Pickling cucumbers in a barrel: how to properly pickle cucumbers for the winter, recipes for salted barrel snacks

Advantages and disadvantages of pickling cucumbers in a barrel

Pickling in a cooper's container has many advantages over the traditional sealing of pickles in glass jars:

simple and relatively easy pickling process;
saving effort and time;
fast processing of large volumes of vegetables;
compactness of the container and saving space in the cellar;
the unique taste and crunch of barrel cucumbers.

As for the disadvantages of pickling in a barrel, they are determined by the lack of normal conditions or consumables: it is difficult to find suitable containers, the volume of the harvest is small, and it cannot be stored in a city apartment.

Reference. Pickled cucumbers are healthier than their pickled counterparts. When preparing the marinade, vinegar is used, but when salting it is not needed. In pickles, lactic acid formed during the fermentation process and the saline solution itself act as natural preservatives.

Storage features and important salting tips

When salting, adhere to the following rules:

Salt cucumbers immediately after picking.
Chlorinated water is contraindicated for preparing brine. It is better to use spring or well-purified water.
The salt should be rock salt, coarsely ground, without additional additives or iodine.
Cucumbers soaked in cold water for 6-8 hours before pickling lose their bitterness. The water is changed every hour.
The ideal container for pickling is an oak barrel. But if you don’t have one, a plastic container, a metal bucket or a large saucepan will do.
Fruits with white pimples are not suitable for canning; choose only those with black ones.
If you select cucumbers of the same size, they will be evenly soaked in brine during the cooking process.
For better storage, add a piece of oak bark or a few mustard peas to the preparation.
To prevent the product from deteriorating, the tub or barrel is cleaned, washed, fumigated, all ingredients are washed and dried.

How to pickle cucumbers in a barrel the old fashioned way

The first attempts to grow and pickle cucumbers were made by people in the third millennium BC in Mesopotamia and India. In ancient Rus', the first mentions of barrel cucumbers date back to the 12th century.

Preparing the barrel and cucumbers

Before starting the salting process, prepare the container.

The barrel preparation technology is as follows:

The containers are thoroughly washed with a brush and laundry soap or soda.
Rinse generously with water.
Scald with boiling water. To flavor the barrels, add several sprigs of common juniper to boiling water.
Cover the barrel with melted paraffin - this procedure will eliminate possible leaks and close the pores of the wood so that the product does not acquire an undesirable odor.

When the containers are ready, they prepare the vegetables for pickling. For this:

The cucumber harvest is sorted by size. Small fruits will cook faster and will be crispier.
Cucumbers are thoroughly washed and inspected for damage. Only healthy ones are suitable for pickling.
For better penetration of the brine and an aesthetically pleasing appearance, the ends are cut off.
The cucumbers are soaked in ice water for several hours. This procedure will keep the cucumber strong and crisp during fermentation.

After all the preparation activities, a recipe is selected and additional ingredients are prepared. They are washed, large ones are cut into pieces. Garlic and horseradish are peeled and cut into pieces.

Advice. For pickling, use late varieties. Ideal standards for barrel pickled cucumber: length 8-15 cm, underdeveloped seed chambers and seeds.

Brine recipe

Properly prepared brine is the key to delicious barrel cucumbers. Any culinary recipe for pickles specifies a certain amount of salt per volume of water, but the result does not always live up to expectations.

Many housewives forget an important nuance - the amount of salt is affected by the size of the fruits being pickled:

small (4-6 cm) - 6-7 kg, 70 l of water;
medium (8-10 cm) - 8 kg, 80 l;
large (more than 10 cm) - 9 kg, 90 l.

Hard well or spring water is considered ideal for preparing brine. To better dissolve the salt, the solution is slightly heated and stirred. Natural spices are added to the barrel to choose from: black, allspice or bitter pepper; cherry or oak leaf, dill sprigs with umbrellas; cloves of garlic.

Instructions for proper salting

Roots, leaves, spices are peeled and cut into pieces. Boil the required amount of water in a separate pan.

When the water boils, add salt and stir until it is completely dissolved.
The prepared brine is allowed to cool and filtered through a sieve.
The walls of the barrel are rubbed with garlic cloves.
Some spices and herbs are placed at the bottom.
Prepared cucumbers are placed vertically close to each other in a barrel.
A layer of herbs and spices is placed on the first row of vegetables and a second row of cucumbers is laid out. This is done with the rest of the harvest until the barrel is filled to the top.
Fill the barrel with strained brine and close with a clean lid.
A pressure in the form of a heavy stone is installed on top of the lid.

The prepared container with pickles is kept warm for 2-3 days to quickly begin fermentation, after which it is lowered into a cool room - basement, cellar.

Barrel cucumbers: recipe

Among the many recipes for fermenting vegetables, there are some that have been time-tested. Knowing how to pickle cucumbers in a barrel, you can get a product with wonderful taste.

Cold way

When pickling cucumbers coldly for the winter in a barrel, the natural rich green color of the skin is preserved. For preparation you will need the following components:

water - 5 l;
salt - 0.5 kg;
cucumbers - 5 kg;
spices (dill, horseradish, garlic cloves, cherry and blackcurrant leaves, fresh hot pepper) - 0.5 kg.

Other recipes for pickling barrel cucumbers

Over time, people diversified the basic pickling recipe: they included various seasonings and invented new technologies. We have selected the most delicious and popular variations of new recipes.

Recipe "Simple"

Suitable for those who want to please their household with homemade canned food, but do not have time for long preparation.

Ingredients:

cucumbers – 50 kg;
dill for pickling with umbrellas – 700 g;
horseradish – 250 g;
garlic – 200 g;
parsley and celery roots, cherry leaves – 500 g;
salt – 4 kg;
water – 4 l.

Fill the prepared wooden barrel to the top with cucumbers, laying them vertically, close to each other. There should be a layer of herbs and spices at the bottom and between the rows of cucumbers. The last top row of vegetables also ends with a layer of greens. Close the lid and place a load on it. They are kept in a warm place for three days, after which they are lowered into the basement.

Cold salting

This recipe will also delight the housewife with its ease of preparation. The brine is prepared without boiling.

Compound:

cucumbers – 20 kg;
greens (currant leaves, cherries and dill umbrellas) – 250 g;
garlic – 10 cloves;
horseradish root – 200 g;
water – 10 l;
coarse salt – 9 kg.

Prepared cucumbers (washed, trimmed) are placed vertically in rows in a wooden barrel. To prepare the brine, add salt to cold water and stir with a spoon until completely dissolved. The resulting liquid is poured over the cucumbers, covered with a lid and immediately put into the cold. A pressure is placed on the lid.

Attention. The best wooden container for pickling is considered to be an oak barrel. Oak is a natural antiseptic and preservative; it will perfectly preserve the product, and the cucumbers will be aromatic and crispy.

Country-style cucumbers

We remember how delicious our grandmothers' pickles were. What's the secret? Most likely, in environmentally friendly raw materials and various aromatic additives, as well as in a “product made with love”:

cucumbers – 100 kg;
garlic – 300 g;
bitter pepper – 100 g;
horseradish roots – 500 g;
horseradish leaves – 500 g;
dill with umbrellas – 3 kg;
celery and parsley leaves – 1 kg;
cherry, currant and oak leaves (together) – 1 kg;
coarse rock salt – 7 kg;
water – 70 l.

The cooking technology is standard. To ensure good preservation of the product, it is recommended to cleanly wash all leaves and fruits, carefully selecting all rotten and unhealthy parts. Horseradish roots, garlic, leaves are cut into pieces, hot peppers are peeled from the seed chambers and cut into rings. A third of the prepared herbs and spices are placed on the bottom of the container.

Lay out the cucumbers, shaking the wooden container periodically. Top everything with herbs and spices. Fill with cold-prepared brine. The cucumbers should be completely covered with liquid. This appetizer will serve well in a cold place until spring.

Recipe with coriander

The spice coriander is the seeds of the plant of the same name, coriander sativum. When it is added to the brine, cucumbers acquire a slightly different taste and aroma.

Ingredients:

cucumbers – 100 kg;
mixture of spices (coriander, basil, savory, parsley) – 4-5 kg;
garlic – 300 g;
salt – 7 kg;
water – 70 l.

The larger the fruit, the higher the concentration of the saline solution should be. Spices, herbs and cucumbers are laid out alternately. Fill with brine and close with a lid on which a heavy object is placed. Fermentation begins within 2-3 days. After the specified period, the container is transferred to the basement.

Hot method of pickling cucumbers with hot peppers

You will need : for a 50-liter tub - 25 kg of cucumbers, 10 liters of water, 700-900 g of salt, 500 g of dill umbrellas, 150 g of horseradish leaves, 50 g of currant leaves, 50 g of cherry leaves, 30 g of peppercorns, 1 medium head of garlic, 1 hot red pepper.

Cooking . Clean and rinse all ingredients. Soak the cucumbers in cold water for at least three hours (preferably 5 hours). Place some of the spices on the bottom of the tub, then half of the cucumbers. After that - the remaining spices and again half the cucumbers. Prepare the brine and pour it over the vegetables. Cover with a lid and place pressure on top. Leave the tub for 2-3 days at room temperature, then move it to a cool room and leave it there for storage. After three to four weeks you can already enjoy cucumbers.

Terms and conditions of storage

Barrel cucumbers work best with gardeners who have a specially equipped basement or cellar on their farm. In the room where you plan to store pickles, special conditions must be created:

the temperature for storing barrels must be below 0°C;
good ventilation;
wooden pallets for installing containers (you can’t just put barrels on the floor).

If you follow the preparation technology and storage conditions, homemade cucumbers will not spoil for a whole year. In the second year, pickles are no longer suitable for food due to loss of taste.

Salting in a plastic barrel

This method is no worse than the previous one, except that the container is plastic rather than wooden. It is enough to take a 15 liter barrel.

All ingredients for pickling are taken by eye, depending on taste preferences:

young cucumbers with thin skin - how many will fit in the barrel;
horseradish root and leaves;
oak and grape leaves;
young cherry branches;
bay leaves;
allspice and black peppercorns;
red hot pepper - one pod is enough, but if desired, increase the portion;
dill umbrellas - at least 1 kg;
garlic cloves - to your taste;
salt - 60 g per liter of water.

Cooking process:

After preparation, cucumbers and spices are placed in layers in plastic containers, alternating them with each other. The last layer should be spices - it will be more difficult for the brine to penetrate through them and pour over the edges of the barrel.
Prepare a brine from cold water and salt in the proportions indicated in the recipe. Pour brine over the cucumbers so that it completely covers them.
Cover the container with a plastic lid and place it in a room where the temperature does not rise above 4°C for 3 days.
Open the lid to release all accumulated gases.
Add evaporated brine if necessary.
Close the barrel again and leave in a cool room until ready. After 3-4 weeks, you can try the cucumbers.

Pickling cucumbers in a plastic barrel

Unlike wooden containers, plastic containers have their disadvantages and advantages. The disadvantages include the fact that the container cannot be sterilized; it easily transmits heat. But such a barrel is cheaper and easier to clean. When choosing a plastic container, pay attention to the markings on the bottom of the container - it must be intended for food purposes.

The method of salting in plastic is somewhat different from salting in a wooden container:

A plastic container is filled with water and soaked for two weeks.
Afterwards, the water is drained and the barrel is washed with hot soda solution.
Wipe dry and cover with a cloth until it is time to fill with cucumbers.
Prepare cucumbers and spices according to the chosen recipe.
The brine for filling the barrels must be cold.
Store in a cool place until use.

Pickles rolled in a plastic container do not last as long as those in oak barrels and glass jars, so it is recommended to eat them first.

Pickling cucumbers for the winter in glass jars

You will need : for one 3-liter jar - 1.5 kg of cucumbers, 1 liter of water, 4 tbsp. salt, 5 cloves of garlic, 2-3 horseradish leaves, 3 dill umbrellas, 3 currant leaves, 3 cherry leaves, 3 oak leaves, 1 tarragon sprig.

Cooking . Clean all ingredients from all excess and rinse well. Place the spices on the bottom of a sterilized jar, and on top - cucumbers up to the “belt” of the jar. Boil the brine and pour it over the cucumbers. Place the jar in a deep, sturdy bowl, cover with cheesecloth and leave at room temperature to ferment. After three days, skim off any foam that appears, pour the brine into a saucepan, add 50 g of water, boil and pour over the cucumbers again. Close the jar with a plastic lid and store in a cool place. In about a month you will be able to try the cucumbers.

You can pickle cucumbers using the same method using jars of any other size.

Tips and tricks

Pickling cucumbers using the barrel method requires certain knowledge and experience from the housewife. To avoid failures, follow these recipes and tips:

To preserve their juicy color, rinse the cucumbers with boiling water and immediately with cold water before pickling.
If you add mustard seeds to the brine, it will acquire a special aroma, piquant taste and protect the pickle from mold.
To protect the finished pickle from spoilage, sprinkle the surface of the brine with mustard powder before placing the top layer of spices.
To enhance the fermentation process (when the container is in a cool place from the very beginning), add 2-3 cabbage leaves to the brine.

Preparing a barrel or tub for salting

We begin preparation 2-3 weeks before harvest. We choose the best barrel - oak. You need to check if the barrel is dry.

Sometimes it’s worth calling a craftsman to knock out the hoops on a barrel if it’s leaking. But usually it is enough to fill the barrel to the top and add water until the wood swells and the cracks disappear.

Then pour out this water and wash the barrel thoroughly with soda solution. To steam well, the barrel is filled with boiling water and a hot, clean cobblestone doused with boiling water is lowered into it. After steaming, the water and cobblestones are removed.

The inside of the dry barrel is rubbed with garlic, then the cucumbers in the barrels are cold pickled.

How to store blanks

It is best to store pickled cucumbers in buckets in a dark place at a temperature of +1...+5°C. Suitable for this :

cellar;
basement;
glazed balcony (autumn-winter);
fridge.

To save space, prepared vegetables can be distributed into glass jars and filled with the same brine .

Attention! Store the workpieces in a cool place immediately after the brine becomes cloudy.