If you have ever been on holiday in the Spreewald, you have certainly tasted the delicious Spreewald gherkins. Cucumber cultivation has a long tradition in this region. To protect the vegetables from spoiling, the fresh cucumbers are preserved by adding vinegar and spices. With our recipe you can make the hearty specialty at home.

Cucumbers like in the Spreewald? - You can do that at home too

Which cucumbers are suitable?

Spreewald gherkins are pickled whole. Therefore, you should choose a cucumber variety with small, firm fruits.

ingredients

  • 3 kg pickled cucumbers
  • 750 ml vinegar, traditionally spirit vinegar with 10 percent acid is used.
  • 3 liters of water
  • 130 grams of salt
  • 500 grams of sugar

If you do not want to use spirit vinegar, you can replace it with 1500 ml of white wine vinegar with an acidity of 5 percent.

Each glass with a capacity of 750 ml also contains:

  • 1 chopped onion
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 6 peppercorns
  • 2 allspice corns
  • 3 sprigs of fresh, chopped dill
  • 1 stick of chopped tarragon
  • ¼ bay leaf

You will also need mason jars to pickle the cucumbers. Well suited are:

  • Screw-top jars with intact seal,
  • Jars with glass lids, swing tops and rubber rings.
  • Traditional jars with a glass lid, metal clip and rubber ring.

All vessels must be sterilized in boiling water for ten minutes before pickling the Spreewald gherkins.

preparation

  1. Wash the cucumbers thoroughly and cut off the stalks.
  2. Densely layer the vegetables with the spices in the jars.
  3. Boil the vinegar with the water, salt and sugar. The crystals must dissolve completely.
  4. Allow the broth to cool and pour over the cucumbers. These must be covered, leaving a border of about two centimeters at the top.

Boil cucumbers

  1. Place the jars on the grid of the automatic preserving cooker and pour in enough water so that the jars are half in it.
  2. Boil at 85 degrees for 30 minutes.
  3. Remove, let cool and check that a vacuum has formed in all jars.
  4. Store in a cool, dark place and let stand for at least two weeks before eating.

tips

If you don't have a saucepan, a large saucepan will do. Place a boil-proof tea towel on the bottom of the pot and place the glasses so that they do not touch. Pour the water so that the glasses stand halfway in it. Bring everything to a boil and simmer for 25 minutes.

Category:

Vegetable garden