Many people believe that fast food cannot be tasty. And they are extremely mistaken. For example, you can whip up delicious lightly salted cucumbers. After some time, depending on the salting method, you will be able to enjoy a crispy delicacy that no one can resist.
Previously, we learned that cucumbers can be pickled in several ways - in a jar, pan, and even. Today we will discuss in detail the preparation of snacks in brine. As you know, this method is divided into 2 types - cold and hot pouring. Each of them has its own advantages and is good in its own way. I love both and simply alternate cooking options so that my loved ones don’t get bored.
To complement the brine with bright flavors, some add apple, leaves of fruit bushes, lemon, aromatic and spicy herbs. But even the classic recipes are very good. The main thing is to achieve an ideal result, you need to follow several rules:
1. Banks must be sterilized before use. Otherwise, you risk getting a quickly deteriorating product, and this is the best case scenario. At worst, it can be harmful to your health. Any container in which you are going to cook must be perfectly clean.
2. For lightly pickled cucumbers, it is better to choose pickled varieties. They are easily identified by the presence of frequent small pimples. They also have elastic flesh and thin skin. Soft and watery specimens are not suitable.
3. Don't overdo it with salt. If you think that the more salt you add, the faster dish will be ready, then you are mistaken. Excess of this ingredient can soften the structure of the vegetable. Especially if you choose fine salt for this. Need a big one!
In addition, there are many other aspects that, if followed, will help you achieve success. We will discuss them below.
When the desire to enjoy your favorite snack suddenly grabs you by the throat, and you have to wait at least 12 hours for regular salted salts - don’t worry! I will introduce you to an extra quick recipe that will allow you to satisfy your cravings in just a couple of hours.
Despite all the speed of preparation, they turn out very tasty and aromatic. You prepare them and you will understand everything yourself.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 kilograms of small, young, strong cucumbers;
- 1 Bay leaf IR;
- 1 bunch of dill;
- approximately 1 dessert spoon of coriander seeds;
- 5 cloves of garlic;
- 1 red hot pepper;
- 1 heaped tablespoon of coarse salt;
- 30 grams of sand;
- 2 plastic bags.
Choose cucumbers that are firm and firm. It is advisable to select pickling varieties for this. If you have limp vegetables, it is better to initially soak them for 6-8 hours in ice water.
They need to be washed, cut off the ends and dried on a napkin.
The size of the vegetables depends on how soon you are going to salt them. If your plans include eating them after 2-3 hours, then it is better to divide them into halves or even circles. It is better to marinate whole cucumbers for about 12 hours to achieve perfect pickling.
We're going to enjoy the snack in a couple of hours, so we'll cut them in half. Place the cucumbers in a bag. Add chopped dill to them. I use both greens and stems.
Prepare spices for pickling. To do this, combine salt and sugar in a small bowl. Lightly crush the coriander in a mortar. Rub it not into flour, but into a state of depression. We do this to give coriander the opportunity to fully reveal its aromatic capabilities.
Add it to the salt and sand mixture. Chop the bay leaf a little with your hands and send it there.
Now you need to add chopped garlic and chili peppers to a bag of vegetables. Sprinkle the spice mixture on top.
Seal the bag and shake gently so that the ingredients thoroughly coat each cucumber.
If you are using a regular packaging bag, it is better to put on another one so as not to lose the juice released by the cucumbers. Its leakage will not only cause inconvenience in the refrigerator compartment, but will also affect the quality of the salting, because its presence is important in this matter.
Leave the bag of salted salts on the table for half an hour.
Then put them in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. After this time, the sample can be taken.
The results are incredibly tasty and aromatic cucumbers that are easy to prepare and quickly serve. I often serve these cucumbers with a vegetable or cereal side dish, as well as with meat. But even if you only put a plate of cucumbers on the table, it won’t last long - it will be snatched up in an instant.
Lightly salted cucumbers in a bag with garlic and dill
These cucumbers are prepared in minimal time and they turn out great. All you need is fresh young cucumbers, spices, garlic and dill.
Remember that too much garlic can adversely affect the crunch of cucumbers. Therefore, for one and a half kilograms of vegetables, 2-3 large or 5 medium slices are enough.
Required ingredients:
- 1.5 kilograms of small cucumbers;
- 2 cloves of garlic;
- 1 laurel;
- 5 peppercorns;
- 1 dessert spoon of whole coriander peas;
- 1 bunch of dill;
- 3 currant leaves;
- 30 grams of granulated sugar;
- 2 tablespoons of coarse salt.
It is better to use coarse salt for lightly pickling cucumbers. Fine salt can have a bad effect on the structure of lightly salted vegetables. It may soften and become wobbly.
To make salt and seasonings saturate the vegetables faster, remove their tails literally a couple of centimeters.
At the end of preparing the snack, we will also need 2 plastic bags. Insert the first one into the other one and put the cucumbers into it. A double layer will help avoid leakage of the secreted juice, which is necessary for pickling cucumbers.
Add salt, sand, coriander, peppercorns, chopped bunch of herbs, bay leaves, currant leaves and chopped in a convenient way garlic.
Tie both bags tightly and shake, actively distributing the spices among the cucumbers. Leave the cucumbers on the table for 2-3 hours.
After the specified time has passed, refrigerate the bag for another 8 hours. Then you can try to see if our appetizer is thoroughly marinated.
You will feel the aroma as soon as you start opening the package. The cucumbers have acquired a yellowish tint, which means they are ready.
I can already hear that delicious crunch! Bon appetit!
How to pickle cucumbers with cold mineral water (recipe for crispy lightly salted cucumbers)
I consider this recipe one of the fastest and most versatile. Therefore, once a week this snack appears on the table. We eat it just like that, and in addition to a side dish. Especially, cucumbers are delicious with mashed potatoes.
Ingredients:
- 1 kilogram of cucumbers;
- coarse sea salt - 3 level tablespoons;
- 1 liter of carbonated mineral water;
- dill - 1 bunch;
- 5 medium cloves of garlic.
Wash the cucumbers and trim the ends.
With a jug of mineral water, add salt. This is where sparkling water is important. Because the presence of bubbles directly affects the crunch of cucumbers. This is my secret ingredient that I share with you.
Salt, in turn, also requires proper selection. It must be large. Finely ground iodized salt can adversely affect the elasticity of the vegetable.
Stir the solution and leave it alone while you prepare the other ingredients.
Crush the garlic with a knife, unpeeled. Coarsely chop the dill along with the stems and place half on the bottom of the dish. IN in this case, we took an enamel saucepan.
Add half of the crushed garlic to it.
Cucumbers will fall dense layer on a fragrant pillow. They need to be lightly crushed without damaging the fruit.
Cover them on top with the remaining dill and garlic. Stir the water in the jug again and pour it over the cucumbers. If there is not enough liquid, just add more.
Cover this entire beautiful green composition in carbonated brine with a lid and put it in the refrigerator for a day. Within 24 hours you will have a unique opportunity to enjoy the harmonious taste of cucumbers.
I love this delicacy for its versatility. They can be successfully combined with other dishes and simply slipped to children as a replacement for their favorite chips.
Crispy lightly salted cucumbers with hot brine
The main advantage of the hot method over the cold method is faster cooking times. The boiling water cooks most of the vegetable, allowing for extra marinating. As a result, we get the most delicate cucumbers with a refined and piquant taste.
We've already looked at many hot brine recipes. This time I will introduce you to in an original way pickling. We will salt them together with apples. This will give the vegetables a slight dessert note.
Ingredients:
- 1 kilogram of pickling cucumbers;
- 2-3 medium apples;
- 1 bunch of fresh dill;
- a couple of leaves of a currant bush;
- 1.5 level tablespoons of salt;
- 3 cloves of garlic;
- 1 liter of water.
Wash the dill and leaves and divide into 2 parts. We already know what this is for. Namely, the first one will lie on the bottom of the dish, and the second one will cover the cucumbers.
Wash and pour cucumbers ice water for a few hours. It's better to do this at night.
Place the cucumbers tightly on the bed of herbs. Place apples, previously washed and cut into slices, on the second layer of herbs. Add garlic.
Pour 1 liter of water into a saucepan, bring to a boil and dissolve the salt. Pour this solution into a container with cucumbers and apples. Then cover with a lid and leave for 5-6 hours. The dishes must be refrigerated for another 8 hours.
The next morning you can try your result. In this case, you can eat both cucumbers and apples. The taste is indescribable. Better try it yourself.
How to prepare crispy lightly salted cucumbers at home using cold brine
As we have already said, there are two methods of pickling with brine - cold and hot. We'll talk about the hot stuff later, but we'll discuss the cold stuff right now.
I love this recipe because after pickling the cucumbers, they look just like the picture. Cold water energizes them, preserves beneficial microelements and natural taste. They turn out incredibly appetizing and crispy.
Also, this method seems to me to be the safest since you don't have to deal with high temperatures. My family loves this delicacy and asks for more every time. Try it too, you won’t regret it!
Ingredients:
- peppercorns - 4 pieces;
- sprigs of dill along with trunks;
- 4 cloves of garlic;
- horseradish leaves;
- 1 liter of cold water;
- 2 tablespoons salt.
For preparation, you can take any deep container. In this case we will use a saucepan.
Note! If you are also going to cook a snack in a pan, then choose it seriously. The cookware must be made of stainless steel or enamel coated. Containers with chips and cracks will not be suitable.
Cucumbers, especially if they have been plucked from the bush for more than 3 days, must be filled very cold water for a few hours. As the liquid warms up at room temperature, it needs to be changed.
Tear the dill and horseradish into large pieces with your hands. Chop the garlic into medium cubes; it is better not to put it through a press. In general, we don’t have to grind all these ingredients. But by doing this, we give them the opportunity to fully reveal their aromatic charms in the brine and the cucumbers will be saturated with them faster.
Divide dill, horseradish and garlic into two parts. The first will lie at the bottom of the jar, feeding the fruits from below, and the second will cover the vegetables and nourish them from above. Thus, we will get a richer taste in a short time.
Place the first part of herbs and garlic in a dry and clean saucepan, at the bottom. Then arrange the cucumbers tightly and cover again with herbs and garlic. Sprinkle the composition with peppercorns on top. If desired, you can add currant leaves.
Let's move on to preparing the brine. A liter of cold mineral water(you can use regular filtered one) completely dissolve the salt. Pour the resulting liquid into the pan and put it in a cold room for a day.
If the cucumbers sit a little longer than expected, they will become saltier and richer. So, if you prefer it that way, you can let it brew longer.
The snack turns out very crispy and tasty. By the way, the garlic has already been pickled and can be eaten. Try it!
Delicious cucumbers in brine with garlic and dill
It’s no secret that garlic and dill give this delicacy a special aroma. These two ingredients are very common in recipes. You can, of course, do without them, but when these products are present in the jar, it tastes better.
The special aroma of dill and garlic is revealed by boiling water, so we will consider this recipe using hot brine. These cucumbers turn out to be more tender and piquant, with a light and inviting crunch. And the lemon present in the brine will provide a unique sourness.
Ingredients:
- 1 kilogram of dense medium cucumbers;
- 2 caps and 2 bunches of dill;
- 4 cloves of garlic;
- 1 lemon (recommended)
- 4 peppercorns (allspice or black);
- 2 tablespoons salt;
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar;
- 1 liter of water
Rinse the cucumbers and cover with ice water. Leave alone for 3-4 hours. Then drain the liquid, dry the vegetables with a towel and cut the cucumbers into slices.
Wash and dry all plants for marinade. Place a bunch and 1 cap of dill, 2 cloves of chopped garlic on the bottom of a sterilized jar. Place cucumbers tightly on top horizontal position. Place lemon slices between them and along the walls of the container. Sprinkle peppercorns on top. If desired, you can add some cilantro seeds.
Cover all this beauty with the remaining herbs and garlic. Meanwhile, place a saucepan with a liter of water on the stove and wait until it boils. Dissolve salt and sugar there. Immediately after boiling, pour brine into the jar.
Cover with a nylon lid and leave to cool. After this, the dishes should be taken to the basement or placed in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning you can take the first sample.
If you feel like the cucumbers haven’t been salted enough yet, you can leave them alone for a few more hours.
So, in short time you can get wonderful and delicious salted salts. I cook this recipe very often. Try it too!
Crispy cucumbers in brine. How much brine is needed for 1 liter?
Many people adore this dish precisely for its pronounced crunch and juiciness. If you fall into this category, then this recipe is for you. Brine in cold water has the properties of saturating vegetables with crunch.
We will cook the cucumbers, this time in carbonated mineral water, which will add even more crispness and flavor. Any highly carbonated water is suitable for this and should be used immediately after opening the bottle so as not to lose a valuable dose of gases. Let's prepare the food in 1 liter jars so you can eat it all at once. After all, the line between lightly salted and simply pickled cucumbers is very thin, and after a few hours they change their status.
Ingredients:
- 300-500 grams of fresh small cucumbers;
- 2 currant leaves;
- a small branch of cherry with leaves;
- horseradish root (leaves can be used);
- 3 peas of allspice or black pepper;
- 1 tablespoon salt;
- 300-500 grams of soda.
Usually, on liter jar, tightly packed with cucumbers, you need about a glass of water. If the jar is not completely filled, then more liquid is needed. Prepare 500 milliliters. If the brine remains, it's okay. If it’s not enough, you can just add water.
Soak the cucumbers for several hours in cold water. Then dry and remove the butts. If you are preparing large fruits, then they need to be divided into halves or several parts, depending on the size.
Rinse and sterilize the jar in a convenient way. Cut the horseradish root into pieces, break the twig in half, and tear the leaves into 2 parts. Place the first part of these ingredients at the bottom of a glass jar. Press the cucumbers tightly on top. Place the remaining ingredients for the marinade, except salt, on top.
Dissolve the salt in the water, stirring as thoroughly as possible so that no crystals remain. Fill the jar to the top so that the liquid level covers the entire contents of the container. Cover with a nylon lid and refrigerate for a day.
The next day you can invite your family to the table, greeting them with crispy cucumbers. You can eat them with any side dish. But they are especially good with potatoes and herbs! Bon appetit!
Video on how to cook cucumbers in brine
We can talk about the topic of lightly salted cucumbers for a very long time. Every home loves this delicacy. Absolutely all family members, including children, can eat it. The aroma of malosol not only stimulates a healthy appetite, but also perfectly removes hunger.
You can combine the dish with anything. This could be barbecue, mashed potatoes, pasta and much more. Even in pure form it flies off the table faster than chips or sunflower seeds.
Check out these other canning recipes:
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- The skin should have pimples and black spines.
- Yellowish and overgrown cucumbers are not suitable for this pickling method.
- It is better to taste the cucumbers so that they are not bitter. Bitters are also not used!
- The skin should be dense. Then the cucumbers will turn out crispy.
- The best water for pickling is spring water. If you are in the city, use bottled water or mineral water. You can also boil it and filter it through a charcoal filter to purify and improve the taste of the water.
- Be sure to soak the cucumbers for at least 3 hours. This will make the cucumbers stronger and more elastic. This will affect the crunch in the finished product.
- Before adding cucumbers, glass jars should be soaked in a soda solution, then washed very thoroughly with warm water and soap. Rinse thoroughly and pour over boiling water. Dry.
- To sterilize jars, you can bake them in the oven at 110 degrees. Or boil them together with lids for 10-15 minutes. Lids are sterilized only in boiling water.
- Large cucumbers are placed on the bottom, if they are very large, then vertically. On top are small cucumbers. All cucumbers are laid as close to each other as possible. Spices are placed on the bottom, you can put them between layers of cucumbers. After pouring the brine, cover the cucumbers with currant and horseradish leaves.
- Use rock salt. Using a small one, there is a high probability of spoiling the cucumbers and they will turn out soft. And this contradicts our recipe! 50-60 g of salt are usually added to 1 liter of water. This is approximately 2–2.5 tbsp. salt. The brine can be cold or hot. If you use vinegar, it must be hot, but then you will end up with pickled cucumbers.
Did you like the recipes? Be sure to share them on social networks so as not to lose them. When the time comes and you try them in practice, tell us about your successes. Your opinion and experience is very important to us! Thank you for your attention. Until new, tasty and healthy meetings!
Crispy and aromatic pickles are not only a delicious joy for the whole family, but also the pride of any housewife. This appetizer takes pride of place on the Russian table. It goes well with meat, vegetables and just boiled potatoes and greens. Winter preparations often “swell”, turn sour and spoil. And lovers of this delicacy have to suffer without their favorite delicacy. Then they come to the rescue lightly salted cucumbers.
Just the mention of them makes your mouth water. Crispy, brown-green in color, in a clear brine... mmm... And, most importantly, they can be prepared in a short time. But to enjoy them fully, you will have to wait a couple of days. I lightly salt cucumbers all year round. In winter and spring, of course, I do this less often, since I have to buy cucumbers in the store, and this is not always cheap.
This recipe is the most “fast-acting”. These cucumbers are marinated for no more than a day. We will marinate them using carbonated mineral water, which will make them even crispier.
To prepare you will need:
- 1 kilogram of smooth and comparable-sized cucumbers;
- 1 liter of chilled sparkling water;
- currant leaves - about 10 pieces;
- garlic - 1 medium head;
- horseradish - you can use both the leaves and the root;
- dill - 1 fresh bunch;
- table salt - 40-50 grams.
Dissolve salt in half the amount of water (500 grams).
The specified amount of garlic, currant leaves, horseradish and dill should be divided in half. The first part will go to the bottom of the dish, and the second will cover the cucumbers.
Chop the dill into the bottom of the saucepan. I do this with my hands; some are more accustomed to using a knife. Place currant leaves, chopped horseradish root or leaves here and cut the garlic into rings.
Place washed cucumbers in a dense layer on a fragrant pillow. If the tops are bitter, it is better to remove them. If the cucumbers are from my own plot and I am sure there is no bitterness, then I usually do not remove the “butts”.
Grind the remaining ingredients on top in the same way.
Pour the cucumbers first with the solution of salt and mineral water that we prepared earlier, and then with the remaining 500 grams of soda.
The brine should be higher than the level of the cucumbers, otherwise unsoaked specimens will not be salted.
Place a round saucer on top and a press on it. This could be a jug or jar of water.
After a couple of hours, put the saucepan in the cold and the next morning you can enjoy juicy, crispy and cold cucumbers. The spicy brine provides a very appetizing aroma.
Crunch for your health!
Cold water recipe
This method of salting has long been loved by our housewives. Thanks to it, vegetables after cooking have a natural rich taste and crunch. After all, hot water cooks the cucumbers a little and they turn out softer.
In addition, cold brine is very easy to prepare and you do not have to work with boiling water, because this is completely unsafe. Therefore, I adopted this method and have been actively using it for several years now. I will share it with you too.
Ingredients:
- 1 kilogram of medium-sized and evenly shaped cucumbers;
- 4-5 cloves of garlic;
- dill along with the stem - to taste;
- 1 tablespoon coarse salt;
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar;
- black pepper or allspice;
- ice water - approximately 1 liter;
- 1 tablespoon 10% vinegar - optional.
Adjust the amount of garlic and dill based on your taste preferences. If you like a richer garlic and spicy aroma, then you can take more greens and a whole head of garlic.
Chop half the herbs and garlic into a bowl, in our case an elongated drink jug. Send peppercorns there, literally 6-8 pieces. The garlic can be cut into rings or simply cut in half.
Wash the cucumbers and cut off the tops. If they are young and do not produce bitterness, you don’t have to do this at all. Place the cucumbers evenly and tightly in a bowl with dill and garlic.
Lay out the longer and larger ones first, and the smallest ones can be placed on top.
Cover the top with the remaining prepared spices.
In a liter of ice water, stir salt and granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon each. Stir until the grains dissolve. If you want, you can add a little vinegar to the brine. If you don't have one, then no problem. Without it it will be no less tasty.
Pour the resulting brine over the cucumbers.
The most exciting moment comes - the waiting. Under the lid, the dish with pickles should stand in the refrigerator for at least a day. Be patient, it's worth it!
Classic cucumber recipe for 2 and 3 liter jars
The classic recipe is the simplest and most delicious. It’s not difficult to prepare, and it doesn’t take long to wait for the pickling to be ready.
Ingredients:
- fresh cucumbers - about 1 kilogram;
- a bunch of fresh dill;
- 4-5 bay leaves;
- 3 cherry tree leaves;
- garlic - 1 head;
- 100 grams of iodized salt;
- the water is cool.
The number of cucumbers shown is approximate. It all depends on their size. This determines how many pieces will fit into a 2 or 3 liter jar.
In a separate bowl, dilute the salt in about a liter of water. If when you fill the cucumbers with this brine, it is not enough, then just add required amount liquids.
In a jar of the chosen denomination - 2 or 3 liters, you first need to make a “fragrant pillow” for cucumbers. First add the dill. You can put the whole bunch, or you can chop it. Place cherry leaves, bay leaves and peeled garlic here (each clove should be cut in half or into slices).
Place the cucumbers tightly on top.
You can put an umbrella of dill on top. Stir the salt solution prepared earlier again and pour it into the jar.
Cover with a lid and refrigerate for at least 2 days.
After a couple of days, the delicious and aromatic snack is ready to eat!
Lightly salted cucumbers in a bag
Now we will look at a recipe for lightly pickled cucumbers that is not quite ordinary and very popular among housewives. We will make them without brine, in a bag. It is very convenient and takes up less space in the kitchen. Be sure to try it.
- fresh smooth cucumbers - about 1 kilogram;
- garlic - 1 head;
- fine salt - 1 teaspoon;
- dill - 1 fresh bunch;
- a little cilantro;
- dill umbrella - optional.
For any type of lightly salted food, you need to take medium and thin cucumbers. This way they will be more likely to be saturated with the marinade and will be ready faster. If you have large cucumbers, it is better to cut them in half or into quarters.
Wash the cucumbers and cut off the ends on both sides. If you took whole, small vegetables, then you need to pierce them with a fork in several places to ensure better access to the marinade. If the cucumbers are sliced, this is not necessary.
Chop the dill in small increments. You don’t have to chop the cilantro, but use it as a whole sprig. Place the prepared vegetables in a plastic bag. Place the stored herbs, chopped garlic cloves and salt on top.
Tie the bag so that there is not much air left inside. Place it in a second bag to prevent the juice from leaking. Shake everything gently but thoroughly so that all the ingredients for the marinade are well distributed among the cucumbers.
The dish will be ready in 2-4 hours. During this time, you need to periodically shake the bag several times. After a couple of hours, you will see that the cucumbers have released their juice, which means they are close to being ready.
This express method has won my trust. Cucumbers are indeed very tasty and rich. And the speed of readiness is a separate plus!
Cold Cooking Recipe
Ice brine, as we know, preserves vegetables' natural crunch and flavor. This is not its only advantage. In addition, cucumbers retain useful substances that disappear when exposed to boiling water.
I love making cucumbers in a cold marinade. I make them more often than in boiling water. But also hot way I'm also welcome. Now we will look at another recipe for lightly salted cucumbers using the cold method. Fast, tasty and convenient.
Ingredients:
- 1 kilogram of equally smooth cucumbers;
- 1 liter of ice water;
- 1 tablespoon salt;
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar;
- horseradish root;
- cilantro sprigs;
- umbrellas or feathers of dill;
- 1 head of garlic;
- currant, cherry or raspberry leaves;
- allspice (several peas).
Rinse the cucumbers and greens well. You need to cut off the butts of cucumbers, especially if they are dry or bitter.
If the fruits are large and thick, then it is better to cut them. You can do this in half, quarter or even cut them into circles. You decide. The fact is that large cucumbers will take a long time to “reach” and the middle may turn out to be fresh.
Place chopped herbs, reserved leaves on the bottom of the saucepan and chop the horseradish. Cucumbers will lie on top in a dense layer. If the dishes are large and there are not many cucumbers, then it’s okay if they float freely in the liquid.
Sprinkle some herbs and peppercorns on top.
For those who like something spicy, you can add a couple of chili peppers to the saucepan with cucumbers.
Cut the garlic cloves in half and place on the cucumbers.
In a separate bowl, dissolve salt and sugar in a liter of water. Stir until dissolved maximum amount grains. It is not easy to dissolve them completely, so you will have to try.
Pour the resulting solution over the cucumbers in the pan.
The very next day you will be able to enjoy your creation. Bon appetit!
A classic version of lightly salted cucumbers with hot brine
I use the hot method because the cucumbers are more flavorful and their cooking time is no more than 8 hours. You can marinate in the evening, and the next morning you can enjoy delicious cucumbers.
We will pickle “drunk” cucumbers in a spicy brine. It is safe to eat them, since the amount of the special ingredient is small and it partially evaporates in boiling water.
Ingredients:
- 1 kilogram of cucumbers;
- a teaspoon of honey;
- 1 whole garlic;
- 4 bay leaves;
- 1 chili pepper;
- 2 dill flowers;
- 5 leaves of cherry bush and currant;
- greens or horseradish root;
- salt - about 2 tbsp. l.;
- 30 grams of vodka;
- 1 liter of water.
Soak the cucumbers in ice water for half an hour. Further contrast in boiling water will do the trick and after cooking they will become crispier and tasty.
Summer is the time for sun, hot days, and the time for vegetables and fruits to ripen. In the hot air you always want to find coolness, and fresh vegetables from the garden can best quench your thirst and appetite. Cucumber salads are a quick and best solution for eating outdoors, because they contain a high content of nutrients, including potassium, which improves kidney and heart function. Thanks to great content fiber, this vegetable helps cleanse the body of toxins.
Selection of cucumbers
Along with salads on the summer table of many housewives appear lightly salted cucumbers. This product, like no other, can please with its taste, speed of preparation and versatility. There are many recipes for cooking lightly salted cucumbers, but first let’s look at how to choose the best vegetables for processing.
For pickling, you should choose medium-sized or small cucumbers that are firm, have thin skin, and do not turn yellow. Of course, it would be ideal if the vegetable comes from your own garden, so you will know that it does not contain any harmful substances and is perfect for consumption. You can buy cucumbers at the market or in a store, or outside the city from farmers. Before pickling, be sure to taste the cucumber in advance and make sure it is not bitter. It’s good if you use vegetables freshly picked from the garden for the recipe. It’s worth starting to prepare lightly salted cucumbers on the day of purchase or harvest, and not the next one, so the main ingredient will not begin to fade and it will turn out tastier.
Tip for preparing evenly pickled cucumbers: choose approximately the same size of vegetable, because the cucumbers will not remain in the brine all winter, but much less.
The importance of clean water
To get delicious lightly salted cucumbers using the cold method, pay attention to the water you are going to use. A little is needed, but High Quality, because water is one of the most important ingredients and taste and salting depend on its quality. Take for crispy cucumbers only pure spring liquid or water from a well. If it is not possible to get such water, filtered water will do.
Forget about simple centralized tap water, it will ruin the whole recipe. If you are concerned about the quality of your water, using a silver spoon will help clear the liquid within a few hours.
Salting methods
It is most convenient to pickle lightly salted cucumbers in a saucepan, since it is very convenient to remove and put the main ingredient into it. The pan must be enameled. If you don’t have one, ceramic and glassware will do. You can use a regular jar, but it requires sealed plastic cover. If you are salting in a saucepan, you need to prepare in advance a lid for it in order to press the cucumbers with it. If there is no suitable lid, use a plate or saucer. Be sure to place a heavy object on top of the lid to create the necessary pressure on the product.
To make the cucumber crunch pleasantly in your mouth, leave it in cool water for several hours. This should be done so that the cucumbers, despite salting, remain dense and hard. If you want to quickly get lightly salted cucumbers, you don’t need to soak for a long time; 3 hours will be enough.
Among the herbs that are added to lightly salted cucumbers, the recipes of many housewives contain dill and garlic. Among other ingredients you can find the use of horseradish leaves. They help preserve cucumbers from mold. Experienced housewives more add currant leaves, saying that they make cucumbers have a pleasant crunch and give them a unique aroma.
Currant berries add an unusual bright sourness. You can use these fruits of different colors; the notes they add always go well with cucumber. Housewives also love to add a few pieces of apples; this fruit gives the pickling a special taste.
It is best to use all spices and other ingredients for the recipe in small quantities, otherwise the cucumbers can be spoiled. The constant components of any salting are bay and black pepper. You always have them in your home spice box and they pleasantly highlight any recipe prepared with their help.
A few more words about salt for lightly salted cucumbers. You should not put iodized or sea water, it is suitable for salads. Use a large stone one, because small ones can make the cucumbers softer. Even when salting different ways the required amount of salt per liter of water is 2 tablespoons.
The recipe is ready in cool water within a day. You shouldn’t keep the cucumbers in the jar for too long, otherwise they will become a little softer and won’t be crunchy. When the cucumbers gain flavor, you should remove the pan or jar to a cool place. This way, the fermentation process can slow down and the taste of the cucumbers will not change too quickly. But still, every day the cucumbers according to the recipe below will turn into pickles. To pamper yourself with lightly salted cucumbers for longer, you should make them in small batches. To pickle cucumbers very quickly, It is recommended to cut off the ends. Now it’s worth starting to describe recipes for lightly salted cucumbers.
Recipes for pickling in cold water are suitable primarily for those who grow their own cucumbers in the country. The conditions for salting using boiling water are not suitable for all summer residents, and cold water is most acceptable for such conditions.
A simple and tasty recipe for lightly salted cucumbers with cold water
You need to take:
Sequencing:
- Wash the cucumbers well and soak in ice water for two hours.
- Prepare brine: based on the calculation of salt and water given above. For a three-liter jar you will need a little less than two liters of brine. If something settles at the bottom of the container, under no circumstances should you pour it into a jar of cucumbers. It is necessary to settle the water for the brine so that it turns out clean, without stones or turbidity.
- Wash the jar well, you can use baking soda and rinse well.
- Wash the dill, horseradish root, and currant leaves. Finely chop everything. Grate horseradish. Peel the garlic.
- When the cucumbers have been in the water enough, you can take them out.
- You should start with horseradish. Put it in a jar. Add more than half the greens and half the garlic there.
- Place a layer of cucumbers. Then a clove of garlic and more herbs. Then another layer of cucumbers, another clove of garlic and a little more herbs.
- When you put all the cucumbers in the jar, sprinkle the rest of the herbs and garlic on top.
- Pour in brine.
- Cut a paper circle the size of the lid for this jar and cover the top of the cucumbers. This is so that mold collects on this paper and does not get to the cucumbers.
- Cover with a tight plastic lid, first pouring boiling water over it. Close the jar with a lid. Wait until the lid cools down; only in this position will the jar be tightly closed. Turn the jar over onto the lid.
- The salting process will last a little less than a day.
You can determine when our long-awaited crispy cucumbers are ready by brine color. When the water in the jar becomes cloudier, the vegetables are ready. You can use lightly salted cucumbers as soon as you open them, or you can close the lid and put them in a cold place to enjoy these vegetables in winter. A few days in the jar will create pickles, so time your options and store them in the refrigerator after opening the jar.
Another recipe for cucumbers that you can enjoy and crunch to your heart's content.
Crispy lightly salted cucumbers in cold water
You will need:
Procedure:
- Wash the cucumbers well and leave in cold water for several hours.
- Make a brine from water and salt per 1 liter 2 tbsp. spoons of salt
- Chop the dill and horseradish leaves, leaving a few whole ones, and peel the garlic.
- This recipe uses a saucepan. At the bottom of it put chopped horseradish leaves, part of the dill, a few cloves of garlic, and some spices. Place cucumbers on top. Then again greens, garlic, spices, again a layer of cucumbers.
- Cover the cucumbers with the remaining unchopped horseradish.
- Pour in clean brine, without sediment. Cover with a lid and place under a load.
- These cucumbers will be ready in 24–36 hours.
Crispy lightly salted cucumbers are irreplaceable, as quick cold appetizer for the table. They can be served with both potatoes and meat, added to various salads, for example, vinaigrette, prepared as a pickle, served with other pickles. This dish will always decorate any table, both festive and everyday, and can also diversify your diet. Prepare lightly salted cucumbers and eat them with pleasure. Bon appetit!
Why don’t you want lightly salted cucumbers, say, in winter? After all, today you can buy fresh cucumbers throughout the year!
Meanwhile, only summer cucumbers are lightly salted. Real ones. Straight from the garden.
Why? Because it's delicious. It’s delicious to crunch them with boiled or fried potatoes. It’s delicious to feel their aromatic elasticity, filled with solar power and the smell of the fields. It’s delicious to cook them because they are anticipation and temptation. Oh, how delicious. Can they be compared with plastic “winter” ones?
Let's add a little salt, choose a method - I have collected the most current recipes for lightly salted cucumbers: classic cold method preparations, quick recipe lightly salted cucumbers (“in a bag”), hot, spicy, with additives (apples, for example) and others.
Also choose the list and quantity of spices. Mostly, classic recipe lightly salted cucumbers, they are indicated very approximately. Reduce and increase, depending on your love for spices (or indifference to them).
Cold pickled cucumbers
This method is no different from how you can pickle cucumbers for the winter. The difference is that you don’t have to roll them into jars and it is advisable to eat them before they are completely salted, because we need lightly salted ones.
Ingredients
- cucumbers - 2 kg
- old dill (umbrellas or dill seeds) - 100 grams
- garlic - 2-3 cloves
- Bell pepper - 1-2
- black currant leaves - 3-4
- cherry leaves - 4-5
- salt - 3-4 tbsp. spoons
- water - 800-1000 ml
Wash the cucumbers thoroughly. If you tried them and found that the skin was bitter, soak them in cold water for 4-6 hours (you can leave them overnight), then wash them. Peel the garlic and cut it into slices, so it will release its aroma and taste faster.
Wash the dill, currant and cherry leaves, and sweet peppers (you can leave them whole or cut them in half; you don’t have to remove the seeds).
In a jar, pan or any other suitable container, place half the spices, bell peppers and garlic on the bottom.
Fold the cucumbers, trying to fill the container as much as possible without leaving large voids. To help them settle down, shake the jar vigorously.
Place the remaining spices, garlic and pepper on top.
Dissolve salt in cold water in a saucepan.
Pour cold brine over the cucumbers.
There should be enough to cover the vegetables and spices completely.
If you need to salt the cucumbers quickly, then leave them at room temperature for 2-3 days. If lightly salted cucumbers are not needed so quickly, then you can put them in the refrigerator, where they will slowly salt.
Quick lightly salted cucumbers in 15 minutes (in a bag)
How to quickly make lightly salted cucumbers? For example, in 15 minutes. This is perhaps the fastest recipe for lightly salted cucumbers, sometimes called the “dry method” (because there is no water) and “lightly salted cucumbers in a bag” (because you can use a plastic bag as a container). If you prepare it in the morning, then in the evening you can serve lightly salted cucumbers to the table. And if in the evening, take it with you on a picnic the next morning.
By the way, the “package” is a completely optional element of the recipe. You can also lightly salt it in a saucepan. The main thing is that there is a lid.
Ingredients
- cucumbers - 2 kg
- salt - 2 tbsp. spoons
- fresh dill - bunch
- garlic - head
- vinegar - 3-4 tbsp. spoons
- vegetable oil - 5 tbsp. spoons
- spices - optional
For this salting method, you need a container with a lid or a thick plastic bag.
Wash the cucumbers thoroughly. Whether or not to peel the skin is up to you, but know that without the skin they turn out more tender.
Chop the peeled dill. Finely chop the garlic (you can cut it into slices if you don’t want to get an overly garlicky smell).
Add dill and garlic to the cucumbers, add salt, pour in vinegar.
Add oil.
In addition to traditional spices (garlic, dill, salt), you can add others, for example, coriander seeds, paprika flakes or a mixture of allspice.
Place the lid on the container and shake vigorously enough to mix the cucumber slices, spices, oil and vinegar. Place the container in the refrigerator. Cucumbers can be served within a couple of hours. Why, a couple of hours - after 15 minutes the cucumbers will acquire a light, lightly salted taste.
If you do it in a bag, then it will be your container. Everything else is unchanged.
Recipe for spicy lightly salted cucumbers
Cucumbers can be pickled either on their own or with other vegetables, for example, zucchini or squash, or fruit (apples are most often taken). This recipe combines cucumbers and carrots in one jar, making them super spicy (and delicious!).
Ingredients:
- cucumbers - 1 kg
- carrots - 250 grams
- salt - 1-2 tbsp. spoons
- sugar - 50 grams
- ground red pepper - 1/2 teaspoon
- vinegar - 50 ml
- garlic - 1 clove
- vegetable oil - 50 ml
Wash the cucumbers, cut off the ends on both sides, cut them lengthwise into 8 pieces (large ones can be cut into larger pieces), and place them in a container.
Grate the peeled carrots coarsely and add to the cucumbers.
Add sugar and salt, add pepper, pour in vinegar and oil, squeeze a clove of garlic through a press. Mix thoroughly, cover with a lid and leave in the room for 3-4 hours or put in the refrigerator overnight.
Quickly hot pickled cucumbers
In general, this method differs from the classic one only in that the cucumbers are filled with water not at room temperature, but with boiling water. This speeds up the pickling process - after a couple of days you can already drag freshly pickled cucumbers out of the jar.
Ingredients:
- cucumbers - 1 kg
- pickling kit: dried dill umbrellas, horseradish leaves (you can also use a piece of root), black leaves
- currants and cherries
- garlic - 3-4 cloves
- salt based on: per 1 liter of liquid 1 heaped tablespoon
Wash the cucumbers well. If they are not very crispy, then keep them in water for several (2-3-4) hours. Trim the ends. Wash all the greens, peel the garlic (in this case you don’t have to cut it). Place half of the pickling set on the bottom, then place the cucumbers very tightly, adding garlic along the way. Place the second part of the greens on top. Dilute the salt with boiling water and pour over the cucumbers. Leave them at room temperature. Literally tomorrow you can serve them to the table.
Lightly salted cucumbers recipe with apples
The aroma of apples and their slightly sweet taste - great addition to garlic and fragrant dill. If you fill the cucumbers with hot brine, you won’t have to wait long until you can get an amber cucumber out of the jar.
Ingredients:
- cucumbers - 800 grams
- apples - 2-3
- salt - 2-3 tbsp. spoons
- garlic - 3 cloves
- spices: dry dill, cherry and currant leaves, horseradish leaves
- allspice peas
Wash cucumbers and apples. Cut off the ends of the cucumbers and cut the apples into slices. Place some of the spices in the bottom of the container, then lay out, alternating, cucumbers and apples, and place the remaining spices on top. Dilute the salt with hot water and pour the brine over the cucumbers. Leave until cool and then place in the refrigerator. The cucumbers will be ready in 1-2 days.
Recipe for lightly salted cucumbers “Aromatic”
This recipe does not contain the usual set of spices from dry dill and leaves. You need young dill along with the stem, garlic, bay leaf, cloves, garlic, salt and allspice. And, of course, cucumbers.
Ingredients:
- cucumbers - 1 kg
- dill - bunch
- bay leaf - 2-3
- peppercorns - 5-6
- cloves - 2-3
- garlic - 3-4 cloves
- salt - 2 tbsp. spoons
Wash the cucumbers and dill. Place the dill sprigs down in the jar. Then lay out cucumbers, peeled garlic cloves, peppers, cloves and bay leaves, alternating with each other.
Pour hot brine (dissolve salt in boiling water). Leave it warm for a day and then put it in the refrigerator.
You can eat cucumbers already on the second day. The longer they stand, the richer their taste and aroma will become.
Lightly salted cucumbers with mineral water
And another recipe for lightly salted cucumbers with mineral water:
1 kg of cucumbers, 1 liter of good soda, 2 tablespoons of salt. Dill, garlic, any greens to taste. There is no need to heat the soda. It is better to cut off the ends of the cucumbers. First stir the salt in a small amount of water, and then pour the rest of the water into the jar with cucumbers.
ALL. In a day they are ready.
I called this recipe “And there was a crunch nearby” - the cucumbers crunch incredibly.
Recipes for preserving cucumbers for the winter
Everyone loves crispy lightly salted cucumbers. We suggest trying a recipe with cold water, according to which cucumbers last a long time and do not lose their crunchy properties.
5 hours
30 kcal
5/5 (2)
In the summer you can pamper yourself with vegetables and fruits. I just love cucumbers. In all kinds. Whole, in salad, in homemade for the winter. But my favorite lightly salted cucumbers occupy a special place. And, in my opinion, no one has yet come up with a more affordable, light snack on the country table.
I cook them in different ways, but there is a particularly favorite recipe that everyone always likes, especially men. Confirmation of this is always an empty plate at the end of dinner.
How to choose the right ingredients
First of all, we pay attention to appearance fruits. They should be smooth, bright green, with pimples, and without yellow spots. We definitely try the cucumbers, they should not be bitter, it will ruin everything. It is better to choose cucumbers of the same size, then they will be salted evenly.
Advice: Cucumbers that are recently picked from the garden are best suited for this recipe.
The second thing we pay attention to is water, it is especially important for preparing lightly salted cucumbers. Ideally, this is, of course, spring water or water from a well. If it is not possible to take such water, we will use purified water from the tap or bottled.
Advice: Do not use boiled water; it pickles cucumbers more slowly.
For this recipe we take the classic three liter jar, wash it thoroughly. It is best to use not detergents, but baking soda. Let's roll glass jar boiling water
Recipe for crispy cucumbers per 2 kg of vegetables:
Recipe for making crispy cucumbers in cold water in a jar
How to make lightly salted cucumbers in cold water:
- We wash the selected cucumbers and all other ingredients.
Advice: Before salting, cucumbers can be soaked in cold water for 3-4 hours, then they will turn out crispy.
- Separate the garlic head into cloves. Lightly press each clove so that it cracks and releases a little juice. We cut the horseradish into shavings, cut the greens (optional).
- Spread some of the herbs, garlic and horseradish evenly on the bottom of the pan.
- Pour the salt into a container and fill it with water. Stir until the salt is completely dissolved.
- Place the cucumbers tightly on the greens (vertically). Place the next layer of horseradish, garlic and herbs. Place the cucumbers again tightly in the next layer. And again a layer of greenery. The last layer add horseradish leaves.
Advice:Horseradish is very important in pickling cucumbers; there should be enough of it to make the cucumbers crispy.
- Fill the cucumbers with brine.