Is it possible to pickle bitter cucumbers for the winter: preparation, recipes, storage

Despite the fact that many scientists believe that bitter cucumbers are very beneficial for health, this argument often does not cause much enthusiasm among buyers of such a product. An even more unpleasant situation is when, after harvesting a crop intended for pickling or pickling, its bitterness is discovered. And here a logical question arises: is it possible to pickle bitter cucumbers, or is it better to refuse this product right away? This issue should be examined in more detail.

Is it possible to pickle bitter cucumbers for the winter?

Cucumber bitterness often results from the accumulation of a substance such as cucurbitacin in the tail part of vegetables. Pickling cucumbers is one of the methods that softens the taste and practically eliminates the bitterness of vegetables. Long-term heat treatment allows you to get rid of the unpleasant aftertaste.

Thus, we can say with confidence that bitter cucumbers belong to the category of suitable products for winter preparation; the main thing is not to make a mistake with the selection of the recipe.

Pickled bitter cucumbers

A feature of seaming such vegetables is the need to first remove the ends and keep the cucumbers in cool water.

Important! When working with bitter vegetables, you should take a particularly responsible approach to the canning procedure. In order not to spoil the product, you must strictly adhere to the specified recipe and follow the recommendations.

Causes of bitterness

Answering the question why cucumbers are bitter, breeders identify several reasons. It is impossible to answer unequivocally, since this is influenced by many factors.

Why are cucumbers bitter and what to do about it? One of the reasons is a lack or excess of lighting. Both factors are detrimental to culture. Cucumbers should be planted in well-lit areas, in the shade of trees. Diffused light will be helpful.
The soil on the site should be moderately moist; drying out is also unacceptable, and excess moisture can cause bitterness in cucumbers. The historical homeland of the crop is India, so the vegetable crop loves moderately moist, warm soil.
Fruits may be bitter due to a lack of nitrogen, which is essential for the crop. It is necessary to enrich the soil with nitrogen even before planting. The ideal remedy for this is chicken manure.
Cucumbers require a fairly high level of acidity to grow.
Sudden changes in temperature can significantly affect the taste, especially if cucumbers are grown in a greenhouse.

An equally interesting fact that explains the bitter taste of cucumber. This is non-compliance with the rules for collecting seeds. If the seeds are taken from the back of the fruit, then most likely the next harvest will be bitter. Seeds taken from the upper parts of the cucumber are considered ideal.

In general, cucumber is a delicate crop that reacts sharply to any changes. This is the main reason why fruits become bitter. But how can we eliminate these negative factors? To prevent cucumbers from becoming bitter, you must follow a few simple rules:

prepare the soil in advance before planting;
plant the crop in well-warmed soil when the threat of frost has passed;
water only with settled, not cold water;

Fertilize regularly; this must be done immediately after planting, during flowering and fruiting;
a bitter cucumber can occur if hot pepper is planted next to the beds;
cucumbers are bitter if they are planted in beds where potatoes used to grow;
Form the bushes correctly so that sunlight reaches each fruit evenly.

But it often happens that no matter how hard the owner tries, a cucumber, especially a greenhouse cucumber, tastes bitter. If the cucumber grows in a greenhouse in the summer, then it is necessary to additionally provide protection from excess sunlight. To do this, the glass is covered with water to which a little chalk is added.

It is the direct effect of sunlight on the fruit that is one of the causes of cucumber bitterness. But be that as it may, the fact is clear, and it is not clear what to do with bitter cucumbers.

A draft is no less destructive for cucumbers. It is necessary to ventilate the greenhouse in favorable weather conditions. Well, if it grows in open ground, then plant it in beds where drafts are not expected.

Selection and preparation of components

7-12 cm cucumbers are best suited for pickling. In order to be able to pickle them successfully, you should immediately select vegetables that are the same size.

In the case of pickling, medium-sized fruits (up to 9 cm) with delicate watery seeds are excellent. Cucumbers should be dark green, without any yellow spots. Winter preparations are best made from thin-skinned vegetables. In case of strong bitterness, it is recommended to cut off the peel from the cucumbers.

The most suitable vegetables for pickling

Note! Slight lethargy of cucumbers is not a problem: during the soaking procedure to get rid of bitterness, the vegetables will be saturated with moisture and become elastic again.

In order to get crispy cucumbers at the end and make the rolls last longer, you need to use the following recommendations:

Pre-prepare the container in which the vegetables will be stored. Jars and lids must be thoroughly washed and sterilized.
Coarse salt is better suited for seaming, since its use reduces the risk of seaming exploding.
To seal cans, it is better to use a special machine - it will ensure better sealing.
Before seaming, it is imperative to heat treat the container.

Is it possible to get rid of bitterness or reduce it?

Cucumbers with bitterness are quite suitable for fresh use and for preservation.

How to remove bitterness from cucumbers

Bitter cucurbitacin is soluble in water, excreted in juice and concentrated mainly in the peel of the fruit. Therefore, there are several ways to remove bitterness.

Cut off the peel

Before preparing the salad, taste the cucumbers. If you feel an unpleasant bitterness, peel the fruit and use it for its intended purpose.

Removing bitterness by rubbing

Do you want to save your vitamins? Then try another way.

Trim off the ends and cut the fruit lengthwise. Rub the cuts of both halves against each other until the white foam stops coming out, then rinse the pieces under running water.

Recipe with salt

Cut the cucumber into small pieces and sprinkle with salt. Leave for about 30 minutes. The bitterness will go away along with the released juice. Rinse the slices in water and prepare the salad.

On a note! Salt the bitter cucumbers. There is absolutely no unpleasant aftertaste in this snack.

Sterilization of containers

Sterilization of pickling jars plays an important role - it can be done in different ways:

Rinse the jars thoroughly and check that there are no defects on the container. You should also check the lids. If using screw caps, it is recommended to have a new lid for each jar.
A saucepan should be used to sterilize containers. Water is poured into it, and a sieve (metal) is installed, on top of which the jars are already placed upside down. After the water boils, steam appears, which flows over the container and kills germs. The procedure lasts about a quarter of an hour, after which the jars are placed in the same position on a clean cloth.

Sterilization of jars

You can also bake jars in the oven. To do this, the container, wet after washing, must be placed in the oven and heated until completely dry at a temperature of 160 °C.
Another way to prepare jars is to microwave them for a while. Water is poured into the container (up to 1 cm), and then it is placed in the microwave (700-800 W) for 5 minutes. When boiling, steam is released, which sterilizes the jars.

Varieties of cucumbers that do not taste bitter

The content of cucurbitacin in fruits may differ in different varieties. It is believed that the more pronounced the taste in cucumbers, the more this substance it contains. The least amount of cucurbitacin is found in hybrid or self-pollinating varieties of cucumbers for greenhouses.

The fruits of such plants are usually not bitter. Therefore, when using them, there will be no problem with how to remove bitterness from cucumbers.

In addition, the ovary appears better on them, this is especially true in greenhouses where there are no pollinating insects.

Therefore, to obtain a large and high-quality harvest, it is advisable to grow varieties marked F1, from the fruits of which it will always be possible to prepare a delicious salad without unnecessary manipulation.

These varieties include: Gerasim F1, Garlyanda F1, Doka F1, Egoza F1, Mumu F1, Round Dance F1, Liliput F1, Zabiyaka F1 and many others.

Sometimes manufacturers immediately place information on the packaging stating that this variety of cucumbers is without bitterness.

So, to prevent cucumbers from becoming bitter, you need to use mainly hybrid varieties, and when using ordinary varieties, provide them with sufficient watering with warm water and plenty of nutrition.

Author of the article: Kozhukhova Elena

Famous recipes and preparation steps

Popular recipes for pickling cucumbers are passed down in Russia from generation to generation. Many housewives know them by heart.

Spicy cucumbers

Ingredients:

1.5 kg of cucumbers;
2 cloves of garlic;
½ pepper (hot);
4 peppercorns (allspice);
2 bay leaves;
6 tbsp. l. table vinegar (9%);
2 liters of water;
4 tbsp. l. salt;
6 tbsp. l. granulated sugar;
½ tsp. mustard seeds;
currant leaves - to taste.

How to cook:

Wash the vegetables, cut off the tails along with the ends.
Grind hot pepper and garlic.
Add bay leaf, mustard seeds, as well as chopped garlic and hot pepper to a glass container filled with peppercorns.
Place green vegetables in a jar, pour boiling water and leave for a third of an hour.
Then drain the liquid into the pan. Send the vessel with water to cook over medium heat. Add salt and sugar to the water.
Pour the boiling brine into the jar, leaving a small amount of space. Pour vinegar on top.
Roll up the jars and let them sit upside down.

Such delicious cucumbers will delight even gourmets.

Spicy cucumbers

Ingredients:

1 kg of cucumbers;
1.5 liters of water;
2 tbsp. l. granulated sugar;
3 tbsp. l. salt;
100 ml table vinegar (9%);
1 PC. red onion;
10 black peppercorns;
1 pod of sweet green pepper;
2 cloves of garlic;
2 horseradish leaves;
5 currant leaves (black);
5 pieces. umbrella dill;
bay leaf and horseradish root - to taste.

Spicy cucumbers

How to marinate:

Wash the vegetables and cut off the stems and ends.
Finely chop the seeded bell pepper.
Chop the garlic and horseradish root into rings, and the onion into half rings.
Place washed dill (umbrellas and leaves) on the bottom of the container. Place cucumbers on top, add chopped peppers, onions, garlic and horseradish.
Pour boiling water into the jar and leave for 5-6 minutes.
Drain liquid from vegetables into second pan. Send the container with the liquid to cook over medium heat. Add a little vinegar, black pepper, sugar and salt in portions.
Pour the boiled marinade into jars with cucumbers and spices.
Roll up the jars, place them upside down and cover with a blanket.

Attention! Immediately after closing the jars with airtight lids, they should be left at room temperature and only after complete cooling, taken to the cellar or other storage place.

In tomato

Ingredients:

4 kg of cucumbers;
5 heads of garlic;
½ cup tomato paste;
100 ml water;
5 tbsp. l. granulated sugar;
250 ml oil (sunflower);
½ cup table vinegar (6%);
3 tbsp. l. salt (sea);
1 tbsp. l. ground black pepper;
1 tsp. dried paprika.

Features of pickling cucumbers with bitterness

The bitterness of cucumbers comes from a specific substance called cucurbitacin, which is most concentrated in the peel. It is useful and improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, but in any case it is not recommended to consume it in large quantities.

Did you know? The cucumber is native to the tropical rainforests of India. The climate there is stable, so cucumbers do not taste bitter in the Indian tropics.

Here are the main steps to help avoid a bitter taste in pickled cucumbers:

The day before canning, you can soak the vegetables in cold water for 12 hours. Before this procedure, there is no need to cut off the butts and peel; this is done before preservation. It’s good to put a teaspoon of dry mustard and a couple of cloves of horseradish (if available) into the jars.
A faster way to rid fruits of bitterness is to soak them in salt water for 40 minutes. The salt concentration is 1 tbsp. l. for 2 liters of water.
The bitterness disappears during heat treatment, so hot canning is suitable.

Preventing bitterness in cucumbers during ripening

Recommendations for preventing the appearance of bitterness in cucumbers when growing them:

Moderate watering. To shade the bushes, joint cucumber and corn crops should be used.
Collect ripe fruits regularly to prevent accumulation of cucurbitacin.
Irrigate plants with warm water.
Choose the right seed. It is advisable to consult with a specialist in the store to select a “sweet” variety.

Proper care of cucumbers

How to grow a sweet cucumber without bitterness

It is quite possible to grow a rich harvest of sweet, aromatic, without bitterness cucumbers. To do this, you need to follow a number of simple rules.

As beds for cucumbers, use beds that are located slightly to the north of areas where tall crops grow. Corn, potatoes. Or plant under the canopy of trees so that the cucumbers receive diffused sunlight.
It is best to plant the crop in early May and use seedlings.
Do not plant cucumbers until the soil warms to 20 degrees and the threat of spring frosts has passed.
After planting the plant in the beds, fertilize it and do not water it for the first two weeks. This way the flowering period will begin faster.
Constantly loosen the soil, carry out moderate watering with settled water, and remove weeds. Watering should be done at the same time, preferably in the evening.
When watering, do not forget to spray the foliage of the plant with water.
Pre-enrich the soil with nitrogen using chicken manure.
Fertilize cucumbers with the same chicken droppings at least four times: immediately after planting, during the appearance of the first full-fledged leaves, during flowering and fruiting.
Monitor for diseases or pests. And if necessary, it is enough to treat the plant with Bordeaux mixture.
Promptly remove dried or diseased leaves. They are disposed of. You can burn it, but it is not advisable to add it to compost. If a plant is affected by a disease, fungal spores can quickly spread across the surface of the soil, infecting healthy plants.
Control nitrogen-containing fertilizers, such as chicken droppings or manure. An excess of nitrogen, as well as a lack of it, will give cucumbers unwanted bitterness.
If the site has excessively acidic soil, liming is necessary.

In Iran, cucumber is considered a fruit and is served exclusively as a dessert. Is it worth talking about a dessert that tastes bitter? In order to eliminate bitterness, during the period of active fruiting, water the cucumbers daily, using settled water at least 22 degrees.

And in conclusion, the modern agricultural market offers gardeners varieties of cucumbers that do not taste bitter. If ordinary varieties are chosen, in addition to proper care, they must be protected from direct sunlight. The cucumber will definitely thank its owner with a rich harvest of sweet, aromatic cucumbers.

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Preservation storage rules

In order for canned vegetables to be well preserved, it is necessary to place the preparations in a cold place (in the basement or cellar).

When storing jars in an apartment, you should choose the coolest place - it is most convenient to take the jars to a glassed-in balcony. However, you should make sure that the pickles in the jars are not exposed to sunlight.

Thus, we can say with confidence that talk about the uselessness of bitter cucumbers is nothing more than a myth. By following all the recommendations for pickling vegetables, you can completely get rid of their bitter taste and thereby provide yourself with an excellent snack in the form of delicious pickled cucumbers in the winter.

Why are cucumbers bitter?

The bitter taste in cucumbers is caused by an increased content of cucurbitacin, one of the glycosides produced by plants of the Cucurbitaceae family.

Cucurbitacin and its significance

This substance serves as protection against insects, increases resistance to adverse conditions, and improves seed germination.

Cucurbitacin is synthesized in the leaves and distributed throughout the plant. Its amount is especially high in the roots. In fruits, the glycoside accumulates at the base and in the peel.

This is interesting! Studies are being conducted on the antitumor activity of cucurbitacin. Scientists consider the substance promising in the fight against cancer.

In small doses, cucurbitacin is always present in plant tissues, and this does not affect the taste of the vegetable. But under unfavorable conditions, cucumbers produce it in increased quantities and become bitter.

Factors leading to bitterness

Cucumbers begin to taste bitter when the weather is unfavorable or care is not taken care of properly.

Reasons for the unpleasant taste of fruits:

untimely and insufficient watering;
cold water irrigation;
excess sun;
sudden changes in day and night temperatures;
thickened plantings;
lack of nutrients;
damage by diseases and pests;
planting varieties predisposed to bitterness (these include varieties of old selection - Muromsky, Vyaznikovsky).

Recipes for bitter cucumber twists

Bitter fruits are preserved in the same way as regular ones. But there are a couple of nuances. Before proceeding directly to preparation, the cucumbers must be thoroughly washed and soaked for 8 hours in ice water. It is advisable to change the water every 2 hours to keep it cold. Here are examples of step-by-step recipes.

In a spicy marinade

The cucumbers according to this recipe are very sharp and crispy. You will need a three-liter jar.

Ingredients:

2 kg of cucumbers;
6 cloves of garlic;
30 black peppercorns;
3 pods of red hot pepper;
1 horseradish leaf;
3 blackcurrant leaves;
2 bay leaves;
10 coriander seeds;
1 sprig of tarragon;
1 sprig of basil;
3 tbsp. l. vodka;
1.3 liters of water;
75 g salt;
150 g sugar;
120 ml 9% vinegar.

Preparation:

Wash all leaves and greens. Peel the garlic.
Remove seeds from hot peppers.
After 8 hours of soaking, remove the cucumbers and trim the ends.
Place in a large colander and pour over boiling water.
Immediately after this, pour ice water again for 2 minutes.
Place half of all the herbs, garlic, pepper and spices on the bottom of the jar.
Next, pack the cucumbers tightly.
Place the other half of the spices and herbs on top.
Boil water in a saucepan.
Add salt and sugar to it. Cook until completely dissolved.
Fill the jar with brine.
Pour vinegar and vodka on top.
Cover the jar with a lid and place in a large saucepan to sterilize.
Boil the cucumbers in a jar for about an hour.
Roll up.

In tomato sauce

The recipe is for 10 liters of finished product. Tomato sauce is suitable both classic and with additives.

Ingredients:

5 kg of cucumbers;
200 ml tomato sauce;
1.5 liters of water;
100 ml 9% vinegar;
50 ml vegetable oil;
100 g sand;
250 g onions;
8 cloves of garlic;
60 g salt;
5 black peppercorns;
5 peas of allspice;
Bay leaf;
dill umbrellas.

Preparation:

Peel the onion and cut into rings.
Grind the garlic into a paste.
Place dill, bay leaf and garlic pulp at the bottom of the jars.
Then place the cucumbers tightly.
Place onion rings on top.
Mix water, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until the crystals are completely dissolved.
Finally add vinegar.
Pour the marinade into the jars, cover with lids and place in a large container with water.
Bring water to a boil and sterilize jars for 15 or 45 minutes, depending on the volume of containers used.
Remove the jars, close and cool.

Spiced

You will need 12 liter jars or 4 three-liter jars.

Ingredients:

10 kg of cucumbers;
500 g sugar;
400 g salt;
250 g dill;
20 g mustard seeds;
15 g tarragon greens;
10 cloves of garlic;
10 peas of allspice;
15 g grated horseradish root;
1.4 l 9% vinegar;
8 liters of water.

Preparation:

Peel and chop the garlic.
Wash the dill and tarragon and chop finely.
Place horseradish, chopped garlic and herbs, mustard and allspice seeds on the bottom of the jars.
Place the cucumbers tightly on top.
Prepare the marinade in a saucepan. To do this, mix water, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil and cook until they dissolve. Then pour in the vinegar. After boiling, remove from heat.
Pour marinade over cucumbers.
Cover the jars with lids.
Place a large bowl or pan of water on the stove.
Place jars in container. Bring to a boil and sterilize for 20 minutes.
After this, roll up the jars.

Let's sum it up

Don't despair if your cucumbers are bitter. Of course, you won’t be able to eat them fresh without adding vinegar or spices, but you can preserve the bitter fruits for the winter. After undergoing soaking and heat treatment, they taste exactly the same as regular cucumbers.

It has been noticed that if sunny, hot weather lasts more than 5 days, then the number of bitter cucumbers doubles. But there are other reasons for the appearance of bitterness - for example, uneven watering or improper feeding.

We’ll tell you in the article how to correct the taste of the fruit and whether and how to preserve cucumbers with bitterness.

What to do when pickling

The best way to remove the bitterness from large quantities of vegetables intended for pickling is to soak them in water:

Wash the cucumbers thoroughly.
In a suitable container, fill the fruits with cold water.
Once every 3 hours, drain the water and add fresh water.
After 6-7 hours, try the cucumbers. If you like the taste, start canning.
If the bitterness remains, change the water 2-3 more times.

If it was not possible to completely rid the vegetables of bitterness, you can marinate them with spices. This will add flavor to the canned vegetables and mask any remaining bitterness.

Spicy cucumbers

For 1 kg of cucumbers you need:

water - 1.5 l;
sugar - 2 tbsp. l.;
salt - 3 tbsp. l.;
9% table vinegar - 100 ml;
red onion - 1 pc.;
black peppercorns - 10 pcs.;
green bell pepper - 1 pc.;
garlic - 2 cloves;
horseradish leaves - 2 pcs.;
black currant leaves - 5 pcs.;
dill umbrellas - 3 pcs.;
bay leaf - to taste.