What is required for salting
When using heat treatment, you need to prepare fresh cucumbers, preferably only from the garden on the same day. Usually they use “Rodnichko” and “Nezhinskie”. They should be evenly colored and have a thick peel.
They are placed in distilled or spring water to soak for 2 - 12 hours so that all the bitterness goes away. If there is a lot of chlorine in the water, then running water will not work.
Place the cucumbers in sterilized jars. An opened jar should only be kept for up to 3 days.
How and where to store pickles
In the apartment
Cucumbers are pickled in different ways, but there are some that are suitable for residents of high-rise buildings. It will be possible to use them for two years.
You can put it on a balcony, loggia, or on a shelf in a closet. The main thing is that the place is free from sunlight and there are no heating devices nearby.
On the balcony, loggia
If these rooms are glazed and insulated, then this is an ideal place to store workpieces. Only the racks must be closed.
In the cellar
These are the best places to store preserves. Basic condition:
Appropriate temperature and ventilation.
Walls and ceilings treated against harmful microorganisms using special means.
Pickled cucumbers with vodka
This is an excellent, time-tested snack. Vodka acts as a preservative, so such preparations can be stored in the apartment without worrying.
Wash the cucumbers thoroughly, trim the ends, and rinse with boiling water. Place in a 3-liter jar, adding currant leaves, horseradish leaves, black peas. and shower. pepper Pour in brine consisting of 50 g of salt and a liter of water. Pour 2 tbsp on top. vodka, close capr. lids.
There are nylon lids for preservation on sale. They are denser and close the jar well, but before “putting” it on the neck, you need to slightly heat the lid in hot water.
Safety of various workpieces
Jars of pickled cucumbers last 2 years in cellars, a little less in apartments.
Canned twists are stored in apartments for about 3 years.
Pickled cucumbers require certain indicators: temperature and humidity, so that the brine does not turn sour. Usually such pickles are rolled into 1 liter. jars.
Pickled cucumbers with mustard
Such cucumbers can be stored both in a cellar in a private house and in an apartment. The most basic condition is that the banks must stand in the dark. They can be put under the table or in the corner of the room. Even from the light of a light bulb, the jars must be protected. To do this, they should be covered with a dark cloth.
For a ten-liter jar you will need:
- 10 kilos of cucumbers;
- ½ cup dry mustard;
- a handful of cherry leaves;
- large horseradish root and a pair of medium leaves;
- 2 large heads of garlic;
- 3-5 dill umbrellas;
- hot pepper pod;
- 4.5 liters of water;
- 400 g salt.
Place the cucumbers in a jar, alternating with garlic, horseradish, dill, chopped hot pepper, cherry leaves and mustard. For a ten-liter jar, it is optimal to make at least 3-4 such layers.
Dissolve salt in water, pour brine over cucumbers, seal with lids. You can try it after a layer of sediment has formed at the bottom.
How to store lightly salted cucumbers
It has accelerated pickling, so it can stand only from 1 week to 1.5 if the cucumbers are large. The gherkins should be eaten within 2 days. The brine requires cold water. Store the pickling in cellars or refrigerators.
There is no need to cut off the ends of the cucumbers. It is better to prepare this pickling in disposable bags and store for 1 to 3 days on the refrigerator shelf.
To increase the period, you need to prepare a mixture with 1 glass of hot water, 1 tbsp. l. salt, mix everything. Add 1 tsp. ketchup or tomato paste, 0.5 tsp. paprika and 5 cloves of garlic, it must be chopped. Stir everything until smooth and pour into the brine.
Storage options
There are many proven methods for long-term storage. Let's take a closer look at some of them.
In a refrigerator
The easiest storage option is to put the cucumbers in the refrigerator:
- In the compartment for storing vegetables. No additional preparation is required to store cucumbers in this compartment. Place fruits picked from the garden or purchased at the market in the refrigerator without rinsing them with water. They will keep in this state for 3–5 days.
- In a plastic bag. You can increase the shelf life to 1-2 weeks by using a plastic bag. Place dry vegetables in a bag, place damp gauze on top and store in the refrigerator.
- In an egg shell. Brush each fruit separately with egg white and leave to dry. Then put everything in glass jars or plastic containers and place it in the refrigerator. Do not use metal containers for storage. Egg white forms a protective layer on the fruit that does not allow oxygen to pass through, thereby preventing the cucumbers from rotting. With this method you will preserve them for up to 2 months.
- In water. A cucumber is 95% water, so it spoils if it loses moisture. Place the prepared cucumbers, tails down, in a non-metal container and fill with cold water. You should not pour a lot of water; it must be changed every day. As the cucumbers lose moisture, they will replenish it from the water at the bottom of the container. The shelf life of cucumbers in this form is 3-4 weeks.
In the apartment
You can also store vegetables at room temperature. With this storage method, cucumbers remain fresh for 2-3 days. Vegetables should be placed in a wooden box, cardboard box or plastic tray.
The air temperature in the room should not exceed 15 ° C, humidity - 90-95%. At temperatures below 10 °C, vegetables will last up to 10 days.
In the cellar
The longest storage time is provided by the basement. In it, the air temperature does not drop below 0 ° C, so vegetables are not frozen and remain until spring, retaining the maximum amount of nutrients. It is recommended to store the product in the basement in clay containers.
In sand
Place the prepared cucumbers in a bowl and cover with dry sand, cover with a lid and lower into the basement. For such purposes, it is better to dry sand in the oven. After drying, be sure to let it cool. Cucumbers prepared in this way can be stored for up to 7 months.
In a vacuum
Modern technologies make it possible to easily keep vegetables fresh and crispy for up to 3 months in an airless space, that is, a vacuum.
Soak the cucumbers for 6 hours in cold water to remove air. Then place it in a jar and close it with a special lid with a pump. Such a device can be purchased in the departments of appliances and household appliances for kitchens. It is possible to open the jar and close it again, creating a vacuum to continue storage.
In paper
Another storage method is in the basement in paper. Wrap each fruit separately in paper or a paper napkin and place in an open container. In this state, cucumbers will remain until the new year.
In the evaporation of vinegar essence
For this method you will need a non-metallic pan. Pour about one finger's worth of vinegar essence into the bottom of the pan. Place a wire rack on top, place the cucumbers on it in several layers and cover with a lid. The freshness of the fruit will last due to the evaporation of the vinegar essence.
In the bank
You can store cucumbers in a jar without resorting to the preservation process. To do this, rinse the vegetables with boiling water and dry them. Place chopped horseradish at the bottom of a clean, dry jar and fill with cucumbers. Close the lid tightly and lower it to the basement. These cucumbers should be stored for no more than 2 months.
Rules for storing pickled cucumbers in barrels
The cucumbers are pickled in such a container, and then transferred to another container with lids and sent to the refrigerator shelves.
It is advisable to season the vegetables with mustard and other spices to improve the taste and prevent mold. With sufficient attention to the brine, such cucumbers will last up to 1 year.
Cucumbers are placed in barrels. And there they ferment. For fermentation, brine is made, which after a while begins to ferment. The temperature scale where the barrels are located does not exceed 0 - 1 degree. These indicators cannot exist in an apartment.
Barrel products with a short shelf life. Bacteria develop and the composition of the brine changes. If cucumbers stand for a long time, they lose their shape and taste.
Storage methods
You can store fresh cucumbers at home either in the refrigerator or without it. There are several ways to preserve green fruits without refrigeration, but the shelf life of vegetables in this case will be short.
At room temperature
A popular storage method that is suitable for those who want to preserve fruits in large quantities, for example, before pickling, is in a specially selected container. This can be a wooden box, cardboard box or plastic container. Cucumbers must be carefully placed in containers and left in a room where the air temperature does not exceed +15 ℃ and the humidity is at least 90%. If the temperature is reduced to +6 ℃, the vegetables will remain fresh for 8-10 days.
You can store cucumbers in regular cardboard boxes.
To keep the fruits fresh for about a week, you can place them in a damp cloth. Wet a piece of natural fabric and wrap the crop in it. Store the fruits in a cool room (at a temperature of +6...7 ℃), constantly moistening the material.
In a refrigerator
You can store cucumbers in the refrigerator much longer. The easiest method, which requires no prior preparation, is to put them in the vegetable compartment. There the crop can lie unchanged for about 3-5 days. A plastic bag will help extend the storage period to 1-2 weeks. Place the cucumbers in cellophane and cover them with gauze soaked in water. In this form, place the vegetables in the refrigerator without covering anything on top.
Cucumbers can be stored in the refrigerator without additional packaging for 3-5 days.
Fresh fruits are stored in the refrigerator, wrapped in paper. To do this, each copy must be wrapped in a paper towel, napkin or baking paper, then put all the cucumbers in a plastic bag. Vegetables packaged this way can stay fresh for up to 3 weeks.
An unusual storage method for many is in egg white. Cucumbers must be carefully washed and blotted with a towel until dry. Then lightly beat the required amount of egg white and coat each fruit with it. The effectiveness of the method lies in the fact that the protein forms a protective film on the peel, which slows down the evaporation of moisture and wilting. The processed fruits are stored in the refrigerator in a vegetable container.
Plain water will extend the shelf life of cucumbers in the refrigerator to 3-4 weeks. Take a shallow bowl or tray, fill the container with 1-2 cm of water and place the cucumbers in the bottom, tails down. After filling the container completely, place it in the vegetable compartment. The water must be changed at least once a day. The essence of this method is that as cucumbers lose moisture, they will be able to replenish it and stay fresh longer. For storage in water, it is best to choose fruits with thick, dark green skin.
Cucumbers should be stored separately from tomatoes and other vegetables and fruits
It is not recommended to store cucumbers together with other ripe fruits (tomatoes, apples, pears, etc.). At what temperature should fruits not be preserved? If it is below 0 ℃, the greens will quickly soften and become covered with mucus, so you should not place them in the refrigerator close to the freezer.
Storage time for pickled cucumbers
The shelf life depends on various indicators:
- twisting methods;
- premises with their conditions;
- containers.
In closed jars
They use different methods for twisting. Consume within 12 months. It is possible to leave more, just check that fungus and infection do not appear.
In open jars
Cans should not sit in refrigerators for a long time. They quickly become infected with fungi. They usually last up to 2 weeks. If they do not become cloudy or moldy, then the product is good.
Features and shelf life of various types at home
It is permissible to keep blanks in different forms. This allows each person to choose the best option.
Canned in jars
Pickles that were preserved in the summer can only be stored unopened. Once the jars are opened, the shelf life of the product is significantly reduced. That’s why cucumbers are preserved in small quantities. This will make it possible to quickly eat the product.
The storage temperature should be -1 to +1 degrees. The higher the indicator, the faster the product will become unusable. If jars are kept warm, pathogenic microorganisms quickly multiply in them, causing the liquid to sour. As a result, it may begin to bloom.
In an open jar, gherkins will become unusable in 2 weeks. And this will happen even in the refrigerator. This product will become too sour and soft.
Frozen
If the jar has been opened and the pickles have not been eaten, it is permissible to put them in the freezer. This will help extend the storage period. To allow the fruits to dry, place them on a paper towel. Then put the product in a bag and put it in the freezer.
In barrels
It is recommended to keep barrel cucumbers in brine. It is obtained due to fermentation. Air parameters should be 0…+1 degrees. It is quite difficult to create such conditions in an ordinary apartment. It is permissible to keep barrel cucumbers at room temperature only for a short time.
Subsequently, fermentation continues. As a result, bacteria lead to changes in the composition of the brine, which leads to spoilage of cucumbers. At the same time, they change the taste and acquire a softer consistency. The product develops a sharp and unpleasant aroma and a slimy coating appears. In the case of industrial storage, barrels are placed in special refrigerated compartments. They are folded horizontally or vertically. In this case, the tongue and groove hole must be directed upward.
Lightly salted
This type of pickling is mainly used in summer. Pickling of fresh vegetables is carried out at a fast pace. Depending on the timing, lightly salted cucumbers differ from ordinary pickles. Shelf life depends on the recipe. It is usually recommended to keep lightly salted cucumbers in jars.
To avoid this, you can follow these recommendations:
To stop salting, the product is moved to a cool place. It is recommended to keep the workpiece in the cellar
If this is not possible, it is permissible to use a refrigerator. The temperature of the water used for salting is important. If hot liquid is used, salting speeds up.
Such vegetables cannot be stored for a long time. It is better to use cold water. This helps increase the shelf life of the product. For long-term storage of cucumbers, cutting off their ends is not recommended. Otherwise, salting occurs faster, which reduces the storage period. To ensure even pickling of cucumbers, it is recommended to select them according to variety and size. Gherkins are salted faster and become over-salted in a short time. It is better to use the same vegetables. It is permissible to pickle cucumbers without brine. To do this, you need to put fruits of the same size in the bag, then add salt. The resulting package is placed on the top shelf of the refrigerator.
Pickled
During the preservation process, vinegar and other preservatives are added to the marinade. This helps to increase the shelf life of the product and eliminates the need to strictly observe the temperature regime. This preparation can be kept in an apartment or in a cool cellar. In any case, the following conditions must be observed:
- do not store the product near heat sources;
- do not expose glass jars to frost;
- Avoid exposure to ultraviolet light on the product.
In an apartment, you should choose dark places for conservation. This could be a kitchen cabinet or pantry.
