Citric acid is an excellent substitute for vinegar, a preservative in pickling cucumbers. It will help emphasize and diversify the taste of crispy fruits without harm. Every housewife has a favorite way of cooking these vegetables for the winter using citric acid - read on for the most popular and common ones.
Selection and preparation of cucumbers
The implementation of any recipe begins with the right choice of the main ingredient, in a particular case, cucumbers. It is from this step that the final result, the most delicious dish, depends to a large extent. Neglecting the rules for choosing vegetables can lead to a situation where, despite strict observance of all spin rules, pickled cucumbers are tasteless, soft. It’s good if these vegetables grow in your garden and you are sure of their quality. If not, you have to go to the market and choose the fruits for canning there.
The criteria to be guided by when choosing:
- The freshness of the fruit. The method for determining freshness is quite simple - to the touch. Fresh cucumber will be firm and resilient.
- Varietal characteristics. All varieties of cucumbers are divided into three types - salad, universal and pickling. The peculiarity of the first type is a thick peel, which will not allow the marinade to penetrate enough inside the vegetable and soak it. Universal types are suitable for both preservation and fresh consumption. The best option is pickling fruits, distinguished by the thinness of the peel. To be sure that the cucumbers are selected correctly, be sure to pay attention to the color of their thorns: they are dark in universal and pickled varieties.
- Appearance of vegetables. For pickling, smooth, undamaged fruits with spikes, without rot and stains, are suitable.
- The color of the fruit. It should be bright green. And the side with which the cucumber touched the ground during its growth should have a light color. Cucumbers, the peel of which is covered with yellow plaque, are not suitable for pickling, since this phenomenon suggests that the fruits suffered from a lack of water, respectively, they are bitter.
- The thickness of the skin. As already mentioned, this criterion depends on the variety. You can determine whether they really offer you pickling or universal green stuff by piercing the skin with a fingernail - if it starts to peel off, you can buy vegetables.
- The parameters of the fruit. Best for conservation are elongated and not thickened greens. The optimal length is 8-12 cm. It matters if you are going to pickle vegetables in liter jars. Large instances will have to be cut.
- The purity of the fruit. Often sellers, wanting to sell as much product as possible, go to different tricks, for example, wash the fruits. Washed vegetables deteriorate quickly, respectively, their quality decreases sharply, up to the fact that conservation can swell, explode.
Important! It is best to buy pickles for pickling in the morning, because you can buy goods from gardeners who grow fruits on their own plots. If the purchase was made in the evening, then the vegetables that were planted per day should be soaked in water.
Recipes for pickled cucumbers with citric acid for the winter
You can prepare your favorite blank with citric acid in various ways. On the simplest and most popular read on.
Classic recipe
One of the most common recipes for making your favorite snack is classic.
1 can of 3 l
dill branches with umbrellas
2-3 pcs.
black pepper peas
5 pieces.
The bottom of the can is covered with spices (without garlic). Then parts of sweet pepper are placed (cut as you wish, preferably in quarters).
Spread the first layer of cucumbers vertically. To do this, choose the largest fruits prepared for seaming. The top layer of vegetables is laid horizontally (the smallest fruits).
Upstairs you need to put a quarter of sweet pepper and dill branch.
The composition of the can is poured with boiling water and left to warm for about 20 minutes, covered with a warm towel.
Then, in a separate container, water is drained from cans and prepared from it and a glass of marinade salt, which should boil.
Garlic and citric acid are added just before pouring vegetables with brine.
Pour all boiling brine.
Roll up the can with a tin lid, turn it over and wrap it up.
The bottom of the can is covered with spices (without garlic). Then parts of sweet pepper are placed (cut as you wish, preferably in quarters).
Spread the first layer of cucumbers vertically. To do this, choose the largest fruits prepared for seaming. The top layer of vegetables is laid horizontally (the smallest fruits).
Upstairs you need to put a quarter of sweet pepper and dill branch.
The composition of the can is poured with boiling water and left to warm for about 20 minutes, covered with a warm towel.
Then, in a separate container, water is drained from cans and prepared from it and a glass of marinade salt, which should boil.
Garlic and citric acid are added just before pouring vegetables with brine.
Pour all boiling brine.
Roll up the can with a tin lid, turn it over and wrap it up.Video recipe
Important! On the can, you can make a note indicating the proportions of the ingredients and the varieties of spices used - this will help you improve the recipe for next year.
No sterilization and no vinegar
1 l
cucumbers
how much will fit in a liter jar
currant leaves
2 pcs.
black pepper peas
8-10 pcs.
lemon acid
third of tsp per liter
At the bottom of the tank send greens, garlic, bay leaf and pepper peas.
Next, vertically stack the first layer of cucumbers, the second - at random.
Zelentsy is covered with a leaf of horseradish on top.
Stacked vegetables need to be poured with boiling water, cover and let it brew for a quarter of an hour. The process is repeated again.
Salt with sugar is added to the water drained for the second time, brought to a boil. While the brine is boiling, add citric acid to the jar.
Then fill everything with marinade and roll up.
After wrapping up, leave the banks for 1.5 days, so that they cool completely.
At the bottom of the tank send greens, garlic, bay leaf and pepper peas.
Next, vertically stack the first layer of cucumbers, the second - at random.
Zelentsy is covered with a leaf of horseradish on top.
Stacked vegetables need to be poured with boiling water, cover and let it brew for a quarter of an hour. The process is repeated again.
Salt with sugar is added to the water drained for the second time, brought to a boil. While the brine is boiling, add citric acid to the jar.
Then fill everything with marinade and roll up.
After wrapping up, leave the banks for 1.5 days, so that they cool completely.Video recipe
Did you know? Cucumbers — close relatives of the melon. In this light, it seems paradoxical that the melon is harvested only after final yellowing, and the yellow cucumber is inedible.
Sweet Cucumbers
1 can of 3 l
cucumbers
how much will fit in a 3 liter jar
clove
some buds
allspice
10 peas
lemon acid
1.5 tsp
The bottom of a three-liter jar is covered with spices (3-4 bay leaves, several buds of cloves, 10 peas of allspice, mustard seeds, 8-10 garlic cloves, dill umbrella and horseradish).
Zelentsy is laid out on spices, which are recommended to shift with horseradish leaves (2-3 pcs.).
The placed components are poured with boiling water and covered for 15–20 minutes.
From the drained from cans (after the specified time) the water is prepared marinade, per liter of which you need 3 tbsp. sugar and 2 tbsp. salt.
After the appetizer was filled with marinade, you need to add 1.5 hours of citric acid to the jar.
According to the recipe, such preservation should be sterilized for 15 minutes, and then rolled up and wrapped. During sterilization, water should cover approximately 2/3 of the cans.
The bottom of a three-liter jar is covered with spices (3-4 bay leaves, several buds of cloves, 10 peas of allspice, mustard seeds, 8-10 garlic cloves, dill umbrella and horseradish).
Zelentsy is laid out on spices, which are recommended to shift with horseradish leaves (2-3 pcs.).
The placed components are poured with boiling water and covered for 15–20 minutes.
From the drained from cans (after the specified time) the water is prepared marinade, per liter of which you need 3 tbsp. sugar and 2 tbsp. salt.
After the appetizer was filled with marinade, you need to add 1.5 hours of citric acid to the jar.
According to the recipe, such preservation should be sterilized for 15 minutes, and then rolled up and wrapped. During sterilization, water should cover approximately 2/3 of the cans.Video recipe
Important! To prevent the jar from cracking with boiling water, put a spoon in it.
With aspirin
1 can of 3 l
cucumbers
how much will fit in a 3 liter jar
currant leaves
2-3 pcs.
horseradish leaves
1 large or 2-3 small
At the bottom of the can (three-liter), lay greens, and only then cucumbers pre-soaked for 3 hours. To diversify the taste, it is recommended to shift the vegetables with herbs, not forgetting to add horseradish root.
After laying, the contents of the jar should be poured with boiling water (cool) and left for 15-20 minutes, covered with a lid and a towel.
After the specified time, the water is drained into the pan, it must be boiled again.
While the water is boiling, 3 tablets of aspirin, citric acid, sugar and salt are sent to a jar of greens.
Then everything should be filled with boiled water, rolled up and wrapped.
At the bottom of the can (three-liter), lay greens, and only then cucumbers pre-soaked for 3 hours. To diversify the taste, it is recommended to shift the vegetables with herbs, not forgetting to add horseradish root.
After laying, the contents of the jar should be poured with boiling water (cool) and left for 15-20 minutes, covered with a lid and a towel.
After the specified time, the water is drained into the pan, it must be boiled again.
While the water is boiling, 3 tablets of aspirin, citric acid, sugar and salt are sent to a jar of greens.
Then everything should be filled with boiled water, rolled up and wrapped.Video recipe
Important! Turn over containers with preservation to make sure in fact, they are rolled up tightly and do not pass either air or liquid.
With squash
black pepper peas
at its discretion
table salt
6 tsp
garlic cloves
9-12 pcs.
- Rolling greens according to the described recipe is possible only after they have been soaked for 12 hours in water.
- Onions should be cut into small rings (0.5 cm thick), and bell pepper - with longitudinal plates. You don’t need to cut small squash, large ones are put into a jar cut into any pieces that are convenient for you.
- Then vegetables are rammed into layers: the first layer of squash, the second of cucumbers, then of bell pepper and the final - onion.
- Pour boiling water with preservation twice. First, vegetables in jars are simply scalded with boiling water. After 5 minutes, water (or rather brine) must be drained and boiled again.
- While the brine is boiling, you need to add the right amount of salt, sugar and vinegar essence to each jar. Then pour boiling brine.
- The final stage is rolling with metal covers.
Did you know? The word "cucumber" from the ancient Greek language is translated as "unripe".
With onions and garlic
1 can per 1 liter
ground red pepper
3 g
black pepper peas
10 pieces.
- Selection and calibration of Zelentsy. At approximately the same size vegetables, you need to trim the ends.
- Pre-cut carrots cut into circles.
- Make punctures in a hot pepper pod.
- Chop the onion into small slices, and cut the garlic cloves into two parts.
- Scalp horseradish leaves and dill umbrellas. Then cut the leaves, pre-twisting into a roll.
- At the bottom of a sterilized liter jar send chopped horseradish leaves, dill, hot pepper and 1/3 carrots, garlic, onions.
- Next, cucumbers are placed in the jar, which must be alternated with the remaining parts of the remaining vegetables. A bay leaf is placed on top.
- Stacked vegetables should be poured with boiling water and left for 5 minutes.
- While the vegetables are insisting, in the saucepan you need to mix all of the listed spices, and then drain the water from the jar there.
- Boil the marinade for 2-3 minutes and pour boiling water over the vegetables in the jars again.
- Such salting needs to be sterilized (10-15 minutes).
- The last stage is rolling.
Important! Wrap preservation before cooling is possible, but not necessary, as citric acid performs the function of pasteurization.
Sugarless
1 can of 3 l
cucumbers
how much will fit in a 3 liter jar
dill umbrellas
taste
horseradish (roots and leaves)
taste
currant leaves
taste
- Laying the bottom of the glass containers with greens.
- Stacking cucumbers.
- Fill the composition of the jar with boiling water for 15 minutes.
- Water is poured from the cans into a separate pot after 15 minutes, then it is brought to a boil again.
- The second time, pour the composition of the cans with boiling water for 15 minutes.
- Then again pour the water into the pan and prepare the marinade. Initially, you need to add salt to the water and wait until the brine boils. Then citric acid is added and the pan is removed from the heat.
- While the marinade is boiling, garlic and hot pepper must be added to the jars of greenery.
- The composition of the cans pour hot marinade and roll up.
Important! You can take fresh water every time. — this will save time. However, for every 15 minutes that the water will stand in jars, the ingredients will impregnate it with their aromas, and the marinade will turn out to be much tastier.
With lemon
In addition to its unique taste, this salting has an attractive aesthetic appearance.
1 can per 1 liter
cucumbers
how much will fit in a liter jar
- Soaked greenbacks (5-6 hours).
- Wash vegetables thoroughly.
- Sterilize containers and lids.
- Cut lemon (circles or slices, if desired).
- Stack the ingredients in jars - first a layer of spices, then vegetables with lemon.
- Pour the contents of the cans with boiling water for 20 minutes.
- Then the water is drained, its amount is measured, and a brine is prepared. According to the recipe, the proportions of spices are indicated per liter of water. Water with dissolved additives must be boiled.
- Pour boiling marinade over everything and roll up cans.
Important! When preparing the marinade, citric acid is added last, after the water with salt and sugar has already boiled.
With vodka
1 can of 3 l
lemon acid
1 tbsp. l
- Placement on the bottom of the container of selected spices and garlic.
- Putting in a jar of greens.
- Preparation of marinade in a separate container by mixing water, salt, sugar, citric acid.
- Pour cans with marinade for 10 minutes.
- Drain the marinade from the cans and bring it to a boil again.
- The final filling of cans with marinade and the addition of vodka.
- Sunset.
Important! Such pickled cucumbers can be covered with a capron cap.
Useful Tips
Experienced housewives share some secrets of cooking and eating pickled cucumbers, in which everyone can find something useful for themselves:
- For pickling, it is best to take small greens. Their tips should be dark green in color.
- If you see a longitudinal crack when cutting a vegetable, it is ideal for preservation.
- It is not recommended to pickle greenhouse fruits, since you do not have to expect crispness and elasticity from them. Preference is given to Zelentsy grown on open ground.
- In order for vegetables to be better saturated with marinade, you should trim their tips and even make punctures using a fork or a toothpick.
- To get more crispy cucumbers, put a piece of oak bark, or several leaves of this tree, on the bottom of the bowl.
- It is not recommended to add more garlic to the jar than indicated in the recipe. Overuse of this ingredient can cause cucumbers to lose crispness.
- The level of crunch of greens also depends on the density of their packing in containers - the denser, the more likely that the crunch can decrease.
- To prevent mold from forming on the workpieces, put a piece of horseradish root on the bottom of the container.
- A pinch of mustard, which you need to sprinkle the top layer of fruits before rolling, will help to preserve cucumber preservation from explosions and blowing of covers.
- Other vegetables can be placed in the jar with cucumbers, for example, cauliflower, carrots, onions, squash, zucchini - this will diversify the taste of the workpieces. You can use such a vegetable assortment both as a separate dish, and as part of various winter salads.
As you can see, the variety of recipes for pickled cucumbers with citric acid makes it possible for every housewife to find exactly the option that will satisfy the tastes of all her household and guests. And most importantly, your favorite snack will be absolutely harmless.
