How to remove bitterness from cucumbers before pickling: a review of 8 methods of what to do when canning

Causes of bitterness

Many people believe that bitter cucumber should not be eaten as it will be harmful. This judgment is incorrect, since such a vegetable rather has a choleretic and anti-inflammatory effect.

Typical reasons for the bitter taste of cucumbers.

Lack of potassium and nitrogen in the soil.
Lack of regular irrigation.
Growing cucumbers in shaded areas or a greenhouse.
Long droughts, heavy rains.

The bitterness of cucumbers is also affected by a sharp decrease or increase in temperature.

Why are cucumbers bitter and what affects the taste?

Cucumbers are characterized by rapid growth and at the same time have a weak root system, which is highly sensitive to the parameters of humidity and soil density. Vegetables are bitter for the following reasons:

pollination of self-fertile varieties by insects;
damage to root hairs associated with insufficient watering;
sharp fluctuations in temperature parameters;
low humidity.

Effective ways

Below are the most effective techniques for eliminating the bitter taste in cucumbers. It is important to strictly follow the listed algorithms to get the desired result.

With salt

Using salt will help remove the bitter taste from cucumbers quickly and easily. This technique is suitable for those who plan to prepare a fresh, vitamin-rich salad or consume cucumbers in their natural form. Sprinkle the chopped cucumbers with sodium and wait half an hour. They should release juice, and cucurbitacin will come out with it. Afterwards, rinse the cucumbers under cool water and dry. This way you can get rid of bitterness, and the vegetables will not be salty.

Soaking in salted water

You can remove the bitterness from cucumbers before pickling by soaking them in salt water. It is enough to keep it in it for 40 minutes. Place the vegetables in a container, add cool water, add 1 tbsp salt. for 2 liters of liquid. Cucumbers will give juice, and the bitterness will go away. Such vegetables are not used for making fresh dishes. They are only suitable for pickling or canning.

Rubbing the cut

To remove the bitter taste from a fresh vegetable, you need to grate its cut. The cucumbers are washed, the “butt” is cut off, and the peel is removed. You should take the whole vegetable in one hand, and its back part in the other. Quickly make rubbing movements with your “butt” against the cut. Foam should appear, along with which bitter substances come out. After 1 minute, you can taste the cucumber. The technique is in demand in restaurants and canteens.

Combining methods

A completely unacceptable taste will go away if you use several methods at once. You can combine the technique of rubbing the cut and processing it with salt to eat vegetables fresh. If it is necessary to remove the bitter taste from cucumbers before preservation, they practice soaking in salt water and heat treatment.

Preservation using heat treatment

When the cucumbers are already prepared for preservation, and they turn out to be bitter, you should resort to the method below.

Rinse the vegetables, place in a bowl of cold water, and leave for 12 hours. If we are talking about morning filling, change the water every 3 hours.
In the morning, remove the skin from the cucumbers if they are still bitter. When the taste suits you, you don’t have to bother with cleaning.

Before sealing the vegetables, place a couple of cloves of horseradish or dry mustard on top of the jars. Marinating removes the bitter taste, since heat treatment destroys cucurbitacin.

Will the bitterness go away if you pickle bitter cucumbers?

If a large harvest of bitter cucumbers has been harvested, it is recommended to pickle them to correct the situation. However, according to reviews from housewives and owners, in any of the recipes the bitterness does not disappear completely, but becomes somewhat less. Salt used for light salting or pickling partially extracts cucurbitacin from the fruit. To obtain the best results when preserving, it is recommended to pre-soak in water for 10–12 hours. In this case, it is better to pour boiling water over the vegetables and let the liquid cool naturally.

We advise you to read whether bitter cucumbers are good for the human body.

Bitter cucumbers will not become a problem if you take care in advance of proper cultivation of vegetables. It also wouldn’t hurt to study ways to get rid of bitterness in fruits. Simple methods do not require special ingredients in the kitchen and will be a real boon in such an annoying situation.

How to prevent bitterness in cucumbers in the garden

When cucumbers grow in the garden, it is necessary to perform certain manipulations so that they do not become bitter. The measures are not complicated and do not require much time.

Water your bushes regularly

For irrigation, only warm water should be used. Since the crop is watered in the evening, it heats up on its own. To check the degree of soil moisture, dig the soil in the garden bed. It should be wet at least 15 cm deep.

Add fertilizer to the soil

Cucumbers prefer nitrogen and potassium nitrate. The lack of these minerals can be judged by the condition of the plants. When a deficiency occurs, the leaves change shade and curl. It is better not to use humus with manure.

Seed selection

Seeds should be purchased from nurseries, and pay attention to “sweet” varieties. In most modern varieties, a special gene is present. It is this that prevents the accumulation of cucurbitacin.

Preventive measures

To prevent the appearance of bitterness in cucumbers, you must follow the rules for growing this crop:

You need to plant the plant in that part of the garden where diffused sunlight will fall on the beds, and not direct ones.
Plant cucumber crops in neutral soil or with low acidity. Peat with wood ash or loose soil is suitable. Clay soil is contraindicated.
Adhere to watering rules, which require watering cucumbers regularly with water at room temperature, avoiding drying out or waterlogging the soil.
Use mulching to retain moisture in the soil.
Avoid temperature changes, use covering material to protect plants from the sun in open ground, and use reflective films for greenhouses.
Do not use fresh manure as fertilizer, which often contributes to the appearance of bitterness.
Choose cucumber varieties for planting that are not susceptible to the accumulation of cucurbitacin.

Which varieties are not bitter?

In different types of cucumbers, the level of cucurbitacin differs. The most bitter varieties have a characteristic cucumber taste. Hybrids contain minimal amounts of cucurbitacin, also in self-pollinated varieties for greenhouse conditions.

It is advisable to buy varieties marked F1. These include the species Gerasim, Garland, Doka, Egoza, Mumu, Round Dance, Zabiyaka, Liliput. Sometimes manufacturers immediately mark the packs with information that the variety is without bitterness. When non-hybrid varieties are used for sowing, it is important to provide them with irrigation with warm water and abundant fertilizers.

Spicy cucumbers

You can adjust the proportions of ingredients for preparing such preservation, bringing it to the desired taste. If you follow the recipe given, the cucumbers will turn out spicy, but not too salty and spicy.

Required Products:

1 kilogram of cucumbers;
2 tablespoons sugar;
3 tablespoons salt;
100 milliliters of vinegar (9%);
1 red onion;
10 black peppercorns;
Green sweet pepper pod;
2 cloves of garlic;
Horseradish root;
2 leaves of horseradish;
5 currant leaves (preferably black);
5 dill umbrellas;
Bay leaf.

In order to preserve delicious canned cucumbers with a spicy taste for the winter, you must follow the instructions for preparing them:

Vegetables need to be washed well. If the fruits are bitter, they are soaked overnight in cold water.
Sweet peppers are cleared of seeds and finely chopped.
Horseradish root and garlic are chopped into rings, and the onion into half rings.
Washed leaves and umbrellas of dill are placed at the bottom of the jar. Cucumbers are placed very tightly on top of them, covered with chopped pepper, onion, garlic and horseradish. The jars are filled with boiling water for 5 minutes.
The water from the cucumbers is drained into a prepared container, which is sent to the fire. The remaining ingredients (vinegar, pepper, salt and sugar) are added to it. After boiling, the brine is poured into jars.
The containers with spicy cucumbers are closed, turned over, and covered with a towel until they cool completely.

What to cook from bitter cucumbers

Bitter cucumbers can be pickled, made into snacks, or added to dishes that require heat treatment, like a stew.

Delicious snack made from bitter cucumbers “Tenderness”. You will need the following products:

4 kg of cucumbers;
5 cups tomato paste, sugar, water;
5 cloves of garlic;
100 g 6% vinegar;
a glass of sunflower oil;
3 tbsp. salt;
tbsp black pepper;
1 tsp dried paprika.

Wash the cucumbers and divide into 2 parts. Place the vegetables in a large container and cover with chopped garlic, paprika, sugar, salt and pepper. Season the mixture with sunflower oil and tomato paste and simmer over low heat for half an hour. Add water and vinegar, cover with a lid, and simmer for another 15 minutes. Divide the vegetable mixture into jars, add marinade, and sterilize. Screw on the lids of hot preserves and place them upside down.

Tips and tricks

To make the cucumbers crispy and the rolls to last a long time, use these recommendations:

Before canning, prepare containers for storage: thoroughly wash jars with lids and sterilize them in any way convenient for you (in the oven, in the microwave, over steam or in boiling water).
Use coarse salt, it reduces the risk of jars exploding.
It is better to close the jars with a special sealing machine. This will ensure the best seal, especially if you are new to this business.
To roll bitter cucumbers, it is necessary to carry out heat treatment before or after placing them in a jar. This will remove the unpleasant taste.
To prepare lightly salted cucumbers, you will need to remove the skin, again, to remove the bitterness.

Spicy cucumbers

You can use bitter fruits to prepare a spicy, piquant preparation for the winter.

To do this you will need:

2.5 kilograms of cucumbers;
4 cloves of garlic;
Hot pepper pod;
5 grams of allspice (peas);
4 bay leaves;
Vinegar (9%);
Water;
Salt, sugar;
A teaspoon of mustard seeds;
Currant leaf.

Preservation is prepared as follows:

The fruits are thoroughly washed and the ends are cut off.
Garlic and hot pepper are chopped.
The jar is filled with 2 peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, 2 cloves of garlic, half a teaspoon of mustard seeds, 3 pieces of chopped hot pepper.
Place the cucumbers in a jar and pour boiling water over them for 20 minutes.
The water from the vegetables is drained into a container, which is sent to the fire. Sugar and salt are added to it (2 tablespoons are enough for 1 liter of water).
After the marinade boils, glass containers are filled with it.
Vinegar is added to each jar. If its capacity is 1 liter, then 2 tablespoons of this ingredient will be enough.
Conservation is closing. The jars are turned over and put in a dark place.