Crispy pickled cucumbers for the winter in jars
In this simple recipe, you'll learn how to pickle crisp cucumbers for the winter in jars without vinegar. After all, everyone loves pickles. They are good both as a stand-alone snack and as an ingredient in salads such as vinaigrette, Olivier, and so on. In fact, this is one of the most common ways to preserve cucumbers for the winter.
Of course, pickled cucumbers are a rival, but salted cucumbers have one major advantage: they're prepared without vinegar. In fact, even an inexperienced home cook can make crispy and delicious pickled cucumbers themselves, thanks to their very simple recipe.
You'll find all the details on how to pickle cucumbers in jars for the winter in our master class. We hope it will clear up any further questions for you, and you'll delight your family with an excellent pickle.
Ingredients for a 3-liter jar:
- 1.8 kg cucumbers;
- 6-8 cloves of garlic;
- 2-4 cm piece of horseradish root;
- 3-4 dill umbrellas;
- 1.5 cm ring of hot pepper;
- 2-3 cherry and black currant leaves;
- 15-20 cm horseradish leaf.
Brine:
- for 1 liter of water 50 g of salt (or 1 tablespoon with a not very large slide).
How to Make Crispy Pickles Without Vinegar
The number of cucumbers that fit in jars is fairly approximate and depends on their size. Small cucumbers can hold up to 2 kg, while large ones can hold about 1.6 kg. Accordingly, you may need more or less brine. Pickling cucumbers can be of any size, but it's important that they are firm, fresh, and whole. It's also important to wash the cucumbers thoroughly, as the pimples on their skin often make this difficult. Therefore, wash the cucumbers by hand, sparing no effort and water.
The next step is preparing the spices and herbs. Cherry and blackcurrant leaves should be placed whole, but the horseradish leaf should be cut into small pieces, roughly the same size as the cherry and blackcurrant leaves. Large garlic cloves should also be cut, while smaller ones can be left whole. The hot pepper should be sliced into rings, as should the horseradish root.
Wash the jars, preferably with baking soda, and rinse thoroughly. Add half of the spices and herbs to the jars.
Next, lay the first layer of cucumbers vertically, trying to pack them as tightly as possible. The second layer of cucumbers, if they are small, can also be laid vertically. If the cucumbers are larger, lay the second layer horizontally. Fill the jar to the top, but the cucumbers should be about 1 cm short of the top.
Place the remaining spices and herbs on top of the cucumbers. They shouldn't extend above the top of the jars.
The next step is preparing the brine. It's very simple: add salt to regular filtered water and stir. You don't even need to heat the water. When the salt has completely dissolved, the brine is ready. Pour the brine into the jars.
Cover with plastic lids. Transfer the cucumbers to a cellar or basement. At first, some juice may leak from the jars, so it's a good idea to place them on a tray.
At a cool temperature, the cucumbers will slowly begin to pickle. Excess brine may leak out from under the lid. After 2-3 weeks, the cucumbers will be fully pickled and ready to eat. For longer storage, cucumbers require no special care: there's no need to rinse them, as with barrel pickling.
These crispy pickles are a great appetizer for any occasion!
