Despite the arguments of scientists that bitterness in cucumbers is useful, few will be delighted with the purchase of such fruits. An even more unpleasant situation is when almost the entire harvest, intended for pickling or pickling, is bitter. About whether salted bitter fruits for the winter, or it is better to refuse them, read in this article.
Is it possible to salt bitter cucumbers for the winter?
Bitterness in cucumbers is caused by the accumulation of a substance called cucurbitacin in the area of their tails. Salting for the winter is one of the few ways to get rid of the bitter aftertaste. With heat treatment or with prolonged exposure of vegetables in concentrated saline, cucurbitacin is completely destroyed.
Therefore, unsuitable for eating fresh cucumbers can be successfully salted. In slightly salted, salted and pickled fruits, bitterness is not felt at all.
Thus, the bitter fruits are suitable for harvesting for the winter, the main thing is to choose the right recipe. The peculiarity of the closure of such cucumbers is the need to first get rid of the tips, as well as soak in cold water.
Important! When working with bitter cucumbers, take a particularly responsible approach to the canning process. Strictly adhere to the recipe and all recommendations.
Selection and preparation of ingredients
Select dense, fresh samples without cracks, stains, or rot; it is desirable that they be even. Thoroughly wash the selected green vegetables, then immerse them in a deep basin with cold water for at least 10-12 hours. It is recommended to refresh the water periodically.
Salting Recipes
The prescriptions below are specifically designed for bitter vegetables. They suggest the use of spices and hot ingredients. A variety of recipes allows you to cook a snack in accordance with your preferences.
In tomato
90 minutes
garlic
5 small heads
tomato paste
0.5 cup
sunflower oil
250 ml
table vinegar 6%
0.5 cup
ground black pepper
1 tbsp. l
Nutritional value per 100 g:
- For washed fruit, cut off the tips. Then cut the vegetables lengthwise into two or four parts.
- Transfer the cucumbers into a large pot, cover with chopped garlic, paprika, granulated sugar, salt and pepper. Pour in sunflower oil and tomato. Send the products to simmer over low heat for half an hour.
- Pour water with vinegar into the cucumbers, then cover them with a lid and cook for another 15 minutes.
- Distribute the cucumbers over the banks, fill with brine and send for sterilization.
- Using the grab, remove the cans from the boiling water and roll up.
- Cover the blanks with a warm blanket. Keep the finished roll upside down until it cools completely.
Important! Jars in which you plan to cover the fruits for the winter should be washed thoroughly with detergent, then sterilized. A similar procedure should go through the covers.
Spicy cucumbers
40 minutes
black peppercorns
10 pieces.
green bell peppers
1 pod
blackcurrant leaves
5 pieces.
Nutritional value per 100 g:
- Leave the washed cucumbers intact, cutting off only their tips.
- Peppers, peppers, chop into small parts.
- Chop the horseradish root and garlic into rings, and onions into half rings.
- At the bottom of the can, lay the washed leaves and dill umbrellas. Place cucumbers tightly on top, cover with chopped pepper, onion, garlic and horseradish.
- Pour boiling water into the jar and leave for 5 minutes.
- Drain the fruit into a separate pot. Send a container of water to a medium heat, add the remaining components (vinegar, black pepper, sugar and salt) to it.
- Boiled marinade fill to the top a jar with vegetables and spices.
- Roll up the jar, then turn it over and cover with a blanket until it cools completely.
Did you know? Together with other valuable gifts, the ancient Egyptians placed the fruits of cucumbers in the graves of their pharaohs.
Spicy cucumbers
40 minutes
allspice
4 peas
table vinegar 9%
6 tbsp. l
mustard seeds
0.5 tsp
currant leaves
taste
Nutritional value per 100 g:
- For thoroughly washed fruits, cut off the tips.
- Chop the garlic and hot pepper.
- Fill the glass containers with peppercorns, parsley, mustard seeds, as well as chopped garlic and hot pepper.
- Place the cucumbers in a jar, pour boiling water and leave for 20 minutes.
- After the specified time, drain the water from the vegetables into the pan. Send a container of water to medium heat. Water must be salted, sugared and brought to a boil.
- Boiling brine fill the jar with cucumbers and spices, leaving a little space. Pour vinegar on top.
- Roll up the can. Soak the finished preservation in an inverted state until it finally cools down.
Features of storage of blanks
Organize storage of workpieces in a cold place (basement, cellar). In the apartment also choose the coldest place, for example, a balcony.
Did you know? July 27 is celebrated worldwide as the International Cucumber Day
How to prevent the appearance of bitterness in cucumbers in the garden
The bitterness of cucumbers is an inherited species trait - most often the fruits of such varieties as Nezhinsky, Vyaznikovsky and Murom are bitter. If these varieties are made to mature in an adverse environment, they will grow bitter. The harmful conditions for them are heat, bright sun, lack or excess of moisture, sharp temperature fluctuations.
Therefore, compliance with recommendations for the cultivation of cucumber crops will prevent the appearance of bitterness in the fruits:
- Watering should be moderate. To shade the bushes, use the joint crops of cucumbers and corn.
- It is also necessary to regularly clean ripened specimens, since it is impossible that old cucumbers remain on the bushes. In this situation, the growing cucumber will develop longer than usual, which will cause the accumulation of cucurbitacin.
- Use warm water for irrigation. To make sure that there is enough moisture for the bushes, dig the earth in the garden - it should be at least 15 cm wet.
- Pay close attention to the choice of seed. Most modern varieties have a special gene that prevents the accumulation of cucurbitacin in the cucumber. Ask a consultant in a specialty store to help you choose a “sweet” variety.
As you can see, talking about the complete futility of bitter cucumbers is a myth. We hope you no longer have a question about what to do with the harvest of bitter fruits. Subject to all the recommendations for salting, the bitterness will completely disappear, and in winter, an excellent snack will appear on the table in the form of hot, spicy or lightly salted cucumbers.
