At the very beginning of autumn, there comes a time in my family when fresh cucumbers are already a little boring, and it’s too early to open pickled ones. It's time for light salts, which both adults and children adore. Today I will tell you how to quickly and tasty pickle cucumbers at home in different ways: in a pan, in a jar and even in a bag.
Lightly salted cucumbers in a jar in brine
Lightly salted cucumbers are prepared quickly compared to classic pickling. There is no need to sterilize anything, roll it up and wait for the cold winter to open the jar.
Note to the owner! There are several ways to prepare delicious cucumbers: dry, cold and hot. The names speak for themselves. With the dry method, we use only salt and spices; with the cold method, we do not heat the brine; with the hot method, we season it with boiling water.
Prepare freshly salted cucumbers in a liter jar. You can pickle cucumbers in a container of any size, then multiply the amount of ingredients according to the size of your jar.
Ingredients for pickling per 1 liter jar:
- Fresh cucumbers - to fill the jar;
- Dill seeds in umbrellas – 1 piece;
- Garlic – 2 cloves;
- Rock salt – 1 tbsp.
Rinse the cucumbers and even soak them in cold water. Remove the butts and noses. Prepare the jar. Just rinse it with tap water, no need to invent extra work for yourself and sterilize it.
Garlic can be coarsely chopped to enhance its aroma. Sometimes the recipe even suggests grating it. Place garlic and dill umbrella at the bottom of the jar. Now it’s the turn of the cucumbers: place the vegetables in the jar vertically to evenly pickle the fruits.
Advice! Use pimply varieties of cucumbers. Size matters! Choose medium-sized fruits. Cucumbers that are too large will not be firm and will lose their characteristic lightly pickled crunch, while small ones are more suitable for pickling for the winter.
Pour salt into a jar filled to the top and pour boiling water over it. Don't worry, the jar won't crack. Close it with a nylon lid. It is very convenient to store such cucumbers in a jar with a twist.
The salt should dissolve, so after the jar has cooled, shake it well just in case. For pickling, cucumbers need 1 day.
On a note! For the first day, vegetables in brine can stand at room temperature. When the pickling is finished, store the cucumbers in the refrigerator. Due to the lack of vinegar in the recipe, the shelf life is only a couple of weeks, but they are unlikely to be left over the next day.
Instant lightly salted cucumbers with mustard
Mustard powder is also useful for quickly pickling cucumbers.
On a note! With the dry pickling method, cucumbers are pickled in their own juice and absorb more of the aroma of spices. It will take 2 days to prepare, but the result is worth the wait.
If you cook in the summer, then there is no such thing as too much greenery. Add finely chopped dill and parsley to the recipe. In winter, you can use frozen greens.
You will need:
- Fresh cucumbers – 7-10 pcs;
- Rock salt – 1 tbsp. with a slide;
- Sugar – 1 tbsp;
- Mustard powder – 0.5 tbsp;
- Garlic – 4 cloves;
- Vegetable oil.
Don't be surprised that there is sugar in the recipe. But it costs a little less than salt. Sweetness is needed to enhance the taste of mustard.
Prepare the vegetables, wash and trim on both sides. Cut lengthwise into 4 pieces and place in a bowl. Crush the garlic, chop it on a grater and grate each piece well. To infuse the cucumbers with garlic flavor, spread the spices with your hands. Add mustard, sugar, salt and herbs. For dressing, use a tablespoon of oil, stir and cover with a lid or film and leave in a cool place for 48 hours.
The spicy appetizer with mustard is ready. Your guests will appreciate the effort, but try it yourself before all the cucumbers are snapped up.
Instant pickles (not for winter)
There is a way to enjoy salted fruits for dinner. The fastest recipe.
- Fresh cucumbers – 7-10 pieces;
- Garlic – 5 cloves;
- Rock salt – 1 tbsp;
- Cloves – 2 pcs;
- Peppercorns – 2 pcs;
- Currant leaves – 2 pcs;
- Horseradish (leaves, root) – 40 g.
Use a bag for pickling. I advise you to take oven bags as they are thick and the plastic clips will save you from constant tying and untying.
On a note! Do not pickle vegetables with butts. All harmful substances accumulate there. If you are using cucumbers grown in your own garden, you may not need to trim the ends.
The fastest recipe will not take more than 5 minutes to prepare. Place all the spices in a bag, cut the garlic into large pieces, and grate the horseradish root. The more horseradish you add, the spicier and crispier the result will be.
Salt and add spices. You can cut the cucumbers into 4 parts for a more even distribution of salt. Shake the bag well and close with a clip.
If you pickled cucumbers in the morning, you can safely open the package in the evening. These cucumbers are best served with boiled potatoes, chicken or meat. You can also use them to prepare Olivier salad and other salads.
On a note! You can pickle cucumbers in 5 minutes. In this case, you need to finely chop the vegetables and add all the spices. Place in a bag and shake well. Leave on the table for 5 minutes. That's it, the dish is ready. But the taste will be different; this option is more like a salad.
A quick way to pickle cucumbers with celery
Celery is the king of vegetables. It is useful from root tips to stem tips! Did you know that dishes with the addition of greens or celery root become lower in calories? Ladies, write down the recipe! The spicy taste is perfect for preparing an interesting snack.
How to pickle cucumbers in a tasty and quick way? We will need:
- Fresh cucumbers – 1.5 kg;
- Horseradish - 2 leaves;
- Garlic – 5-6 cloves;
- Rock salt – 3 tbsp;
- Cherry leaves – 4 pcs;
- Celery stalks – 70 g;
- Greenery.
Advice! Iodized and sea salt are not suitable for salting. Use regular cookware. The fact is that iodine in salt reduces the ability of salt as a natural preservative. Have your cucumber jars exploded? Perhaps the salt is to blame.
Prepare the cucumbers by trimming the ends. Cut the leaves that you managed to find into pieces. If you can’t find cherries, then use currant or oak leaves.
Finely chop the celery greens and mix with garlic and herbs. Place the leaves on the bottom of the jar, and alternate the greens with cucumbers. When the jar is full, add salt and fill with cold water.
On a note! For the recipe for lightly salted cucumbers, do not pack the vegetables too tightly. For uniform pickling, there should be a small distance between the fruits.
There is no need to shake the jar, just cover it with a cloth or gauze and leave it in a dark place to sour for 3 days. In just a couple of days they will be on your plate.
Advice! Lightly salted cucumbers can also be cooked in a saucepan. If you have a plastic container, you can make a small portion to try. A week after pickling, the taste of lightly salted cucumbers will already be more reminiscent of the usual winter pickles, so it is better to cook in small portions.
It's better to see once than to hear 100 times! Watch a video on how to pickle cucumbers at home quickly and tasty in a jar, bag or pan:
All recipes do not require special skills. Even an inexperienced housewife can make freshly pickled cucumbers quickly. I wish you a delicious crunch in good company. Bon appetit!
