Pickled cucumber - crispy, smelling of summer herbs! Isn't this one of your favorite snacks on a weekday or on a festive table? Compliance with the technology of cooking pickled cucumbers and subsequent proper storage will allow you to enjoy this wonderful product for a long time.
It is necessary
- - 10 kg of cucumbers of a suitable variety;
- - 5 heads of garlic;
- - 300 g of dill (with umbrellas);
- - 300 g horseradish root;
- - 5 pods of red hot pepper (optional);
- - 500 g of black currant leaves;
- - 700 g of coarse salt;
- - 10 liters of cold boiled water.
Instructions
Step 1
For salting long-term storage, you need to take cucumbers that have large pimples with black dots at the end. There are special varieties: "Vyaznikovsky", "Nezhinsky", "German", "Parisian gherkin", "Khabar". The most delicious cucumbers are at least 7 cm in size and no more than 12-13 cm.
Step 2
Wash the cucumbers and cover with cold water for 3-4 hours. Peel the garlic by cutting it into wedges. Cut the horseradish root into pieces of 2-3 cm. Rinse all spices thoroughly in cold water and let it drain.
Step 3
To pickle cucumbers, an enameled, ceramic, glass container of a suitable size is suitable. Wash the container thoroughly with baking soda and dry. The best option is an oak barrel, pre-scalded with boiling water.
Step 4
Lay 1/3 of all the seasonings on the bottom of the container, half of the washed cucumbers on top, then the next third of the spices and the remaining cucumbers. Spread the last third of the seasonings over the cucumbers.
Step 5
Dissolve the salt in cold boiled water, strain so that there is no dark sediment, and pour the cucumbers with this solution. On top, put a circle (dish, plate) wrapped in a boiled rag, which you press down with any heavy load weighing no more than 1 kg. The pickle should cover the cucumbers by 4-5 cm. Cover the container on top with a thick cloth.
Step 6
Keep the cucumbers at room temperature for three to four days while fermentation takes place, and then transfer them to a room with a temperature of +1 to + 5 ° C for storage. Sometimes, to speed up fermentation, it is recommended to put a slice of black bread in the brine, which is then removed.
Step 7
To prevent mold from forming on top of the brine, sprinkle it with mustard or shaved horseradish. In addition to the main composition of the spices, you can add tarragon, cherry and oak leaves. This will add a special piquancy to pickles.
In a similar way, you can cook pickles in three-liter jars.
