan, add warm water, and let them sterilize. The process takes 20 minutes, counting from the moment the water boils.
After a while, remove the jar from the pan and seal it tightly. Turn the jar upside down, wrap it in a blanket, and leave it for 24 hours. After a while, the cucumbers can be transferred to a cellar or pantry.
