Why do jarred pickles become soft and empty inside?

Prepared for future use pickles These products don't always please fans of this product with their quality and, for some reason, often become soft, not crispy enough, and hollow in the jar. There may be several reasons for this negative outcome, and it's easy to fix if you follow the basic rules of pickling.

Mistakes can be made at various stages of pickling, during storage, and even earlier—while growing this popular garden crop. Various tips, tricks, secrets, and time-tested recipes will help prevent culinary failure and ensure dense, flavorful, and delicious pickles next time. canned cucumbers.

Why do jarred pickles become soft over time?

There may be several reasons why canned food softens. The following factors can have a negative impact:

1. The pickling vessels aren't very clean. Traditionally, oak barrels or tubs were used, thoroughly washed and then scalded with boiling water. This option is still considered optimal. However, in modern use, glass or enamel containers are more commonly used. They must be thoroughly washed (preferably with baking soda) and sterilized in the oven or over steam.
2. A large container. The cucumbers, located in the lower part, gradually soften due to increased pressure.
3. The quality of water for pickling. Excessively soft water reduces the firmness of vegetables, while very hard water gives them a metallic taste.

   

4. Incorrect selection of cucumbers. Overgrown yellowish cucumbers are not suitable for canning. The cucumbers should be small or medium in size, with a small seed chamber, underdeveloped seeds, firm and firm flesh, and a sugar content of at least 2% (sugar promotes lactic acid formation). Special pickling varieties (Nezhinsky, Rodnichok, etc.) meet these qualities. General-purpose varieties are also suitable, but not salad varieties.
5. Stale cucumbers. It's best not to let freshly picked cucumbers sit for more than 24 hours before pickling.
6. Ignoring spices. They not only impart aroma and flavor to the product, but also prevent the development of harmful microflora. It's no coincidence that oak barrels were used as pickling containers, while oak leaves are now often used in jars.
7. Incorrect ratio of brine and fruit in the container as a result of not packing the product tightly enough.
8. Insufficient salt solution concentration. Optimally, 6-9%. When there's not enough salt, foreign microflora turns the brine into slime and softens the fruit.

   

9. Breach of the seal of the pickling vessel and penetration of air inside.
10. High storage temperatures. Ideally, between 0 and 30°C. Best stored in a cool, dry basement or cellar.
11. Long-term storage. Pectolytic enzymes promote softening of the vegetable over time.

How to prevent pickles from turning to mush after canning

The key to successful pickling is not only the taste but also the firmness of the cucumbers, which produce a delicious crunch when bitten into. To prevent them from turning to mush, home cooks use various methods.

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General tips and secrets

The key to making quality cucumbers is a positive attitude and warmth. Not everyone considers this important, but many argue that pickling without a positive attitude will be unsuccessful. You can also arm yourself with these practical tips:

• salt should be table salt, coarse and clean, not iodized;
• cucumbers should be thoroughly washed and kept in cold water for 3-4 hours;
• spices also need to be washed well;
• to prevent mold from forming, you need to add a little mustard or grated horseradish to the brine;

  

• cucumbers should be placed in the container as tightly as possible;
• cucumbers must be sorted by size;
• the contents of the container should be covered with brine by 3-4 cm;
• After pouring the salt solution, the cucumbers should be covered with a boiled cloth, a wooden circle should be placed on them, and on top of that, a clean weight that does not exceed 10% of the weight of the vegetables;
• alcohol or vodka is often added to the brine (50 g is enough for a 3 liter jar);
• A special folk omen: if you pick cucumbers during the full moon or in the first quarter of the moon, they will be crispy.

Recipes for pickling crispy cucumbers

Recipe #1. You will need:

• cucumbers – 1 kg;
• oak, cherry and black currant leaves – 1 each;
• mustard seeds – 2-3 pcs.;
• horseradish root – 50 g;
• dill – 30-40 g;
• dill seeds – 2-3 pcs.;
• garlic cloves – 2-3 pcs.

For the brine:

• water – 1 l;
• table salt – 2 tbsp.;

Then drain the brine into a saucepan and heat it. Remove the cucumbers from the jars, rinse thoroughly with cold water, and return them to the jars with the spices and herbs. Then pour boiling brine over them and sterilize the jars at 80-90°C (1-liter jars – 20 minutes, 3-liter jars – 40 minutes).

Recipe #2. You will need:

• cucumbers - as many as will fit;
• cherry and black currant leaves – 3 each;
• horseradish leaves – 1 pc.;
• dill umbrellas – 3 pcs.;
• allspice – 6 peas;
• garlic cloves – 3 pcs.

For the brine:

• water – 1.5 l;
• salt – 90 g;
• bay leaves – 1 pc.

Then fill the remaining space with cucumbers and cover them with dill. All that's left to do is pour boiling brine over everything and seal the jars tightly.

Recipe #3. You will need:

• cucumbers - as many as will fit;
• black currant leaves – 8-10 pcs.;
• dill and tarragon – to taste.

For the brine:

• water – 1 l;
• salt – 50 g.

This is a cold method. First, prepare the brine: mix salt in a glass or enamel bowl. After the brine has settled for 3-4 hours, you can begin tightly packing the cucumbers into the jars.

Next, fill the jars to the top with brine, cover with cloth, and place in a warm place for 2-3 days, then move to a cool place for 1.5-2 weeks. There, under the cloth cover, fermentation will gradually slow down. If mold appears, remove it and sprinkle with mustard powder. Once gas emission has ceased, the jars can be sealed with metal or nylon lids and stored in a cool place.

What does it mean if pickles are hollow inside?

The formation of voids in the prepared product can be caused by the selection of substandard raw materials and errors made during salting.

Using overripe fruits

As with the softening of pickled cucumbers, improperly selected cucumbers can become hollow inside. Gherkins should have the qualities listed above (size, density, sugar content, etc.). Overripe cucumbers should not be used.

Long-term storage

Pickling cucumbers must be fresh, as their nutritional value and flavor deteriorate over time. Therefore, they should be prepared according to the chosen recipe within 24 hours of picking (the sooner the better).

A drawn-out cooking process

The salting process consists of 3 stages, each of which must proceed at a certain pace:

1. In stage I, fermentation begins thanks to the preparation of the microflora. Cucumbers accumulate salt, and the brine absorbs sugar and other nutrients, allowing lactic acid bacteria to rapidly multiply. If this stage is prolonged, pathogens will also increase, threatening product spoilage.

   

2. Stage II, when lactic acid and alcohol are produced during fermentation, should be slow. For this to happen, the product requires cold. If proper conditions aren't provided, yeast and bacteria produce excess gas. This gas swells the cucumbers (forms voids) as it gets inside.
3. At stage III, the processing of sugar by yeast and bacteria is completed.

Mistakes when growing cucumbers

Cucumbers are sensitive to the slightest changes in agricultural practices, which is noticeable in the quality of the harvested fruits – they can be bitter or empty inside.

Violation of the watering regime

Along with warmth, sufficient moisture in the soil and air is essential for cucumbers. Without it, cucumbers become hollow. If water doesn't reach all plant organs in hot weather, the fruit produces cucurbitacin intensively. This gives the skin its distinctive bitterness.

Incorrect application of fertilizers

Cucumbers love nutritious soil. It's important to apply fertilizer regularly:

• organic and nitrogenous – before planting and in small quantities at the initial stages of plant development;
• by the beginning of the fruiting period - potassium and phosphorus with micro- and macroelements (iron, manganese, boron, copper, molybdenum, zinc, magnesium and calcium).

Both a deficiency and an excess of these elements affect product quality. For example, cucumbers become loose and hollow due to a high nitrogen content in the form of ammonium salts. This usually occurs due to the addition of fresh manure, overfeeding with urea, etc.

Problematic soil

Cucurbitacin is especially actively produced in cucumbers grown in clay soils. The vegetable requires light, loose soil with high air and moisture permeability and a neutral pH of 6.4-7.

Temperature changes

Cucurbitaceae plants experience stress from sudden temperature fluctuations. Avoid sudden temperature changes exceeding 3-5°C. This is especially important during the fruiting stage.

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Frequently Asked Questions

There are many reasons why pickled cucumbers turn out soft and hollow. These include improper selection and preparation of the fruit, containers, and brine, poor water quality, poorly sealed jars, incorrect pickling temperature and timing, and storage. These factors can affect the product individually or in combination, so it's important to eliminate each negative factor.

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