Pickled cucumbers have a long tradition. What is less known is that normal cucumbers or cucumbers are also suitable for this form of preservation. Infused with an aromatic brew, even a large harvest stays fresh for many months and is a welcome change to the winter menu.
How can you pickle cucumbers?
Cucumbers can be preserved by soaking them in an aromatic broth made from vinegar, water, sugar, honey, s alt and spices such as dill, peppercorns, onions and optionally garlic and chili. Use tightly fitting jars and then store them in a cool, dark place.
Users needed
To pickle cucumbers, you need tightly sealing jars in which a vacuum forms when they cool. These can be:
- Jars with screw lids whose seal is intact (twist-off jars)
- Classic mason jars with rubber ring, lid and metal clip. With these you have to cook the cucumbers in a second step.
Recipe for sweet and sour pickled cucumbers
Ingredients:
- 1 kg cucumber
- 1 red onion
- 150 ml apple cider vinegar
- 150 ml white balsamic vinegar
- 300 ml water
- 2 tablespoons of sugar or 2 dashes of sweetener
- 1 tbsp forest honey
- 1 tbsp s alt
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 4 dill sprigs
If desired: 1 – 2 cloves of garlic, 1 chili pepper
Preparation
- Sterilize jars in boiling water for ten minutes.
- Wash the cucumbers thoroughly, cut them in half and remove the seeds. Cut into thin slices.
- Peel the onion and cut into rings.
- Wash dill and spin dry.
- Put the water, vinegar, sweetener, honey, s alt, peppercorns, if necessary the garlic and the chili pepper in a pot and bring to the boil.
- Add the cucumber slices and cook briefly.
- Pour everything into the jars, distributing the dill and spices evenly.
- Close immediately.
- Turn on the lid and let cool.
- Turn over, check whether the jars are tightly sealed, label them, store in a cool, dark place.
Cooking cucumbers
If you used classic mason jars, the pickles must be boiled down additionally. The procedure is slightly different:
- Put the cucumber slices in jars with the spices.
- Spread the broth over it. There should be a two to three centimeter wide edge at the top. The cucumbers must be completely covered with the stock.
- Close each jar with a lid, rubber ring and clip.
- Place on the rack of the canner so that at least half of the containers are in the water bath.
- Soak at 85 degrees for 30 minutes.
- Remove and let cool.
- Check that all lids are firmly on.
- Label, store in a cool and dark place.
Tip
Sour pickled cucumbers not only taste good, they are also very he althy. The delicious vegetables are rich in living microorganisms that have a positive effect on the intestinal flora and the immune system.
