What to do if jars of cucumbers explode the next day

Preserving various vegetables for the winter has become a kind of tradition in every family. Every housewife puts her soul, work and time into this. This is why exploding cans becomes incredibly frustrating, however, even experienced housewives can face such a problem. Therefore, you should always monitor the condition of containers with cucumbers, since due to the specific structure of cucumber fruits, preservation with them explodes much more often than with tomatoes.

Why do jars of cucumbers become cloudy and explode?

Quite often, a situation arises when, during conservation, the contents of the jars begin to become cloudy, a specific smell appears, and the containers themselves explode. The reasons for such a reaction are inattention or poor quality dishes. The process of water cloudiness occurs due to several factors:

Dirt getting into the jar - often it is poor sterilization and poorly washed vegetables that cause the jars to become cloudy and explode. This is due to bacteria that begin to develop inside the contents and produce gas. Over time, it will accumulate until pressure pushes the lid out. To avoid this, you should soak ripe, small and unrotted cucumbers in cool water for about 4 hours, and then rinse with a brush.
Accidental entry of air - this can happen if the screws are not properly sealed, that is, oxygen can get into the jar due to the fact that the lids were not rolled up tightly. Therefore, after conservation, you need to turn the jar over and put it on paper, so you can easily notice if something is leaking.
Incorrect recipe - due to non-compliance with the numbers in the recipe, a specific taste and the formation of the fermentation process may appear, therefore, in order not to harm your preservation, you should put everything in the correct ratio to each other.
Salad variety - cucumbers exist in various forms. Short, medium-sized, dark-colored cucumber fruits with black thorns are excellent for preservation. But the salad type should be avoided when rolling as they will be soft and have no taste. This variety is usually covered with white spines.
Incorrect sterilization - for liter jars the time is about 15 minutes, for two-liter jars - 20, for three-liter jars - 25. You can not sterilize the jar at all, but simply pour brine into the container and leave for 20 minutes, then drain, boil, pour it back into the jar and twist. However, the lids must always be boiled. It is necessary to sterilize for at least the time specified in the recipe.

If it was not possible to protect the contents from clouding, then you should inspect the cucumbers. If they turn white, then you should absolutely not eat them. If they have a light coating, the cucumbers can be filled with new brine and re-rolled.

Important!

Preservation should be stored in a cool place, for example, in a cellar. At a temperature of +5 degrees, the lids will begin to swell, and at higher temperatures the containers will explode.

Is it possible to remake cloudy cucumbers?

If the cucumbers have become cloudy, but the jar has not yet swelled, they can still be remade. To do this, remove the lid, drain the marinade, and wash the cucumbers with clean water.

Be sure to taste them. If vinegar was used, the taste may change and then nothing can be done. But if the cucumbers taste good, they are crispy and do not sizzle, they can be closed again.

To re-cover cloudy cucumbers, you need to prepare a new marinade and pour it into a jar. In this case, the proportions should be slightly reduced, taking into account the fact that the cucumbers have already absorbed some of the ingredients.

What to do if jars of cucumbers exploded the next day

If cans explode, you must act immediately, otherwise it will be difficult to save them. You can begin to correct the situation if a maximum of 3 days have passed since the day of twisting; if more, then it is better to throw it away. If there is a smell of fermentation or the cucumbers have become soft, it is advisable to throw them away. When everything is fine with the fruits, they can be sent for reharvesting. There are three ways to do this:

First you need to rinse all the cucumbers under cool water. In addition, they can be soaked in saline solution. All other contents must be thrown away.
Leave them in cold water for 20 minutes.
The brine from the jar should be boiled. Wash and sterilize the jar. Then pour the marinade into it.
After 20 minutes, drain and return to boil.

Next, the cucumber fruits should be placed in jars and filled with brine. Pour in vinegar essence and roll up.
To be sure that everything is done hermetically, you need to turn it over and place the container upside down. If everything is done correctly, you can wrap yourself in a warm blanket.

It is important to add half the amount of sugar, salt and vinegar. However, this method of re-rolling makes the cucumbers more pickled than pickled. If you don't like this taste, there is another option:

In the second method, you should also throw away the filling of the jars, leaving only the cucumber fruits. They need to be washed and sterilized.
Pour boiling water into the container for about 3-4 minutes. Add sugar and salt to a separate pan, but half as much as when first seaming, and drain the water there. Boil and pour back into the jar.
You should put 1-2 aspirin tablets in vegetables. Roll up and place upside down, covering with a warm cloth.
Pour hot water into the container for about 4 minutes. Next, pour into the pan and add salt and sugar, but half as much as when you first rolled it up. Boil and pour back into the jar.
You should put 1-2 aspirin tablets in cucumbers. Roll up and turn the lids down, covering with a cloth.

When using this option, the taste will not be too different from other canned food, and the jars will definitely not explode. If you don’t want to preserve cucumbers again, you can use a simpler method.

Remove all contents from the damaged jar.
Slice the cucumbers and place in a bowl to simmer for 7-9 minutes.
Place in containers, bags or small jars.

Using this method you can get an excellent preparation for pickle or hodgepodge for the winter. There is no need to add salt and spices. In all these methods, the main thing is that all utensils are sterile.

Why turn jars over when canning?

Even novice housewives, after placing vegetables and the necessary spices in jars, filling them with water and rolling them up, turn the vessels over. Some do this by adopting the experience of mothers and grandmothers, others read about this need in canning recipes. Many people have no idea why such an action should be performed. Turning over cans after seaming is due to the following reasons:

Checking the tightness. By placing a container of vegetables or berries upside down, you can see if liquid is leaking under the lid. This is very important because well-sealed foods will not spoil and bacteria will not penetrate into them.
Sterilize the top parts of the jar. Turning the vessel with hot liquid inside will help warm up and disinfect not only the bottom, but also the neck of the jar.

Prevention to prevent jars from exploding

Absolutely not every type of cucumber should be used for preservation. To preserve all the preservation, you must choose the right variety and follow all directions exactly. Special secrets and techniques can help.

It is advisable to choose fruits that are not bitter, medium in size, not limp and not bent in shape. The best option is only picked cucumbers with black thorns;
Thoroughly wash all vegetables and all greens to get rid of all dirt and chemicals.
To ensure that the cucumbers remain as elastic, dense and crispy, leave them in cold water for a couple of hours before preserving;
You need to take filtered water for brine; store-bought water will do;
sterilize absolutely all lids and jars;
If the lid is still swollen, you can pour salt on it to prevent an explosion. After some time it will become wet, and the lid itself will return to normal;
The necks of the containers must be without any defects. The lid must be tightly sealed, otherwise air will penetrate into the jar and bloating will occur. To check the tightness, turn the container over and leave for a while;
You shouldn’t immediately take everything into the pantry or cellar after preservation; you should wrap it in a warm blanket and leave it to pasteurize. This usually takes about one day. After this, you can take it to a permanent place;
to prevent the jars from exploding, you can add aspirin, citric acid, and spices.

Interesting!

If you put several tomatoes in a jar of cucumbers when canning, you don’t have to worry about it exploding.

Poor quality or unsuitable vegetables

When choosing vegetables for canning, make sure that they are whole, firm and undamaged. If the recipe involves pickling vegetables as a whole, then you should not cut them. Also pay attention to the varieties of vegetables: some of them are intended only for fresh consumption.

The best varieties and hybrids of tomatoes for pickling and canning: TOP-36
Growing a large harvest of tomatoes is not as difficult as preserving and processing them. Which tomatoes will “last” in jars and barrels all winter and delight you with their taste?

Recipes to help save cucumbers

In order for preserved food not to explode, you need to know how it can be prepared efficiently and correctly. Experienced housewives use their own recipes, proven over the years. Each of them has its own techniques, subtleties and secrets of taste. The basic recipe uses horseradish, dill, peppercorns and currant leaves instead of spices. However, there are several other components that can help prevent cans from exploding.

A special recipe for canning cucumbers in a three-liter jar

Delicious spicy cucumbers are easy to prepare, and the taste is excellent.

Ingredients:

cucumbers - 1.5-2 kg;
garlic - 2-3 cloves;
carrots – 1 pc.;
salt – 2.5-3 tbsp. l.;
sugar – 1-1.5 tbsp. l.;
citric acid – 0.5-1 tsp;
allspice peas;
spices.

Cooking time – 1 hour.

Preparation:

First, thoroughly wash all the fruits and soak them for a while.
Next, sterilize the jars and lids. Place carrots, herbs and spices cut into circles.
Then remove the cucumbers from the cold water, put them in a jar and fill them with hot water. Leave for 30 minutes.
When time has passed, drain the cooled water from the container into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add salt and sugar during the process.
Pour the resulting marinade into the cucumbers again, add citric acid on top and screw the lids on tightly. Next, turn it over, put it on the lid and cover it with a blanket.

Classic recipe for cucumbers straight from a barrel

To get the real taste of barrel cucumbers, you need to spend a little more time on this than for a regular marinade, since first the vegetables are left to salt for a couple of days. The preservation that will be made in this way will not only be tasty, but will also last all winter.

Ingredients:

cucumbers – 1.5-2 kg;
filtered water – 2-2.5 l.;
rock salt – 3-4 tbsp. l.;
spices;
hot pepper.

Preparation:

First, wash all the ingredients and leave the cucumbers in cool water overnight.
To prepare lightly salted cucumbers, take a large saucepan. First put herbs and spices into it, then the fruits themselves, and so on in a circle until the entire container is filled. Cover with leaves on top.
The brine will require ice water. Pour salt into it and stir until dissolved. Pour the resulting liquid into a saucepan and place something heavy on top so that the cucumbers do not float. The time they need to sit depends on the temperature; the hotter it is, the faster they will salt. Usually about 2-4 days.
When time has passed, pour the brine into a separate bowl and put it to boil, rinse the cucumbers and containers, and throw away everything else.
Place the fruits in a jar and pour boiling water over them for about 7-9 minutes. Then repeat all processes and seal hermetically. Turn over and wrap with a blanket.

Advice!

To make the cucumbers crispy, you can put oak or walnut leaves in the jar.

Pickled cucumbers without sterilization

If you don’t want to sterilize the jars, then there is another cooking method so that the cucumbers remain intact until the next season.

Ingredients:

cucumbers – 1-2 kg;
sugar – 1.5-2 tbsp. l.;
salt – 1.5-2 tbsp. l.;
garlic – 2-3 cloves;
vinegar essence – 1 spoon;
dry dill in umbrellas.

Preparation:

Wash fresh cucumbers with a sponge and soak for a couple of hours in ice water. Wash the jars thoroughly with a special detergent. Then put them on a towel and let them dry. During the preservation process they must be completely dry.
You will need two pans - one for the marinade, and the second for boiling the lids.
Rinse all remaining ingredients, peel the garlic and place in a separate bowl.
Add sugar and salt to the brine. Place the garlic in dry jars, and steam the horseradish and dill over boiling water for about 1 minute. This can be done using a colander. Then immediately send to the garlic.
Next, take a certain number of cucumbers per jar and throw them into boiling water for 1 minute. They become more elastic and can be easily compacted into jars.
Boiling brine should be poured into the cucumbers and vinegar essence should be added. Next, you can roll up, turn over the jar and cover with a blanket.

Correct technology for canning cucumbers

All vegetables intended for canning are carefully processed . Cucumbers and spices (horseradish, garlic, dill, pepper) are washed in several stages in running cold water. Be sure to follow the recommended sterilization regime (temperature and duration).

For pickles, choose vegetables with sufficient sugar content . Sugars, which are converted into lactic acid during the canning process, ensure long-term preservation of the finished product.

Reference. Fresh cucumbers with underdeveloped seeds contain 1.5–2 times more sugars than overripe ones.

Good quality pickles are obtained by pickling them within 24 hours from the moment of collection . Cucumbers are pre-soaked for 4–6 hours in clean cold water and then sorted by size.

For pickling and pickling cucumbers, choose a small container, preferably no more than 2 liters . Vegetables are placed in containers as tightly as possible. After laying the cucumbers with spices and spices, the jars are filled with brine.

How much vinegar should I add to the marinade? The optimal amount of acetic acid is 6–7 ml per 1 liter of water . Acetic essence can be replaced with citric acid.

Adviсe

From generation to generation, some techniques and subtleties are passed down to help housewives prepare delicious lightly salted cucumbers.

The varieties Rodnichok, German, Zasolochny and Veselye guys are excellent for harvesting.
Fermentation begins due to a lack of citric or acetic acid.
When preserving, it is better to add table salt rather than iodized salt.
If canning is repeated, then less salt, vinegar and sugar should be added. Otherwise, the cucumbers will be oversaturated.
To prevent the proliferation of harmful substances, you can add hot pepper and horseradish leaves.
Blistering of the lid may be due to the development of bacteria in the contents of the jars. If you eat such a fruit, you can easily get poisoned. Therefore, it would be better to throw away all the cucumbers.
In order for the cucumber fruits to be better saturated with aromas, you can leave them in the herbs for about an hour.
If you don't have vinegar, mustard or essence can work just fine.
You should adhere to the correct placement of cucumbers - first place large ones, and then small ones.
To prevent the container from cracking during the sterilization process, you can place a folded cloth or a wooden stand.

Failure to comply with harvesting technology

Errors associated with violation of technology can be avoided if you strictly follow the algorithm of actions specified in the recipe. Try to use only classic recipes that have been tested by you personally or by someone you trust. If you decide to try something new, make an experimental batch (1-2 jars) and monitor it for a week. Only then trust the new technology with your entire harvest.

It is not recommended to add new seasonings to an established recipe. It is better to leave all the spices at the very bottom of the jar so that they are well disinfected with boiling water. Plastic lids are used for preservation only if the vegetables and salads covered with them will be eaten within a few days. Such preparations should be stored exclusively in the refrigerator.

Remember also that our grandmothers’ recipes contain wisdom passed down from generation to generation. Therefore, it is necessary to pour boiling water over the cucumbers until it cools completely at least once before pouring it into the pan, adding all the seasonings and finally boiling it. While the water in the jar is cooling, it must be covered with a sterilized lid. As mentioned above, before closing the jar, the lid must be sterilized again.

If you are preparing a vegetable salad, then while filling the jars with it, carefully ensure that the top of the jar neck does not get dirty with tomato sauce or any other salad component.

While rolling up the jars, press the lid tightly to the top of the neck. Screw the lid smoothly, without sudden movements, until it stops. Next, inspect the bottom of the jar: if the lid has created “wrinkles” as a result of closing, this increases the risk of the jar swelling and exploding.

Closed workpieces should be placed on a soft rag and turned over. At the same time, be sure to ensure that the contents of the jar do not leak out through the lid: if this happens, it means that you have not screwed the lid on carefully, and it must be replaced. And if we are talking about salad, then the whole process will have to be repeated, starting from sterilizing the jar.

Cover the inverted jars with a blanket. Leave them there until they cool completely - only in this case the vegetables will be completely disinfected.

Try to use only two- or three-liter jars for pickling vegetables, as they take longer to cool and thereby prolong the sterilization of vegetables. Three-liter cans have a minimal chance of exploding.

Conservation pitfalls

Summer and early autumn are the period of preparations. And every housewife tries to roll up as many cans of vegetables and fruits as possible. Cucumbers are considered the main preserved food. How nice it is in winter to open a jar of crispy green vegetables and enjoy them with potatoes!

But sometimes unpleasant moments darken our happy life. Imagine that you take out a jar of canned cucumbers from the cellar, and the brine is not only cloudy, but looks like a small swamp. Do not rush to dispose of the product, we will try to save it.

What to do if pickled cucumbers become cloudy? First you need to find out the reason, because if you do not figure out the source of the problem, you will not be able to insure yourself against such excesses in the future. In everyday life, almost every housewife has encountered this phenomenon. Based on life experience, you can make a list of reasons why cucumber pickle may become cloudy, in particular:

Before canning, you did not soak the cucumbers or did not wash them properly. Result: dirt particles became an activator of the putrefactive process.
Glass containers have not been sterilized or have been washed using chemicals. Residues of detergent may cause the brine to lose clarity.
Added spices, for example, bay leaves, currants, horseradish, have not been pre-treated or showered before preservation.
To pickle cucumbers, sea salt or iodized salt was used. These types of salt contain particles that provoke the clouding process.
Lids were not sterilized or were not sealed tightly.
The glass container has cracks or chips. Air is not the most favorable ally of conservation.

There is another reason that does not at all depend on the method of conservation and is not related to the negligence of the housewife. These are low-quality cucumbers loaded with chemicals. Even soaking will not save such an unclean vegetable.

Expired vinegar (citric acid)

Housewives, as a rule, do not pay attention to this nuance. And, by the way, in vain. When preparing preparations, vinegar and citric acid are used in small quantities (volume), and then again sent to the shelf with herbs and spices until the next preparation season. Pay attention to the expiration date and storage method indicated on the bottle of vinegar and packaging of citric acid. If any of the conditions listed there are violated, then it is better to purchase a new product and not risk your harvest.

It is not recommended to use vinegar in preparations if the recipe specifies citric acid, and vice versa.

Winter preparations without vinegar - 10 best recipes
We have found for you recipes for the best preparations for the winter - cucumbers, cabbage, tomatoes, wild garlic and salads. All of the above seamings are without vinegar.

Is it possible to eat cucumbers from a bulging jar?

If the lids on cucumbers are swollen, what should you do? Here it should be noted that experts divide all microorganisms that can provoke fermentation processes in a closed container into two subgroups:

safe - it contains lactic acid, which is a natural preservative;
dangerous - botulism bacteria found in containers can cause damage to the nervous system.

Important! Classic barrel cucumbers are not exposed to botulism, unlike canned ones. The problem with the latter is associated with insufficient levels of acidity and tightness. In this case, ideal conditions are created in the container for the development of pathogenic microorganisms.

The second most important problem with salted vegetables is infection with clostridia. The bacterium enters the fruit from the soil surface and is activated in the container with insufficient heat treatment. The toxin released by the microorganism provokes the development of severe poisoning with an unfavorable outcome.

Pickled cucumbers are a famous delicacy

The first sign of infection of preserved food with clostridia is swelling of the lids.

Important! Bacterial infection does not occur with lightly salted or pickled preserves. Its absence is due to the fact that there are no anaerobic conditions in the container and an acidic marinade is present. An increased level of acidity interferes with the vital activity of clostridia.

Can you eat exploding cucumbers?

Exploded cucumbers can only be consumed if they have been recently closed and do not have the taste or smell of fermentation. If they have been in the pantry for a long time (about a month), you should not take the risk.

The longer the jar sits, the more actively bacteria develop in it. It is impossible to predict in advance whether the causative agent of botulism is present among the bacteria. This is one of the most dangerous diseases that can be contracted from eating rotten canned cucumbers.

Overfilling a jar with vegetables or water

And again let's look at our grandmothers. The brine in the jar should completely cover the vegetables, and be sure to leave a few centimeters between the liquid level and the lid. Experienced housewives traditionally pour liquid into jars up to the so-called “belt”, and the vegetables should be slightly lower than it. If there is a little more free space in the jar than you expected, do not compact its contents by force and under no circumstances fill the resulting void with cut vegetables if the recipe calls for pickling them whole.