Pickled cucumbers have a long tradition. What is less well known is that normal cucumbers or cucumbers are also suitable for this form of preservation. Infused with an aromatic brew, even a large harvest stays fresh for many months and is a welcome change on the winter menu.

Pickled cucumbers are tasty and have a long shelf life

Utensils needed

To pickle cucumbers, you need tightly fitting jars in which a vacuum is formed when they cool. This can be:

  • Jars with screw caps whose seal is intact (twist-off jars)
  • Classic jars with a rubber ring, lid and metal clip. With these, you have to boil the cucumbers in a second step.

Recipe for sweet and sour pickled cucumbers

Ingredients:

  • 1 kg cucumber
  • 1 red onion
  • 150 ml apple cider vinegar
  • 150 ml white balsamic vinegar
  • 300ml of water
  • 2 heaped tablespoons of sugar or 2 dashes of sweetener
  • 1 tbsp forest honey
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 4 sprigs of dill

Optional: 1 - 2 cloves of garlic, 1 chili pepper

preparation

  1. Sterilize jars in boiling water for ten minutes.
  2. Thoroughly wash, halve and deseed the cucumbers. Cut into fine slices.
  3. Peel the onion and cut into rings.
  4. Wash and spin dry the dill.
  5. Put the water, vinegar, sweetener, honey, salt, peppercorns, garlic and chili pepper if necessary in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
  6. Add cucumber slices and cook briefly.
  7. Pour everything into the glasses, distributing the dill and spices evenly.
  8. Close immediately.
  9. Turn on the lid and let cool.
  10. Turn over, check that the jars are tightly sealed, label, store in a cool, dark place.

Boil the cucumbers

If you have used classic jars, the gherkins must also be boiled down. The procedure is slightly different:

  1. Layer the cucumber slices in jars with the spices.
  2. Spread the broth over it. A border of two to three centimeters should remain at the top. The cucumbers must be completely covered with the broth.
  3. Close each jar with a lid, rubber ring and clip.
  4. Place on the grid of the preserving machine so that the containers are at least halfway in the water bath.
  5. Wake up at 85 degrees for 30 minutes.
  6. Take out and let cool.
  7. Check that all lids are tight.
  8. Label, store in a cool, dark place.

tips

Pickled cucumbers not only taste good, they are also very healthy. The delicious vegetables are rich in living microorganisms that have a positive effect on the intestinal flora and the immune system.

Category:

Vegetable garden