It often happens that preparing preserves according to the same recipe leads to unexpected consequences - cucumbers or tomatoes become soft and spread out, while in other jars the vegetables are wonderful, crispy and elastic. Even experienced housewives with many years of canning experience cannot understand why this happens. The answer is simple - it's all about the choice of salt. What snow-white seasoning is better to use, so as not to watch with bitterness and disappointment as the preserved food turns into an inedible mass? And one more problematic question - is it possible to preserve with fine salt? First you need to figure out exactly what types of salt exist, and only then use each variety for its intended purpose.
Types of salt
Before you start getting acquainted with the varieties of salt, you need to remember that this product is not the same in its taste. It seems that it could be easier if you know the amount of seasoning for the pan of the finished dish? But not everything is so simple - the same proportions of white matter can sometimes cause bewilderment, because the same soup or borscht turns out to be too salty. This happens because the salt is more saturated, and this spoils both the mood and lunch or dinner. You need to be especially careful when using “Extra” salt, which is often the culprit of troubles during cooking.
There are several types of salt:
- stone;
- evaporation-vacuum;
- marine;
- cage
Most people are familiar with rock salt, since it is used for preparing preserves, snacks, first and second courses. It is mined using special machines at great depths underground. At large enterprises it is ground, after which it is used for its intended purpose - the coarsely ground product is sent to industrial production, and the finely ground product is sent for sale in stores.
Everyone is familiar with garden salt from school. It is extracted from the bottom of salt reservoirs, after which it is also sent for processing. This product has several disadvantages, the main one being a large part of the impurities that make the product a dirty gray shade, as well as a significant percentage of sand and clay.
The latter type of salt is very expensive and, although “Extra” is often found on sale, it is rarely purchased. Salt deposits are found at depths inaccessible to mining by machines. Here they do this: they pump water through a well, the salt dissolves, the concentrated solution is pumped out, after which a salty product is obtained by evaporation.
Sea salt has recently acquired the status of a popular spice in winter preparations. There are no downsides to using it, and the snow-white tint indicates the absence of impurities. In addition, the product is rich in all kinds of elements, which has a beneficial effect on the body.
Recipe for pickling cucumbers in cucumbers for the winter: 2 in 1
This is a practical way to use up all substandard crops.
Whole crispy cucumbers are pickled in their own juice . It is not even necessary to soak them in water in advance; let them have the opportunity to soak up the cucumber juice as much as possible during the pickling process.
Before salting cucumbers, we sort them , guided by “external data”.
Neat, small and medium-sized ones are left whole, overgrown or non-standard in shape are grated.
You can use a food processor. Later, when the cucumbers are pickled, this mass can be used in sauces or added to pickle sauce.
- For 1 liter of the resulting cucumber mass you will need 2 tbsp. salt - you need to stir until the juice appears.
- Place currant, grape, horseradish, cherry leaves (whatever is available), dill umbrellas, chopped garlic, hot pepper rings + 2-3 tbsp in sterilized jars (1-1.5 liters). salted cucumber mixture into each. Next - whole cucumbers.
- When the containers are full, fill all the voids with cucumber mass and pour in the released vegetable juice.
All that remains is to screw on the lids (you need screw-on ones) and take them out into the cold. After a couple of days, a check is required: if the contents have noticeably settled, prepare an additional portion of the pickled cucumber mixture and add to the top.
After 2 weeks, you can take a sample (the vegetables will be lightly salted), and the true taste will appear in a month.
Using fine salt
Another important point in canning is the size of the crystals, so when canning it is important to pay attention to the salt particles:
- powdery;
- fine-crystalline;
- large;
- crushed.
It is best to cook food with fine salt, but to preserve it - with crushed or coarse salt. Why? Small crystals of the white product dissolve very quickly, which leads to rapid fermentation of pickles. Large ones, on the contrary, take a long time to dissolve, during which time the lactic acid bacteria successfully cope with the pickling process, vegetables (especially cabbage and tomatoes) turn out tasty and piquant.
In stores, customers are offered finely ground iodized salt. There are no options at all - it is not recommended to use it in canning. Iodine can react with the ingredients of the product, but the consequences cannot be pleasing - the jars safely become spoiled. Even if there is no explosion, the vegetables lose their shape, taste, and shelf life is significantly reduced.
The use of sea salt, even if it is finely ground, is allowed in canning, but only if the marinade is cooked until the crystals are completely dissolved. The use of the product in pickles is also undesirable.
What are the features of proper conservation?
We have found that buying coarse rock salt is the best option. Let's figure out why this is important for each specific product.
Sauerkraut - its taste and sharpness depends entirely on the correct choice of salt. Crystals should be large or medium. This will allow the released lactic acid to ferment moderately, not to peroxidize, and the product to acquire a subtle salty taste.
Cucumbers and tomatoes are tender vegetables and contain a lot of water. To preserve them, a long salting process will be required. Therefore, only large crystals are suitable for canning. They will moderately saturate the vegetables with salt, prevent them from fermenting and the marinade from acidifying.
Fish - to avoid the risk of poisoning and botulism infection, it is better to use coarse table salt. Secret:
It is impossible to spoil the fish with coarse salt - it will not be over-salted, but will absorb enough seasoning to be safe and tasty.
Parsley, dill, cilantro, basil - greens are a delicate product and the usual rock salt of the coarsest crushing will allow you to preserve it for the winter. It is enough to put the selected greens in a jar, sprinkle them with crystals and they will be fresh until spring.
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Cabbage "Hrum-Hrum"
A recipe in which it is strictly not recommended to use fine salt. If you follow the recommendations, the cabbage will turn out delicious; you can either add it to cabbage soup, salads or pies, or simply season it with vegetable oil, add a little onion and enjoy the amazing taste. This cabbage can be stored almost all year round, provided that the finished product is placed in a jar and tightly closed with a lid.
Ingredients:
- 3 kg 300 g cabbage;
- 400 g carrots;
- 900 ml water;
- 60 g coarse salt;
- 25 g sugar.
Preparation:
- Finely chop the cabbage using a special device. If you don’t have a shredder on your household, you can use a simple sharp kitchen knife.
- Grate the peeled and washed carrots. It is convenient to do this using a grater with large holes.
- Place the processed vegetables in a large container (bucket or jar), making sure to compact them - first with a spoon, then with your hand.
- Boil the brine by combining the remaining ingredients. You can do this in advance, because pickling requires cold liquid.
- Pour cold brine over vegetables and close.
You should not take it out into the cold; it is better to leave it at room temperature. After just 4 days, you can treat everyone to a delicious, vitamin-packed salad.
Hot pickled cucumbers for the winter
This method will require a little more time, since you will have to wait until the brine boils. But! Fragrant, tasty, crispy cucumbers - they are worth the time to prepare.
- In a 3-liter container place a pair of dill umbrellas, 2-3 leaves of horseradish, 2-3 oak leaves (here - a must!), a pair of cherry and black currant leaves, 2-3 bay leaves, 5-6 peppercorns, 2- 3 cloves, 2 coarsely chopped garlic cloves, hot pepper pod. Next comes the laying of the cucumbers - more densely.
- The workpiece is poured with boiling (!) brine , which is prepared as follows: for 1 liter of water, take 2 full (heaped) tablespoons. salt.
- Cover the container with a nylon lid and leave it in room conditions for 2 days.
- After this period, add 2 tbsp to the jar. mustard powder , close, shake slightly for uniform distribution and leave for 5-6 hours.
- The brine is poured into a saucepan and boiled for 5-7 minutes.
- All that remains is to pour boiling brine over the cucumbers and roll them up.
Pickles using the “hot” method can be stored in the room, but it is better to take them out into the cold.
Tomatoes “Wow!”
Another recipe for delicious pickling, in which, on the contrary, fine salt is very welcome.
Ingredients:
- 2 kg of tomatoes (unripe green);
- 400 g pepperoni;
- 100 g garlic;
- 100 g dill (dill must be leaves);
- 120 g parsley;
- 90 g celery (leaves);
- 100 g salt;
- 140 g cilantro.
Preparation:
- All ingredients must be thoroughly washed and lightly dried on a towel.
- Cut each tomato, slightly short of the edge. Rub the inside thoroughly with salt.
- Chop all other ingredients (herbs, garlic, pepper) finely and mix. There is no need to add spices; there is enough salt in the tomatoes. For those who like it spicy, you can add a little chili pepper, but this is not necessary.
- Stuff each tomato with the green mixture; put at least a teaspoon of the aromatic green mixture into each vegetable. Place in a large container. There is no need for brine - the tomatoes will release aromatic juice, which is enough for pickling.
- Put pressure on top and send to a cold place. Over ten days, you can swap the tomatoes in the container several times for better soaking in the released brine.
- Appetizing tomatoes are ready to serve. Boiled potatoes go well with preserves.
Soviet recipe for crispy pickles for the winter
In the USSR (remember the transcript?) they knew a lot about pickles, but what housewives rolled into a three-liter container with the addition of vinegar was the pickled version. They salted it differently; it was a remake of the old Russian salting technology.
The Soviet “Book on Tasty and Healthy Food” tells how to pickle cucumbers for the winter.
First, a wooden container was prepared - a barrel or tub . The bottom was lined with washed currant, cherry, horseradish leaves; garlic, tarragon, and dill were always used. Next, the cucumbers were laid in dense rows. Between the cucumber “floors” layers of aromatic greens were placed.
The top of the barrel was clogged - based on “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”; a small hole was left, which was sealed after pouring the brine. If a tub was used, it was tightly closed on top with a wooden circle that was ideal in size. A weight was placed on it to prevent the vegetables from floating (but without strong pressure).
The brine was prepared simply: 500-600 g of salt were taken per bucket of water (10 l).
Finding a wooden barrel or tub today can be a challenge, but there are alternative solutions. So, cucumbers for the winter: pickling recipes in a modern arrangement.
"Beans"
Since beans are rich in selenium, canning without it is unthinkable for people who lack this substance in their bodies. You can safely take small salt, the workpiece will certainly turn out excellent, it does not need to be stored for a long time, it will definitely be destroyed diligently and with great appetite by family and guests.
Ingredients:
- 980 g beans (dry);
- 900 g carrots;
- 210 g sugar;
- 950 g pepper;
- 800 g onions;
- 2 kg 800 g tomatoes;
- 55 g salt;
- 75 ml vinegar;
- 190 mil vegetable oil.
Preparation:
- After soaking, boil the beans until fully cooked. You can show your culinary imagination and combine several types of multi-colored beans, but you need to take into account that you will have to cook them separately, because the cooking time for the legumes will be different.
- Fry alternately grated carrots and large diced onions in oil.
- Combine vegetables (carrots, onions, tomatoes cut into slices and peppers).
- Place the container with the vegetables on the fire, add salt, sugar, vinegar and the remaining oil. Add the beans last.
- Simmer the mixture for at least an hour over low heat, stirring the mixture regularly.
- Prepare lids and containers by sterilization. Pack the finished canned food into a hot container and seal immediately. Cool under a blanket or old blanket, remembering to place the lids down.
How to pickle cucumbers for quick eating
It’s customary to prepare your favorite crispy snack in winter, but you can taste pickles without waiting for the cold weather. Let's find out how to grind cucumbers: the express method!
- The ends of the prepared fruits are cut off and placed in a container (this can be a jar or a large pan) along with horseradish, cherry, currant leaves, and dill sprigs.
- Prepare a brine for cucumbers: take a tablespoon (with a small amount) of salt per 1 liter of water and bring to a boil.
- Boiling brine is poured into the workpieces.
In room conditions, in 6-8 hours . You need to keep it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours - and the lightly salted cucumbers can be eaten. After 5 days they will become salty. This preparation is not designed for long-term storage.
What water to use for pickling
Experienced housewives claim that pickles turn out tastier with spring or well water than with regular water from a tap. But if you live far from a spring or are unsure of the quality of spring water, use bottled water. You can boil filtered water and infuse it in a silver or copper container, but this is for fans of a healthy lifestyle. Most recipes for delicious pickles use regular filtered water.
Let's sum it up...
So, so that the wrong choice of salt does not ruin your entire season, remember these rules.
Salt is one of the main reasons why trouble can happen to products. However, do not forget that there are also varieties of vegetables that are unsuitable for preservation. In addition, the quality of seams depends on the water. It is recommended to use spring, well or filtered tap water.
Harvesting season is just around the corner. Now you know the reason why, using the same proven recipe, you often get unpredictable results. This means it’s up to you to decide whether to buy coarse or medium-ground table salt, traditional for pickles, or continue experimenting.
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4. Preparing cucumbers for pickling - soldering
If the collected cucumbers are pickled without first being sealed, they will absorb part of the marinade and leave the top cucumbers in the jar without liquid, which will become limp and soft. It shouldn't be like this! Only by replenishing natural moisture during soaking will the cucumbers be truly ready for pickling. Therefore, cucumbers need to be filled with tasty (preferably well or drinking) water and left for 3 hours.
The selection of herbs, spices, herbs and leaves for pickling depends on the taste of the one who cooks and those who will eat such canned vegetables. Lately, we often come across recipes for pickled cucumbers, where red currants play the role of vinegar (see recipe here )! Or, for example, in the southern regions, cucumbers are pickled with grape leaves.
Pickles for sandwiches, sandwiches and burgers, see recipe here
3. Preparing cucumbers for pickling - cutting off the ends
Experts in canning vegetables believe that it is necessary to cut off the tip of the cucumber where it connects with the flower, because an enzyme is produced there that accelerates the process of softening the collected fruit. If you pick cucumbers from your garden, it's easy to do. If purchasing or processing, look for ends with a rough, jagged point rather than a remaining “tail”, or simply cut off about 5mm from each side of the cucumber.
Many people still believe that cucumbers are pickled better this way, since it is easier for the vinegar solution to get inside the cucumber. And the vegetables look neater.
Cucumbers for pickling with vodka and viburnum, recipe from user
@vidakova , see here
