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Not all cucumbers can be canned and pickled (suitable for pickling and canning). If you want to enjoy delicious cucumbers from... own garden, take care to choose the variety correctly. You will learn from this review which self-pollinating cucumbers are best used for winter preparations. Also in it you will find brief descriptions of the most popular crops and the requirements for their cultivation, you will understand the difference between early and mid-season varieties, universal, pickling and salad, and why salad cucumbers are not used for preservation at all.

Classification of cucumber varieties by ripening time

When choosing a cucumber variety for pickling, you need to take into account the region where it will be grown. The classification of crops is based on the timing of ripening. Main groups:

1. Early varieties - these are Orpheus, Emerald and others. Please note that insect pollination is greenhouse conditions practically does not happen, so it will have to be done manually . In principle, the same Emerald, Cupid or Orpheus need not be pollinated.
2. Mid-season – they can have different durations of fruiting, on average it is 50-55 days from the appearance of the first shoots. Growing conditions depend on the variety - for example, the powerful hybrid F1 Picas, up to 3.5 m in length, grows best in a greenhouse, and it is recommended to plant it in the month of May.
3. Late varieties - ideal for winter preparation and preservation. They are usually grown in open ground, the fruits are small in size, the structure is preserved during heat treatment. The most popular options are Matilda, Delicatessen, Evita.

Read about how to make a greenhouse for cucumbers with your own hands.

Also, cucumbers are conventionally classified into universal, salad, and pickling. Salad varieties are elongated, have thin skin, neutral taste characteristics, and juicy, not dense flesh. They are not suitable for pickling at all; they are usually grown in greenhouses. Universal varieties can be canned and used fresh. on open ground. Of course, it is optimal to preserve special pickling varieties - with elastic pulp, thin skin, crispy.

Read about which varieties of cucumbers are the most productive for a greenhouse.

For seaming, only special pickling or universal varieties are suitable, but not salad varieties.

It’s easy to distinguish a pickling cucumber from a salad cucumber by its external characteristics - it has a short length, a tuberous surface with spikes. White-thorned varieties are not suitable for preservation, since their thick, rough peel practically does not allow the saline solution to pass through.

Good mid-season

Vegetation mid-season varieties takes 45-50 days. Mid-ripening fruits have more high quality than early ripening ones.

Courage F1 for home canning

Large-fruited pickling variety Kurazh, grown in autumn and winter time years with soil heating and additional lighting. The skin of the fruit of the variety is thin, with tubercles, and contains light thorns. The pulp is sweet, very juicy. Courage is a fast-growing crop, The first harvest takes place a month after sowing the seedlings. The ovaries are bouquet, consist of 4-8 flowers and guarantee massive growth, but it is important to pinch them in time. The central stem has no restrictions in terms of growth; it can reach 3.5 m in length. The fruits have good shelf life and transportability; after pickling, the greens practically do not lose their brightness of color. More than a couple of plants per square meter planting is not recommended. Flowering is female, pollination is not required.

Read more about how to pinch cucumbers in.

Courage cucumbers are demanding on lighting and watering - if there is not enough light, they grow poorly, and if there is not enough moisture, they begin to taste bitter.

White sugar F1: description

A fairly new Ural hybrid. Since the vines do not spread, there is no need to pinching or pinching the plantings. Planting is done with compaction (approximately 60x15 cm). Seedlings are planted in the ground at the end of spring.

The variety is highly responsive to loosening and it is advisable to remove fruits daily. Rarely lumpy greens have a mild taste and are universal - they are pickled, used to make salads, or consumed in their pure form. The average length is 9-12 cm. The harvest is harvested 46-50 days after emergence.

Ginga F1

The shape of Ginga F1 fruits is cylindrical, the fruits have practically no ribs, the color is dark green, there are small tubercles with white spines. The arrangement of cucumbers on the plate is frequent, the length is three times the diameter. There are no voids in the testes. The variety is highly resistant to pathogens of various diseases. The first greens usually ripen 45-60 days after emergence. The Ginga F1 variety is adapted to the climatic conditions of the Central Black Earth region. It can be used in household plots and commercial production. The average yield is 24-52 kg per square meter, the lashes are up to 2 m long and do not require pinching.

You can read about pests and diseases of cucumbers in.

To get as many cucumbers as possible from plantings of the Ginga F1 variety, switch to drip irrigation.

Early ripening for open ground or greenhouse

The growing season of early ripening varieties of cucumbers is about 40-45 days.

Murashka seeds F1

It has been planted since the beginning of the last century. Zoning - for the north of Siberia. Flowering is female, pollination is not required. There can be up to six ovaries in one flower axil; greens ripen in 45 days; up to 20 kg of fruits are collected from one meter of sowing. Not afraid of shade. Murashka F1 is usually planted as seedlings; the variety grows well in open ground. The color of greens varies from tip to stalk, there are thorns, they are prickly and dark. Murashka is suitable for all types of preservation; it will bear fruit before the first frost, and its susceptibility to diseases is very low. There are no special requirements for the type of soil, this is precisely what is given. But the better the air permeability of the soil, the higher the yield. The seed germination rate is high - about 98%.

Salting Prestige F1

Another persistent early ripening variety. The selection is intended for cultivation in the Central Black Earth and West Siberian regions. The Prestige f1 variety is recommended for commercial cultivation. Zelentsy usually ripen together, and fruiting lasts for a long time. Excellent resistance to, voids almost never appear during conservation. The bushes are strong, powerful, grow up to 2 m in height, and do not have excess vines. Bloom female type, the growing season is 42-45 days, the ovaries are formed in bouquets of about 4 pieces. The size of the fruit is about 10 cm, weight – 80 g, yield up to 25 kg per square meter. Pickling cucumbers are not prone to overgrowth, they are stored normally after harvesting, and are not afraid of temperature changes and shading.

Siberian salting F1

A hybrid that does not require pollination. Planted in the ground or greenhouses, seedlings or seeds. The optimal planting depth is 1-1.5 cm. Warm ridges with light soils give higher yields. Watering is carried out twice a day - in the morning and in the evening. This hybrid, like others, does not leave seeds. The fruit ovaries on the vines are placed in a cluster, the cucumbers are covered with small tubercles and are not prone to overgrowing, the average size of the greens is 6-8 cm. From one vine you can get up to 10 kg of fruit, there is no bitterness in the taste. An ideal pickling variety. The maturation of the ovaries is uniform; one can contain up to 3 cucumbers. To speed up the growing season, spray. You can read about growing tomatoes in open ground at.

Good to know. In order for the Siberian Zasol F1 variety to bear fruit as best as possible, regularly fertilize and loosen the soil.

Video

conclusions

1. Lumpy fruits with dense pulp, thick skin, and conical black hairs (mini-spikes) are suitable for pickling and canning.
2. Depending on the timing of ripening, varieties are divided into mid-, early- and late-ripening; some are grown in home greenhouses, while others are grown in open ground.
3. The most popular titles– Black-thorned, Murashka F1, Siberian salted F1, Ginga F1, Prestige F1, White sugar F1, .

Experienced housewives can no longer imagine a winter feast without crunchy, aromatic pickles. At the same time, each recipe has its own special and favorite recipe for making pickled or pickled cucumbers, with and without additives, spicy and not very spicy. Before you start pickling vegetables, you should understand which varieties of cucumbers are suitable for canning - this will help to avoid problems with further storage and the taste of the canned product.

Variety of green vegetable varieties

Experienced gardeners know that cucumber is a vegetable with a wide range of species and varieties.

Conventionally, culinary specialists divide existing varieties into three main groups:

1. Pickling cucumbers: they are used for pickling in barrels and jars. This species is particularly resistant to long-term storage and can successfully withstand long winters.
2. Salad vegetable: such cucumbers are eaten fresh and in salads.
3. Gherkins: they are a universal variety; they are used for winter pickling, preserved with vinegar, made lightly salted, and used for making salads.

At the same time, cucumbers used for pickling, in turn, are also divided into vegetables grown in a greenhouse or ripened in the beds. The former are considered more productive, so during the period of active cucumber harvesting there are a lot of them in markets and supermarkets. The latter are more aromatic and tasty, because Many housewives prefer to preserve “ground” cucumbers.

The best varieties for pickling - those that ripen early belong to the category of simple pickling cucumbers and are characterized by the absence of bitterness in the fruit. In addition, such fruits differ from others in their high yield.

Signs of a high-quality pickling variety

Experienced housewives have long learned to distinguish cucumbers that are most suitable for preservation by external signs.

Even without knowing the name of the variety, you can determine whether or not the fruit is suitable for harvesting for the winter:

• pimply (lumpy) covering with small black spikes, easily removed when fully ripe;
• a small amount of seeds;
• dense, crispy flesh without empty internal cavities;
• the length of the ripe fruit does not exceed 15 cm;
• the peel of a ripe cucumber is dark green, rich in color;
• When pickled, such cucumbers do not lose their original color.

Universal varieties of cucumbers are also suitable for preservation, but it is recommended to select small-sized fruits for pickling.

Gherkins are considered a delicacy - no more than 3-4 cm in size, salted with spices and dill in small jars.

Cold pickling recipe

The classic recipe for pickling cucumbers has long been considered the cold method in jars. It’s not difficult to choose fruits for this preservation; besides, the most common ones work well: Favorite, Voronezhskie, Nezhinskie, Phoenix. The main thing is to choose the right fruits: they should be ripe and not hollow.

To prepare cold pickles you should prepare:

• 1½ - 2 kilograms of cucumbers;
• clean filtered water – 1½ liters;
• 3 cloves of garlic;
• 90 g table salt;
• several dill inflorescences;
• a couple of horseradish leaves;
• 7 pieces each of cherry, black currant, oak leaves.

The pickle is prepared in the following way:

1. Prepared clean fruits are poured cold running water and leave for 5-6 hours.
2. The tails are cut off from both sides of the fruit, the jars are washed cleanly with soda solution, and calcined in the oven or over steam.
3. At the bottom of the prepared containers, place part of a well-washed set of spices, as well as herbs and garlic.
4. The fruits are placed tightly in the jar, interleaved with the remaining leaves.
5. IN clean water add salt, mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon and leave to settle for a few minutes.
6. The resulting solution is filtered through a double layer of gauze and poured over cucumbers in jars.
7. Cover the jars with hot nylon lids and take them to a cool place.

Cucumbers prepared correctly in this way can be stored for a very long time, provided that the storage temperature is maintained. Salt has long been known as a natural antibacterial mineral, which is why these fruits are salty and crunchy.

Hot salting

Hot-pickled cucumbers turn out no less tasty and crispy, and it is not necessary to carefully select the fruits for pickling. The method itself involves heat treatment of vegetables, so many varieties are suitable for hot pickling: Nezhinskie, Rodnichok, Phoenix, Voronezhskie, Favorit, Altai.

The main condition for high-quality preservation: you cannot use chlorinated water, and it is advisable to preserve the fruits almost immediately after collecting them from the garden.

To pickle cucumbers using a hot method, prepare:

• 2 kg of fruits;
• 2 pieces each: Bay leaf, leaf of cherry, black currant, oak, grape, dill umbrella;
• 5-6 cloves of garlic;
• a few black peppercorns;
• 5-6 cm horseradish root.

Step-by-step preparation:

1. Spices are placed at the bottom of prepared, cleanly washed jars, the fruits are compacted tightly, filling the empty space with herbs.
2. Pour boiling water over the contents of the jars, cover with metal lids, and wrap for a few minutes.
3. The water is drained from the cans, put back on the fire and brought to a boil.
4. Boiling water is poured over the fruits again and wrapped.
5. After the liquid has cooled slightly, the water is poured into last time and pour boiling brine over the fruits, prepared at the rate of 30-35 g of salt per liter of water.
6. The rolled up jars are turned over to cool and taken out for storage.

Spicy pickling

Sometimes housewives want to surprise guests or neighbors with the unusual taste of home-canned food, but at the same time they need the vegetables to remain natural and retain all their beneficial substances. Suitable for such cases are cucumbers pickled according to a special recipe, which housewives call a “savory” recipe.

For this preservation you should prepare:

• 2 kg of cucumbers;
• dill umbrellas – 2 pcs.;
• 5 pieces: black currant leaf, cherry leaf;
• garlic clove;
• 20 g of horseradish leaf or root;
• 8 black peppercorns;
• 75 g salt;
• 50 g vodka;
• 1½ liters of water.

Prepare this snack according to the following scheme:

1. Cucumbers are thoroughly washed, doused with boiling water and immediately placed in cold water.
2. Soak the fruits in water for 3 hours.
3. Mix spices, herbs and cucumbers into clean and sterile jars and fill with prepared cold salt solution (50 g of salt per liter of water).
4. Add 50 g of vodka to the container with the fruits and cover with a hot plastic lid.
5. Place the cucumbers in a cold room where they are left for storage.

The brine from such cucumbers is used for baking, for solyankas and pickles. The brine itself is very useful due to the minerals it contains.

Which cucumbers cannot be canned?

Canned cucumbers make everyone happy winter period, serve as a good addition to a side dish or an excellent snack. But, unfortunately, not all cucumbers are suitable for preservation.

Which cucumbers are not suitable for pickling:

• Smooth;
• yellow;
• without pimples;
• large;
• empty;
• thick-skinned;
• overripe;
• dirty;
• spoiled.

Adviсe:

1. When choosing cucumber fruits, pay attention to the presence of pimples. If there are thorns or pimples, regardless of whether they are white or black, this means that your pickles will not explode, unless, of course, you sealed them according to all the rules. Cucumbers with white pimples will not crunch.
2. Yellow, overripe, large cucumbers are old fruits and are not suitable for preservation. They will be empty inside, filled with air. As a result, this will also lead to the jar swelling and the canning exploding.
3. Spoiled, thick-skinned fruits should not be preserved. In addition to the fact that the jars can explode, the preservation will not be tasty and will not bring any pleasure.
4. Be sure to wash the cucumbers thoroughly before rolling so that there is no trace of dirt, grass or insect eggs on them.
5. Smooth cucumbers are salad fruits and canned will soften and also explode.

You need to choose firm fruits with pimples, whole, small in size and washed.

Which cucumbers are best for pickling (video)

The process of selecting and preparing cucumbers for the winter is simple; it is only important to know the rules for selecting fruits and follow the pickling preparation plan. It cannot be said that cucumber is a capricious fruit; you just need to take the right approach to preparing it for the winter.

Each owner of a household plot or plot of land plans in advance: what kind of vegetables and fruits he will grow; which of them will be consumed fresh, and which will be used for homemade preparations. Experienced housewives know that the key to success in winter preparations is not only strict adherence to the recipe, but also the quality of the raw materials. At first glance, all cucumbers are similar, but this impression is deceptive, because the varieties of this vegetable are divided into salad varieties (intended for fresh consumption) and those intended for pickling and canning. If you plan to preserve cucumbers for the winter, it is better to immediately plant varieties suitable for this in the garden.

The article gives useful tips about how to select the most suitable varieties of cucumbers for canning based on external characteristics, and also talks about modern and classic varieties suitable for pickling. Lovers of home beds will also be able to find for themselves useful information about the correct choice of cucumber seeds for planting them for preservation. In this article you will also find useful information on selecting cucumbers for canning, as well as photos and descriptions of the best varieties. In addition, we will provide several simple but tried-and-true recipes that will help keep vegetables tasty and crisp throughout the winter.

Cucumbers for canning: varieties

When buying cucumbers in a retail chain or on the market, it can be quite difficult to navigate their appearance, which specimens are suitable for canning. Therefore, you need to know that all cucumbers are conventionally divided into salad, pickling and universal.

Note: Salad cucumbers are used only fresh or for making salads. When marinated, they become too soft and lose their taste. They are easy to recognize by their absolutely smooth thick skin and small white spines.

The peel of pickling cucumbers is somewhat harsh, and they themselves, as a rule, are small in size. Try them to the touch - they should be very lumpy due to the large number of dark spines. Pickling varieties of cucumbers are used for cold pickling and canning for the winter (Figure 1). Cucumbers of universal varieties are suitable for consumption both fresh and for pickling. These cucumbers are also covered with dark-colored thorns. If you have the opportunity to look at a cucumber in cross-section, pay attention to the density of the pulp. The denser it is, the better the pickling qualities of greens.

So, summarizing the above, when choosing cucumbers for canning, pay attention to the following points:

1. Cucumbers should have an even cylindrical shape (a slight bend is possible), and their optimal length should be about 15 cm.
2. The dark green skin should be quite dense, but when pressed with a fingernail it should be easy to pierce and show no signs of damage.
3. The skin must have dark thorns.
4. The greens should be dense and elastic to the touch.
5. There are no voids in the cut, the flesh is dense and crisp, the number of seeds is minimal.
6. The taste is sweet, without bitterness.

Picture 1. External features pickling cucumbers

If you are going to grow cucumbers in your home garden, when purchasing seeds, carefully read the description of the variety on the package to make the right choice.

The best varieties of cucumbers for canning

Pickling and universal varieties of cucumbers, which have tuberous skin with black thorns, are recognized as the best for canning. Among them there are the old, proven, classic varieties that are familiar to us (“Nezhinsky”, “Muromsky”) and modern ones, bred in the selection process (F1 varieties). Unlike modern hybrids, from which seeds cannot be collected, the old variety “Nezhinsky” is still widespread due to its high yield, excellent taste and drought resistance (Figure 2).

Note: On its basis, such modern varieties as “Nezhinsky 12”, “Nosovsky”, “Nezhinka” have been bred, which are also ideal for pickling and provide seed material.

The old bee-pollinated variety “Muromsky” is ultra-early ripening and resistant to low temperatures. Its fruits are small, have a characteristic aroma and wonderful taste. When canned, cucumbers remain firm and crispy. The only drawback of this variety is the rapid overripening of the fruits.

Figure 2. The best pickling varieties: 1 - Nezhinsky, 2 - Muromsky, 3 - Altai, 4 - Competitor

Among the popular varieties one can also name “Altai”, “Beregovoy”, “Voronezhsky”, “Crunchy”, “Zasolochny”, “Parisian Gherkin”, “Competitor”. The Altai variety has become widespread due to its unpretentiousness in care, resistance to weather changes and many known diseases of cucumbers. Its fruits are small (about 9-10 cm), which makes it possible to roll them into small jars. The best hybrid varieties are Murashka F1, Rodnichok F1, Zastolny F1, Buran F1, Natasha F1. Among them, “Murashka” is self-pollinating, “Rodnichok” and “Zastolny” are pollinated by bees, and “Buran” can be grown even indoors.

The right choice of seeds for planting for conservation

If you prefer to harvest vegetables grown in your own garden for the winter, be responsible when choosing seed material. First of all, pay attention to the information on the packaging. On its front side, as a rule, there is a photo of ripe fruits. Take a closer look at what type of cucumber the appearance data refers to. Do not forget that the image does not always correspond to reality and may be embellished. Therefore, take the time to carefully read the information printed on the back of the package, or consult with the seller.

In this case, pay attention to the following nuances:

1. Resistance to bad weather conditions and diseases;
2. Shade tolerance;
3. Lack of bitter taste due to lack of moisture;
4. Early ripening (mid-season and late varieties are best suited for canning);
5. Massive yield.

Give preference to varieties that are most adapted to your area of ​​residence, and, of course, take into account your own wishes. Thus, lovers of small canned cucumbers can purchase gherkin seeds, the fruits of which do not outgrow. And those who do not have their own garden can grow pickling cucumbers with bunched ovaries in an apartment. In cold regions of Russia, there is a high risk of losing the cucumber harvest due to weather conditions, which do not always allow bees to fly out in search of nectar and pollinate flowers. Therefore, in such conditions, self-pollinating varieties of cucumbers suitable for pickling are most often used: “Cupid”, “White Angel”, “Chipmunk”, “Herman”, “Kroshka Enot”, “Crispina”, “Boy with a Thumb” (Figure 3) . The above varieties are F1 hybrids, so seeds collected from them do not bear fruit.

Figure 3. The best varieties for preservation: 1 - Amur, 2 - German, 3 - Crispina, 4 - Thumb Boy

If all the listed characteristics satisfy you, pay attention to the expiration date and integrity of the packaging. The package must be intact and dry, and the expiration date must not be too close to the date of purchase. As a rule, there are no problems with this in specialized stores. The slightest suspicion regarding the quality of the seed should be a signal to refuse such a purchase.

Classic varieties

Despite the constant emergence of new varieties of cucumbers, there are those that for many years have not given up their position in the primacy of canning. This is due to the characteristics that are necessary for high-quality marinating and storage of the product. The main varieties of cucumbers that are perfect for pickling and produce high-quality seeds for future planting are the following: Nezhinsky, Muromsky, Nosovsky, Nezhenka, Era, Etap, Altai, Khrustashchiy, Beregovoy, Voronezhsky, Velikolepny, Kustovoy, Vyaznikovsky. After marinating, all of them retain their crispy flesh and characteristic cucumber taste.

At the same time, the listed varieties also have a number of disadvantages:

• rapid yellowing of fruits;
• uneven ripening;
• low resistance to disease;
• average yield.

Therefore, having planted these varieties in your home garden, be extremely careful when harvesting, which must be collected daily. Otherwise, the fruits begin to turn yellow right on the bushes and become unsuitable for further canning.

Modern varieties

Every year there are more and more new varieties of cucumbers developed as a result of breeding work. Unlike classical varieties, hybrids are pleased with high yield (due to the absence of barren flowers), earlier and more uniform ripening, stability and high quality of the harvest, and the absence of bitterness in the fruits. Pickled cucumbers are crispy and have a rich taste.

Note: The following are considered the best hybrid varieties: Avangard, Business, Glance, Aquarius, Finger, Favorite, which are distinguished by high pickling properties. They can be grown both in open and closed ground, since these are early and mid-ripening varieties.

Self-pollinating varieties such as “White Angel F1” and “Chipmunk F1”, “Kroshka F1” and “Kroshka Enot F1”, “Aristocrat F1”, and “Mother-in-law F1” are also popular. Lovers of small crispy gherkins can try pickling cucumbers of the “Liliput”, “Parisian Gherkin” or “Tom Thumb” cucumbers, which are distinguished by their high yield and suitability for canning.

Figure 4. Modern varieties of pickling cucumbers: 1 - Emelya, 2 - Zozulya, 3 - Marathon

Varieties such as “Emelya”, “Zozulya”, “Marathon” (Figure 4) can be used as salad varieties, as well as for pickling. However, they are not suitable for long-term storage Therefore, they are prepared lightly salted so that prolonged exposure to brine does not change the structure of the fruit and its taste. In addition, it is recommended to use only early fruits for this purpose.

Varieties of cucumbers for canning

Many novice gardeners think that cucumbers for salads and canning have virtually no differences. In fact, there is a certain difference between them, which can be established by careful examination of the fruits (Figure 5).

Cucumbers for salads and canning differ in the following parameters:

1. Salad varieties quite large, but at the same time their skin is light and smooth. Such vegetables do not last long, and if you preserve them in jars, the fruits will lose their color and taste. In addition, jars with such cucumbers often explode due to the presence of air gaps in the pulp.
2. Varieties intended for pickling and canning usually small or medium. The skin of such vegetables is dark, but quite thin, often covered with tubercles or spines.
3. Universal varieties Can be either canned or eaten fresh. The fruits are medium-sized, covered with thin skin and white tubercles with spines.

Using these parameters, you can evaluate cucumbers when purchasing in a store or at the market in order to choose exactly those vegetables that are best suited for preparing winter preparations.

Figure 5. External features of salad, pickling and universal cucumbers (from left to right)

In addition, there are a number of other parameters by which cucumbers should be selected for canning. Firstly, the length of the fruit should not exceed 15 cm, and the peel should be uniformly dark and without signs of any mechanical damage. Secondly, it is advisable to choose vegetables with lumpy skin and thorns. To make vegetables look attractive in jars, it is better to choose smooth specimens without bends.

The quality of cucumbers can also be assessed by their taste. The pulp should be firm, without bitterness or voids, and with a minimum number of seeds. In addition, it is desirable that the fruits are firm and elastic to the touch.

Recipes for pickling and canning cucumbers

If you have already chosen cucumbers for canning and brought them home, you will definitely be interested in simple recipes for preparing them for the winter. However, before actual cooking, you need to prepare the vegetables themselves.

Note: If you picked cucumbers from your own garden, it will be enough to simply wash the vegetables and soak them in cold water for two hours. For purchased cucumbers, the preparation will take longer.

If you bought cucumbers at the market or in a store, you must soak them in water. It is advisable to leave them to soak overnight, since you do not know exactly when the cucumbers were picked or how long they were stored before purchasing. Soaking will help saturate the vegetable pulp with liquid, which is necessary to ensure that the fruit remains crisp even after heat treatment.

After soaking, the cucumbers must be washed and sorted by size. In addition, during the sorting process, it is imperative to remove rotten or damaged specimens, since such cucumbers, even if sterilized, can lead to the lid swelling or the jar exploding.

Jars and lids should be prepared separately. Glass containers are thoroughly washed with a stiff brush and soda, rinsed with running water and left to dry on a towel with the neck down. Metal lids should also be rinsed with running water and boiled in water for 15 minutes. After this, the jars must be sterilized in any convenient way. If you will be covering a lot of cucumbers at once, it is better to use a conventional oven for this purpose.

Cold pickling

The method of cold pickling cucumbers is considered the most simple option preparing winter preparations. IN in this case vegetables do not undergo heat treatment, and their preservation is ensured by natural fermentation processes that occur in brine (Figure 6).

Note: Despite the simplicity of the method, it should be borne in mind that cold-pickled cucumbers can only be stored in a cool room (in the refrigerator, on the balcony or in the basement). Otherwise, the product may quickly deteriorate.

For pickling you will need 2 kg of cucumbers, 2 dill umbrellas, 5 cherry and currant leaves, 1 large clove of garlic, horseradish leaves and root, several black peppercorns. Separately, you need to prepare the components for the brine. For it you will need two liters of water and 4 heaped tablespoons of salt. It is advisable to take well water, as it makes vegetables more tasty and piquant.

Figure 6. Cold salting steps

Now you can proceed directly to salting. To do this, place half the greens and a few slices of garlic on the bottom of sterilized jars, then fill the container with cucumbers and cover the top with greens again. Next, we begin to prepare the brine: take cold water, pour it into a large container and pour in salt. The liquid must be thoroughly mixed so that the salt crystals are completely dissolved. It is advisable to let the brine sit for a while, as sediment may form in it, which is not used for pouring cucumbers.

When the brine is ready, pour it into a jar and cover it with a nylon lid. It is advisable to immediately place the jars in a basin or other large container, since during the fermentation process the brine will begin to flow out of the jar. Leave the cucumbers for three days at room temperature. During this time, part of the brine will leak out, and the liquid itself in the jar will become cloudy. This is an absolutely normal process, but to ensure the quality of the product, you need to open the jar and remove any foam or mold that may have formed on the surface. Next, close the jar again and transfer it to a cool storage place.

If desired, you can add hot pepper or mustard seeds to this preparation, which will add additional piquancy to the appetizer.

The salting process is shown in more detail in the video.

Hot salting

Residents of city apartments find it difficult or almost impossible to constantly keep jars of cucumbers in the cold. But, if you prefer salted rather than pickled cucumbers, you can always use the hot pickling method. Such blanks are quite successfully stored at room temperature, in a regular pantry (Figure 7).

Note: When pickling cucumbers hot, vinegar is used as a preservative, which will not only preserve the vegetables, but also prevent the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms inside the container.

First of all, you need to rinse and sterilize the jars and lids, and soak the cucumbers for several hours in cold water, and then rinse again. Separately, you should prepare spices that will add piquancy to the appetizer: dill umbrellas, black and allspice peas, horseradish leaves and roots. The amount of spices is determined by personal taste preferences and the number of jars you plan to use.

To prepare the brine, you will need a liter of water and a heaped tablespoon of salt. You need to use regular rock salt, as iodized jars can cause explosions. We first place herbs and spices in clean, sterilized jars, then tightly fill the containers with cucumbers so that there is a minimum amount of voids inside.

Figure 7. Hot salting sequence

Now let's start preparing the brine. The salt must be dissolved in water at room temperature, and the liquid must be brought to a boil. The amount of brine ingredients given above is basic, and the total amount of liquid is determined individually during the pickling process, depending on the number of jars. While the brine is hot, pour it into jars and seal them plastic lids and leave for three days. After this, the brine needs to be drained, and the cucumbers and herbs themselves should be rinsed several times with running water. This can be done very conveniently using a special lid with holes.

Next, you need to prepare a second brine, thanks to which the workpiece will be successfully stored throughout the winter. To do this, dissolve a teaspoon of salt in a liter of water and mix thoroughly. This will leave a small sediment at the bottom of the container that will not be used. Pour the finished brine into cold jars, and seal the containers themselves with metal lids.

After such pickling, cucumbers can be stored quite successfully at room temperature, but after opening the container, it is better to put the preparation in the refrigerator.

Savory Recipes

You can not only pickle cucumbers for the winter, but also pickle them. Recipes for spicy vegetables that can be used as snacks are especially popular. We have selected the simplest recipe for delicious, spicy cucumbers that can be easily prepared for the winter at home (Figure 8).

To prepare the snack you will need the following ingredients (quantities are based on a 0.7 liter jar): about 10 medium-sized cucumbers, 2 bay leaves, half a sweet bell pepper, 1 clove of garlic, 2 dill umbrellas, a pinch of mustard seeds and 3 tablespoons nine percent vinegar. The recipe also involves preparing brine, for which you will need a liter of water, one and a half tablespoons of rock salt without additives and 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar.

Note: It is better to take sand rather than regular sugar, since it dissolves much faster in water.

A step-by-step recipe for preparing spicy pickled cucumbers is as follows:

1. We wash the vegetables, wash the jars and lids and sterilize them. It is better to take small or medium-sized cucumbers. In addition, their tails and noses need to be removed.
2. Place bay leaves, mustard seeds and garlic on the bottom of the jars. You also need to add bell pepper, cut into small cubes, and dill umbrellas to each jar.
3. Next, tightly pack the cucumbers into the jar and pour in the vinegar.
4. Separately, prepare the brine: bring water to a boil, add salt and sugar, boil for several minutes and pour hot into jars.

Figure 8. Features of pickling cucumbers at home

At the final stage of preparation, the jars should be covered with lids and sterilized for 15 minutes. After this, we roll up the containers with metal lids, turn them upside down, wrap them up and leave them at room temperature until they cool.

Gardeners with many years of experience know how difficult it is to correctly select cucumber varieties for pickling from the variety of seeds that currently exist. Not every cucumber is suitable for winter harvesting - they differ in the density of the pulp, the color of the spines, and taste. If you do not take into account these characteristics of the varieties, it is unlikely that you will be able to enjoy crunchy, aromatic cucumbers in winter.

How do you know if a cucumber is suitable for pickling?

Every spring, puzzled vegetable growers crowd in front of shelves with seeds in stores. Try here to figure out which type of cucumbers are suitable for pickling and which for salad. When purchasing seeds, it is very important not to rush and make a wise choice. Breeding scientists are constantly developing new hybrids. However, experienced gardeners advise not to experiment, but to immediately give preference to time-tested varieties.

According to the method of use, cucumbers are divided into three groups. Regardless of whether the vegetables for canning are grown on personal plot or bought on the market, you need to know external differences pickling cucumber from salad or classic.

• Salad cucumbers are used exclusively fresh, without heat treatment. They are distinguished by long fruits of medium thickness with small seeds and smooth green skin. The fruits do not last long and are unsuitable for preservation due to numerous air pockets in the loose pulp.
• Pickling - intended for winter preparations. Vegetables with a thin, pimply skin of a rich emerald color, with black “spurs” scattered across its entire surface. The middle of the fruit is compacted and light. The length of a mature cucumber is no more than 15 cm.
• Universal - cucumbers can be eaten raw and used for preparations. Vegetables of this class can be grown both in greenhouses and under open air. The thin peel is combined with not too compacted pulp. The surface is covered with light or dark spines. You can pickle such cucumbers, but they won’t crisp up like pickled cucumbers.

When choosing cucumbers for pickling in a store, you need to pay attention to the following indicators:

• the fruits are small, up to 15 cm in length, straight;
• the peel is dark green, pimply, with small dark spines;
• the cucumbers are elastic to the touch, not flaccid;
• The cut flesh is compacted, without visible voids, with small seeds;
• taste without bitterness.

When pickling cucumbers that meet the above requirements, the result will be amazing. The thin peel is quickly soaked in the salty solution, and the compacted pulp does not limp in the jar - the cucumbers turn out crispy and have a wonderful taste.

Seed selection

Correctly selected seeds are the key to obtaining good harvest. It is more profitable to buy planting material in specialized departments, where experienced sellers will tell you about the features of cultivation and the purpose of the selected variety. You should carefully read the description on the bag and check the shelf life. It also says for what purposes it is better to use vegetables of this type.

What varieties are best for pickling?

For many years, the country's leading breeders have selected and tested those varieties of cucumbers that are best used for canning. The selected plants are distinguished by enviable resistance to slight drops in temperature, do not emit bitterness in the absence of watering for a short time, grow quickly and ripen together.

• Nezhinsky

For several decades in a row, this variety has been known to many gardeners as the best pickling variety. The plant is pollinated by bees, and, unlike hybrids, it can produce seeds. It takes about 50 days from planting to harvest. “Nezhinsky” cucumbers are distinguished by excellent taste and commercial qualities, resistance to diseases and pests. The length of greens is 10–13 cm, weight is 100 g.

Based on “Nezhinsky”, “Era”, “Nosovsky”, “Nezhinka” were later developed, which are also indispensable for harvesting.

• Crispy gherkin F1

The variety is self-pollinating and is intended for cultivation in greenhouses. Small fruits (length - up to 8 cm, weight - 50–60 g) have uneven surface. Early ripening, the first harvest can be obtained already on the 50th day after full germination.

• Village pickle F1

By planting this ultra-early bee-pollinated hybrid, you will be able to harvest the first fruits on your plot within 40 days. Cucumbers in the form of short cylinders are up to 8 cm long and weigh about 90 g. The surface of the fruit is covered with small tubercles. Used for salting and pickling, the pulp remains dense in the jar, without voids.

Universal varieties

Cucumbers of universal varieties can be used raw and canned for the winter with equal success.

• Vyaznikovsky 37

An early ripening variety, suitable for cultivation in greenhouses and open beds. Used for preparing salads and for winter preparations. The fruits are up to 14 cm in size, light green in color with black spines. The advantages of the variety are resistance to cold temperatures and rapid germination.

• Zakuson F1

The early ripening variety is unpretentious to weather conditions. Even in cool summers you can collect decent harvest dense, aromatic, crispy fruits. Excellent for pickling and salting. The cucumbers are small, weighing up to 50 g, striped, can be stored for a long time, and can withstand long-term transportation.

• droplet

An ultra-early variety, pollinated by bees, suitable for cultivation in open ground. Plants begin to bear fruit 40-45 days after planting. Gherkins are elongated, with black “spurs”, have excellent taste and excellent commercial qualities.

Universal varieties have one drawback - cucumbers quickly turn yellow if they are not picked in time. It is necessary to regularly pick ripe cucumbers, which will allow you to obtain a high-quality product for pickling and stimulate the formation of ovaries.

Modern hybrids for pickling

On bags of cucumber seeds you can often find the F1 mark, which indicates a hybrid plant. To obtain a hybrid, two varieties are crossed with different characteristics. For example, some plants are characterized by high yields, while others are resistant to diseases. If you cross them, you will get a variety that combines both of these advantages. Therefore, hybrids are more hardy, grow quickly and mature together. Having planted cucumbers marked F1, even in a cold summer it is impossible to remain without a harvest.

• Pickling F1

Experts consider the F1 pickling variety to be the best cucumber in barrels. The combination of high-density pulp and decent taste makes vegetables of this variety indispensable for pickling in large quantities. Cucumbers have a dark green color, the skin has large tubercles and light stripes. Length no more than 12 cm, weight up to 120 g. The plant requires, since the bushes grow quickly and, if not limited, can reach a height of 3 m.

The variety is endowed with high immunity to fungal and other diseases, especially to. Fruits without bitterness, with crispy pulp.

• Murashka F1

A variety with more than a century of history began to be planted at the beginning of the last century. The plants withstand temporary cold weather well, bear fruit well in the northern regions of the country, and can grow and bear fruit in the shade. It takes one and a half months to fully ripen. Cucumbers with light tips and prickly dark spines are suitable for any type of pickles.

There is a huge variety of varieties that are perfect for pickling. When choosing, you need to focus not only on your needs, but also on the climate and weather in the area in which cucumbers will grow, as well as the composition of the soil, and give preference to well-known varieties tested by experts.

A fan study of pickled cucumbers examined the quality and safety characteristics of 48 products: brands: 6 acres, Aro, ASSORTEL, BILLA, Bonduelle, Clever, EKO, FINE LIFE, Gartenz, GLOBUS, Green Ray, Hengstenberg, ISKA, Kühne, Lorado, LUTIK, Stollenwerk, SunFeel, VITALAND, Boyarin, Valdai Cellar, Veres, Bed good luck, D, Every day, Gardeners, First of all, Crossroads, Picanta, Fifth season, Self-assembled tablecloth, Thank you for your purchase, Marinadov, New season, Tsar-vegetable, Simple, Velvet season, History, Red price, Ripe-Ripe, Kasvik, Estate, Savory!, Stoev, Pickled Jam, Solon, Uncle Vanya. Most of the products were produced in Russia and India. In addition, the fan study included samples from Germany, Belarus and Vietnam. Nine samples were produced under the retail chains' own brands. All products have been tested according to 29 quality and safety parameters. The cost of the selected samples ranged from 60 to 290 rubles per jar at the time of purchase.

Russian quality system standard

Standard Russian system quality standards for pickled cucumbers, in comparison with the current GOST, sets more stringent requirements for the taste, color and smell of products. According to the requirements of the state standard, samples with a reduced vinegar content and precise calibration of the size of cucumbers in a jar can be considered high-quality products. The Roskachestvo standard, unlike GOST, additionally examines pickled cucumbers for the content of spicy and aromatic ingredients in in kind, does not allow the content of sweeteners. The required level of production localization for awarding the Russian Quality Mark is at least 75% of the cost of the product.

Being green is not enough

The smell, taste, color, consistency of vegetables and even the transparency of the marinade in a jar in our country are regulated by the current GOST. To be considered high quality, it is not enough for a product to simply have green color, characteristic smell and taste. The organoleptic characteristics of products are assessed according to a strict list of clearly formulated quality characteristics. At the same time, the Roskachestvo standard almost always sets requirements that are more stringent than GOST.

For example, the taste and smell of pickled cucumbers, according to GOST, should be “pleasant, slightly sour or sour, sweet and sour, moderately salty, with the aroma of spices.” The Roskachestvo standard does not allow overtly sour taste and smell of products. In terms of consistency, according to GOST, cucumbers should be dense, elastic, with crispy flesh, without voids with underdeveloped seeds. At the same time, GOST is not against the presence of a small number of cucumbers with less dense pulp, but in the Roskachestvo standard there is no such “tolerance”. The filling, that is, the marinade, according to GOST must be “colorless or with a characteristic tint, with or without spice particles.” Here, GOST allows for a small amount of suspended particles of pulp, causing slight clouding of the filling, but the Roskachestvo standard does not. Finally, with regard to the color of the cucumber, both standards are consistent. High-quality pickled cucumbers should be uniform in color, ranging from green to olive, without blemishes, green spots or burns.

Despite the strictness of these requirements, absolutely all the products studied were able to demonstrate the high quality of their taste, color, smell and consistency.

Important!

During the fan-out study, all presented products were examined for the use of synthetic dyes. In general, the use of dyes is a fairly common practice for a number of enterprises. It has been adopted by Russian and foreign companies that are engaged in repacking Indian or Vietnamese cucumbers. This highly salted and deeply preserved product arrives from Asia to our country in large barrels. In order to clean cucumbers from traces of preservation, the vegetables are thoroughly soaked or washed with water for 24 hours. Along with the solution, useful substances and color are removed from the product. Cucumbers take on a non-marketable, whitish appearance. In order to return them to their natural shade, manufacturers tint the vegetable. The use of natural dyes as active technical regulations permitted (provided that the manufacturer notifies consumers of their use via the product label), the use of synthetic dyes is prohibited. During laboratory tests, no traces of synthetics were found in any of the presented samples.

Pickled cucumber...

Pickled cucumber belongs to the category of pickles. Therefore, it is logical that the percentage of sodium chloride in the product was included in the requirements of both GOST and the Russian quality system standard. According to these documents, a high-quality salted product must contain from 1 to 2% salt. It is important to note that these boundaries were set based on the taste preferences of Russians - in our country, consumers prefer a relatively lightly salted product. At the same time, strong salting of the marinade becomes a natural preservative; it has a positive effect on the shelf life of the product, which is beneficial to the manufacturer. During laboratory tests, it was confirmed that almost all of the presented products, with rare exceptions, were salted in accordance with all standard requirements. Experts found the most salt in a jar under the brand name EKO– 3.51% of the total mass of the product. Minor deviations from the increased quality standards for chloride content were detected in three products. At the same time, cucumbers Lorado were marked as “made according to GOST”, which they could not comply with. This is a violation of the rights of consumers to reliable information on product labeling.

Important!

In addition to the sour and sweet taste, the products in each jar of cucumbers have their own individual flavor and aromatic bouquet. The spicy and aromatic ingredients used in production are responsible for it: pieces of onion, garlic, pepper, dill and other herbs. Their content is not standardized either by the current technical regulations or by GOST. The Roskachestvo standard has established requirements for the content of such substances in a volume of at least 1.5% by weight of the product. Deviation from this norm to a lesser extent can lead to the fact that cucumbers will have either a weak, poor taste, or the aroma of the product will be provided by various concentrates and essences. Relatively low levels of additional ingredients were found in 13 products. The cucumber manufacturer added the most spices, almost 12%, to the jar Valdai Cellar.

...and sweet

Sugar, which provides a sweetish taste, can be found in various proportions in every jar of pickled cucumbers, regardless of the recipe, quantity and the presence of various spices. Today, some companies use sweeteners instead of sugar when producing products. This is not prohibited by either current technical regulations or GOSTs. But from a consumer point of view, more expensive, natural sugar is better than artificial sugar: it is guaranteed to be safe. The increased standard of Roskachestvo does not allow the product to contain any sweeteners. In laboratory tests, sweeteners were found in 13 products. It is important that these products cannot be called low-quality or unsafe: all of these manufacturers warned by labeling their products that sweeteners were used in the production of the product.

More unpleasant facts were revealed during the study of cucumbers Aro, Green Ray, VITALAND, Ogorodnikov, First of all, Crossroads, Thank you for your purchase, Simply, Velvet Season, Kasvik, Pickled Jam. When labeling these products, manufacturers either “forgot” that the product used sweeteners and did not indicate them in the composition, or they outright lied, using their labels to say that natural sugar was used in the production of the product. These facts may be regarded as a violation of consumer rights to reliable information indicated on the label.

Reference:

Each of the presented samples was also examined for the content of heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury). Their concentration in products did not exceed dangerous values. Experts also looked for residual amounts of dangerous pesticides in goods - DDT and its metabolites and HCHC isomers. They were not found.

Lots of surprises

As laboratory tests have shown, regular jar pickled cucumbers can present consumers with a lot of different surprises. And this also applies to the mass of the pure product. Each manufacturer must indicate the weight of cucumbers directly in relation to the volume or weight of the jar on the label of their product. All participants in the fan study were diligent in this part, but some were not entirely honest. GOST and Russian quality system standards include the requirement that in a high-quality product the share of cucumbers must be at least 50% of the total weight of the jar. After control weighing of each sample, the most vegetables were found in the product Veres– this jar was 78% filled with cucumbers. The products of 9 brands did not meet the increased requirements. It is worth noting that product manufacturers ASSORTEL, Clever, Ogorodnikov, Marinadov, History on their packaging they indicated either an incorrect actual weight of the product or information about compliance with GOST, which was not confirmed by experts.

Important!

Each of the samples presented in the study was studied according to a whole set of mandatory requirements for industrial sterility. In addition, the products have been thoroughly examined from a microbiological point of view. During laboratory tests, it was found that the cucumbers did not contain dangerous molds and bacteria. Spores of microorganisms that cause botulism were also not found in any of the samples presented in the study.

Vinegar burns

During this fan study, the parameter of the mass fraction of titratable acids was studied in terms of the most popular acid for marinades in Russia – acetic acid. In fact, the vinegar content in each of the studied samples was determined under laboratory conditions. This indicator, like the salt content in the marinade, was set based on the taste preferences of Russians and the preservative properties of the acid. From the point of view of GOST optimal value acid in the product should be 0.5–0.7%. The Roskachestvo standard set these requirements in the range from 0.4 to 0.6%. It is worth noting that in other countries the attitude towards the acidity of the marinade is completely different. For example, French pickled cucumbers are allowed to contain up to 3.5% titratable acids. The taste buds of Russians are usually simply not ready for such a “vigorous” taste. The high acidity of a product may indicate its potential unsafety: a large amount of vinegar negatively affects the functioning of the human digestive system. On the other hand, a low acid content can provoke a disruption of the microflora in the jar, which can lead to the growth of bacteria in vegetables. According to the results of the study, 17 samples could not meet the increased requirements of Roskachestvo. The products did not correspond to the GOST standards indicated on the label in terms of the content of titratable acids Marinadov, New season, Stoev, which means that the manufacturers of these goods violated the rights of consumers to reliable information indicated on the labeling.

Important!

31 samples of pickled cucumbers presented in the fan study were labeled as “made in Russia.” At the same time, the labels of 17 products, that is, more than half of this list, informed the consumer about the production date of the product, which is not typical for our climatic latitudes. IN industrial scale It is possible to grow and harvest cucumbers for pickling in our country from May to October. Therefore, “domestic” cucumbers produced, for example, in November or February, are most likely repackaged products that came to Russia from South Asian countries.

Large caliber

The size of cucumbers in a jar for any consumer becomes one of the most obvious criteria when choosing a product. Indeed, depending on its length, the vegetable is used to solve completely different culinary problems. small cucumber– makes a great snack in itself. The larger one, when chopped, will be used in the preparation of an extensive list of dishes: from soups to burgers. It is believed that cucumbers 1–3 cm long are suitable for decorating dishes, vegetables 3–6 cm long are “snack” vegetables, and vegetables longer than 9 cm are “salad”. Cases when one jar contains specimens from 1 to 12 cm in length lead to a blurring of consumer views of the product.

The current GOST in the country defines cucumbers with a length of no more than 9 cm as premium products. The Roskachestvo standard has established a more rigid dimensional grid, according to which one jar should contain cucumbers with a length ranging from 3 to 7 cm or from 5 to 9 cm inclusive. It is this classification that quite accurately records the size of the product, depending on the purpose of its consumption. A fairly large variation in cucumber sizes was noted in 13 products. Moreover, deviations from the sizes stated on the packaging were identified in 7 product samples. LUTIK, Ogorodnikov, First of all, Picanta, Thank you for your purchase, New season, Fifth season, which is a violation of consumer rights.

INTERESTING! How to distinguish Indian cucumber from Russian, you can read