Lightly pickling cucumbers in a jar is a classic option. It does not take up much space in the refrigerator and you can observe the readiness of the snack without opening the lid. In previous articles, we successfully learned about quick cooking recipes in a saucepan, as well as how to quickly and tasty prepare a snack in a bag.
To prepare ideal salted salts, you need to follow several rules. The pickling jar must be clean and sterilized. In addition, before pouring boiling water inside, to prevent the glass from cracking, you need to place a knife with a wide and cold blade under the bottom.
Cucumbers must also undergo preparation before entering the jar. If you picked them from the garden a couple of minutes ago, and they are not limp, but strong, then you just need to wash them and remove the ends. If the cucumbers are not the first freshness, then you definitely need to keep them in water for about 3 hours. The liquid should be cold and should be added periodically to prevent it from warming up at room temperature.
If you want strong and crispy cucumbers, then do not overuse garlic and peppercorns. They can soften the fruit. If you want them to be more tender and soft, you can add more of these ingredients. Fine salt also affects the elasticity of the vegetable. Therefore, for light salting, it is better to take coarse salt, not iodized.
Now we will look at 5 of the most popular and delicious recipes for this refreshing delicacy. We will prepare each one in a jar. Try it and decide which one you like best. Share your results in the comments.
How to cook lightly salted cucumbers in cold water
I very often lightly salt cucumbers in cold water. This method won my trust, first of all, because there is no need to bother with boiling brine. In addition, with the cold salting method, the result is crispier. Hot water, under the influence of its temperature, takes away some of the beneficial elements from vegetables and also softens the structure.
The only caveat is that you need to wait a little longer for it to be ready. But the long-awaited meeting will be even brighter.
Ingredients:
- 1 kilogram of fresh medium-sized cucumbers;
- 2 large or 4 small dill umbrellas;
- a couple of horseradish leaves;
- 3 cloves of garlic;
- 1-2 pods of hot pepper;
- 1 liter of water;
- 2 level tablespoons of salt.
Wash the cucumbers, remove the butts and cover with ice water for 3-5 hours.
Place dill caps, horseradish leaves torn into large pieces and garlic cut into slices into a jar. I especially like to pickle cucumbers in jars because the cucumbers adhere tightly to the glass walls and do not float up after being introduced to the brine.
Place cooked cucumbers tightly onto a fragrant pillow. Top with an umbrella of dill and crumble hot pepper into pieces.
Mix the salt completely in a liter of cold filtered water. Its crystals should dissolve as much as possible so that residues do not remain at the top of the jar. Pour brine over the cucumbers and leave in the kitchen for an hour. Then refrigerate for 2 days. You can take them to the cellar or basement if there is not enough space in the refrigerator.
If you can’t wait to try cucumbers as soon as possible, then you can safely take them outside or to the balcony in direct sunlight. If you do this in the morning, you can enjoy the crunchy treat in the evening.
The cucumbers turn out incredibly crispy and flavorful.
Recipe for making crispy cucumbers in a 3 liter jar
In the matter of pickling cucumbers, it is very important to find the line where lightly salted cucumbers turn into ordinary pickled ones. It is the lightly salted product that looks fresher and has a yellow-green color. Inside, the middle is slightly different from the salted pulp, since it does not have time to be fully saturated with the marinade. This cucumber is called lightly salted.
If the preparation stays in the refrigerator for a longer time, we can no longer call these vegetables lightly salted. Therefore, to enjoy young pickles, I always prepare exactly as much as my family will eat in a day. In this case, it is better not to do it for future use.
Cucumbers according to this recipe will be ready in 2 days. Try it and tell us about your success.
Ingredients:
- Half a kilo of fresh cucumbers;
- 4-5 peppercorns;
- 2 tablespoons rock salt;
- 1 dessert spoon of granulated sugar;
- 1 whole medium garlic;
- optional leaves of horseradish, cherry and currant bushes;
- dill umbrellas;
- 1 liter of water;
- 3 liter jar with nylon lid.
Wash and sterilize the jar. You can do this in the oven or in a water bath.
First of all, without wasting time, you need to pour water into a pan and put it on the stove until it boils. Add salt and sugar to it, then dissolve them thoroughly.
Place a third of the prepared dill caps and leaves into the jar. Add 2 peppercorns and a third of a head of garlic. I first peel the garlic and divide it in half.
Cucumbers, as we already know, must first be soaked for several hours in ice water. Remove the soaked and dried cucumbers from the ends and place them in a thick layer halfway up in a jar, on top of the greens.
Once you reach the middle, you need to lay out another layer of the ingredients that you put on the bottom.
Fill the jar with cucumbers and cover them with the rest of the herbs, garlic and peppercorns.
Meanwhile, the brine began to boil. Pour it into the jar to the top so that the liquid level covers all the ingredients. If there is not enough, you can add boiled water. If there is any brine left, it’s okay, you can throw it away.
Leave the jar on the table for about 24 hours so that the contents cool completely and the ingredients begin to become friends and share aromas. The next day, you can put the container in the refrigerator for another day.
During this time, the cucumbers darkened and fully absorbed the whole bouquet of flavors.
This is what we got so yummy. The taste is very rich, and the crunch can be heard from afar. Try it yourself, it’s impossible to resist!
Grandma's recipe for lightly salted cucumbers
This is a recipe that has been tested over the years, according to which cooked cucumbers have an incredibly delicious aroma and taste.
What products will you need (for 6 servings):
- Fresh cucumbers – 1 kg;
- Salt – 2 tbsp. l.;
- Sugar – 1 tsp;
- Dill umbrellas - 4-6 pcs.;
- Horseradish leaf - 1-2 pcs.;
- Currant or cherry leaves (optional);
- Bay leaf – 2-3 pcs.;
- Black peppercorns – 8 pcs.;
- Garlic - 3 cloves (to taste);
- Hot red pepper (optional) - small pod;
- Water – 1 l.
Grandma's recipe for lightly salted cucumbers
How to properly prepare cucumbers according to grandma’s recipe:
- Soak the cucumbers in cold water for several hours. After that, cut them on both sides. Divide fruits that are too large into halves.
- Prepare a brine from water, salt and sugar. Wait until they completely dissolve. Cool the brine to room temperature.
- Take a basin or enamel pan. Cover the bottom with some dill, garlic, and pepper. Place the cucumbers and top with the remaining dill.
- Pour in the brine that you have previously cooled. Cover with a lid and put down the pressure.
Lightly salted cucumbers will be ready in a day.
Lightly salted cucumbers in a jar - a quick way in 5 minutes
All my family and friends simply adore these extra cucumbers. What makes me especially happy is that they are very quick to prepare. But the most important secret is that they are ready to eat within 5 minutes.
The secret is that we will cut them into slices, which will make the marinade soak into the pulp faster. However, there is one caveat - such a snack does not last long. It is better to eat it on the same day. But this fact doesn’t scare me, because never before has this delicacy survived until the next day. As a rule, it flies off the table in a couple of hours.
Ingredients:
- 3-5 medium cucumbers;
- a small bunch of dill (you can add other aromatic herbs if desired);
- 2 bay leaves;
- 4 cloves of garlic;
- 0.5 teaspoon of salt and the same amount of ground pepper.
This is a dry salting method, so we will not use water.
Choose a jar with the desired denomination. If you are preparing an appetizer for a large feast, the ingredients can be increased several times. For this list of products we will use a liter jar.
Sprinkle salt and pepper on the bottom. Crumble the bay leaf with your hands and send it there. Finely chop the garlic and add to the rest of the ingredients.
Dill will go into the jar next. Before this you need to chop it finely.
The highlight of the program is cucumbers. They need to be cut into several pieces. I first divide it in half, and then each of them into 4-6 more parts, depending on the size.
The slices are immediately sent into glass containers.
Please note that in this case, the jar should not be tightly packed with cucumbers. They should reach no more than half the capacity. This method of pickling involves mixing the ingredients inside the jar by shaking. Therefore, vegetables need space for intense movement inside the dishes.
Cover the jar with a lid and shake vigorously for about 3 minutes. Now the vegetables need time to rest and gain aromatic strength and juiciness from the pickling ingredients. A couple of minutes is enough for this.
The snack is ready! Can be served in any form. They are especially tasty with boiled potatoes, lightly seasoned with butter.
In Korean
Lightly salted cucumbers according to the Korean recipe are a ready-made snack.
Composition of ingredients
This recipe includes the following products:
Ingredient names | Recommendations for selection and processing | Weight/quantity |
cucumbers | Choose medium-sized fruits. Rinse, cut off ends and check for bitterness. | 2 pcs. |
Carrot | You will need medium sized carrots. It must be cleaned from dirt with a knife and rinsed. Cut off the ends. | 1 PC. |
Garlic cloves | Standard training required. | 2 pcs. |
Korean seasoning | Purchase ready-made. It is better to use it in liquid form. | 20 ml |
Granulated sugar | — | 10 g |
Salt | Small food. | 2-3 g |
Vinegar | A table with a concentration of 9% is used | 60 ml |
Ground pepper | You will need black pepper. | 1-2 g |
Vegetable oil | Olive. | 40 ml |
For decoration, you can prepare fresh dill sprigs.
Step-by-step cooking process
Cooking cucumbers according to the Korean recipe consists of the following steps:
- Carrots must be cut into thin cubes.
- Cut the cucumbers into strips or small cubes.
- Grate the garlic using a small hole grater.
- Pour vinegar into a deep bowl, add granulated sugar and salt. Dissolve the ingredients.
- Next, you need to add vegetable oil, pepper and Chinese spices to the vinegar. Mix the sauce well.
- After this, all ingredients must be placed in an enamel container and mixed well.
- Cover with film or a lid and put in a cool place for about 4 hours.
It is recommended to stir the workpiece periodically for 4 hours.
Classic step-by-step recipe for 1 liter
I call a classic malosol recipe a method that requires a minimum set of ingredients. This includes the most standard products that affect the crunch and flavor of the vegetable. This is most often horseradish, garlic and dill umbrellas. Depending on your desire and mood, you can add something else. This option is certainly prepared in hot brine.
For 1 liter of brine there is about 1 kilogram of cucumbers, which is most often placed in a 3 liter jar.
Ingredients:
- 1-2 medium horseradish roots;
- 1 kilogram of fresh cucumbers;
- 3 cloves of garlic;
- a bunch of dill along with the stems;
- 2 tablespoons of coarse salt.
For pickling, it is better to choose special pickling varieties. But we may not always know whether a cucumber is suitable for this. Especially if you bought it at the market and did not grow it yourself. Determining the appropriate variety is very simple. They usually have characteristic “pimples”. Their flesh is elastic and their skin is thin. A smooth and soft vegetable is not suitable for any type of pickling.
Place the washed cucumbers in a clean, sterilized jar. As soon as you reach a third of the volume of the dish, you need to lay a layer of planed horseradish root and coarsely chopped dill. Add half the amount of garlic here. First cut it in half or into 4 parts.
Add another third of the cucumbers and again make a fragrant layer of the same ingredients. Then fill the jar completely with vegetables and put the remaining seasonings on top.
Meanwhile, boil one liter of water in a saucepan and completely dissolve 2 tablespoons of coarse salt in it. Fine salt can adversely affect the texture of vegetables.
Fill the jar with boiling solution to the very top. Cover with a lid, no need to roll up.
The ingredients must cool completely at room temperature, and then the jar must be placed in the refrigerator.
After 2 days you can start tasting. Just at one glance, your mouth waters and you want to quickly crunch on the delicious, sour and crispy cucumbers.
On mineral water
Lightly salted cucumbers (the classic recipe can be varied by using mineral water as a brine) are crispier when salted using this method.
Composition of ingredients
You can use the composition and quantity of ingredients for the classic recipe by replacing water with mineral water or using the following products:
List of components | Product selection and processing | Quantity |
cucumbers | Choose cucumbers no longer than 7 cm. Wash, cut off the ends and check for bitterness. | 1 kg |
Mineral water | When choosing water, consider how salty it is. | 1 l |
Salt | Food small. | 50 g |
Garlic cloves | The preparation is standard. | 2-3 pcs. |
Fresh sprigs of dill | Rinse. Remove yellowed leaves. | 20 g |
Peppercorns | Black or fragrant. | 3 pcs. |
Fresh estrogen | The leaves must be separated from the stem and washed. | 10 g |
The amount and type of spices can be experimented according to taste preferences.
Step-by-step cooking process
Stages of preparing lightly pickled cucumbers:
- Cut the cucumbers into 4 parts and place in a pickling container.
- Tear the dill sprigs and estrogen into 2 parts with your hands. This allows the greens to better release their flavor into the brine. Place with cucumbers.
- Cut the garlic into plates approximately 2-3 mm wide. Also transfer to a container for pickling.
- Next, you need to add pepper to the contents and mix everything well. Preferably by hand.
- Then pour 800 ml of mineral water into the contents.
- You need to dissolve salt in 200 ml of mineral water, after which it needs to be poured into the cucumbers.
- Cover the container tightly with a lid and put it in a cool place to salt for 12 hours.
It is not necessary to use a press for this type of salting.
Lightly salt cucumbers in a jar with hot water
Hot brine has several advantages over the cold salting method. Firstly, the product will be ready earlier, since boiling water cooks the fruits and they marinate faster. Secondly, the appetizer in hot water turns out more tender, with a piquant sourness.
For variety, I alternate between the hot and cold method in my kitchen. They actually turn out to be a little different. But each is tasty and good in its own way. It is impossible to say clearly which one is better. Try this method, you will certainly like it.
Ingredients:
- 1 kilogram of smooth and elastic cucumbers;
- 1 cherry tree branch with leaves;
- 1 horseradish root;
- sprigs of dill;
- dill inflorescences;
- 4 cloves of garlic;
- 2 tablespoons of coarse salt;
- 1 dessert spoon of sugar;
- 5 peppercorns;
- 2 bay leaves;
- 1 liter of water.
In the hot method, I always start cooking with brine. Place a saucepan with 1 liter of water on the fire until it boils. While the water is heating up, let's get to the rest of the ingredients.
Wash the cucumbers and remove the ends. Rinse the jar thoroughly and clean it with soda. This procedure can replace sterilization.
Place half of the following ingredients in a dry jar: horseradish leaves torn into several pieces, a cherry branch, dill and chopped garlic. Place the cucumbers vertically on this pillow, pressing them tightly together.
Cover the top with the rest of the ingredients that were placed below. Chop the bay leaf here with your hands and sprinkle with peppercorns.
Meanwhile, the water began to boil. You need to dissolve salt and sugar in it until the grains completely disappear. Pour the hot solution into the jar and carefully cover with a lid.
You need to leave the jar to rest until it cools. After this, refrigerate for a day.
The delicious cucumbers are ready and we can’t wait to try them.
Preparing lightly salted cucumbers is very easy and simple. This takes a minimal amount of time and cost. After all, especially during the summer season, every kitchen has the ingredients for this snack. If you have never tried this before, be sure to give it a try. Your loved ones will thank you for this.