How to ferment watermelons in a barrel: time-tested recipes

The technology of fermenting watermelons in a barrel includes many subtleties that must be taken into account so as not to spoil the workpieces. There are dozens of recipes for fermentation in a tub, which allow you to preserve a rich harvest of melons for the winter. Some agree that it is the sourdough that reveals the taste of watermelons and activates their beneficial properties.

Selection and preparation of watermelons

Before starting the sourdough, select suitable watermelons, as one low-quality specimen can ruin all the workpieces.

Pay attention to these signs:

• maturity;
• dry peduncle;
• dense pink flesh;
• small size (up to 2 kg);
• a thin rind that cracks when squeezing a watermelon and makes a dull sound if you knock on it;
• lack of defects (stains, scratches, dents).

For salting it is better to choose unsweetened and not watery varieties. Fruits with sugary and crumbly pulp will not work.

Also, watermelons need preliminary preparation. It consists of several stages:

1. The berries are thoroughly washed, allowed to drain and wiped dry with a soft towel.
2. The peel is pierced with a large wooden skewer or sushi stick. Make at least 10 holes in each fruit, placing them symmetrically to each other. This procedure is necessary for the brine to evenly and completely saturate the pulp.
3. Prepared berries are placed in containers and filled with brine.

How to prepare a barrel

Plastic, ceramic or wooden barrels are suitable for fermenting watermelons. Oak containers are especially popular. Even sweet varieties are pickled in them, while the fruits acquire an unusual aroma and a particularly pleasant taste.

For successful salting, the container is prepared as follows:

1. Wash thoroughly with cool water and a hard sponge without detergents.
2. Pour boiling water over the inside of the barrels twice.
3. If the container is made of wood, it is filled with hot water, covered with a cloth and placed in a warm room for two days. This must be done so that all the boards swell and the brine cannot seep through the cracks.

It is important to ensure that no dirt and dust gets inside the containers, otherwise the watermelons will deteriorate.

How to ferment watermelons in a barrel for the winter - the best recipes

There are many ways to ferment watermelons, so everyone can find an option to their liking.

Reference. It is better to start cooking in September-October. It's easier to get in the middle of autumn temperaturerequired to activate the fermentation process.

Whole sourdough

Classical recipe involves the use of whole fruits. In addition to watermelons, you only need salt and water.

Step by step algorithm:

1. Prepare the brine: dissolve 0.8 kg of non-iodized salt in 10 liters of boiling water.
2. Fill a clean barrel with whole watermelons and fill with hot brine so that it completely covers the fruits.
3. Close the container with a wooden circle, and place heavy oppression on it. This role can be played by a large stone. Before use, wash it from dirt and scald with boiling water. The weight of the weighting agent will not allow the circle to float to the surface, otherwise air will get into the brine and the workpiece will deteriorate.
4. Place the barrel in a room with an air temperature of + 20 ... + 24 ° С for two days, then transfer it to a cool and dark place. The appetizer will be ready in three weeks.

If you want to get sweet and sour fruits, prepare a brine with the following proportions: 200 g of salt, 0.5 kg of granulated sugar and 10 liters of boiling water.

In its own juice

First, evaluate the barrel and determine how many watermelons will fit in it. After that, weigh them and calculate the required number of components.

For 10 kg of fruit with a thin crust, you need:

• coarse salt - 5 tbsp. l .;
• sugar - 4 tbsp. l .;
• citric acid - 1 tbsp. l.

Cooking method:

1. Remove the peel from half of the watermelons, remove the seeds from the pulp and grind it in a blender to a liquid puree.
2. Add salt and sugar into it and mix thoroughly until completely dissolved.
3. Cut the remaining watermelons into triangles along with the peel, then place in layers in a barrel.
4. Fill each layer with pulp brine.
5. Close the container with a lid, set the oppression and put it in a cool place for one week.

Store the barrel with ready-made watermelons in the basement or cellar. Try to consume them before the New Year. Open the lid periodically and check for mold on the surface of the workpieces. If so, remove it and, if necessary, add some brine from salt and water.

With apples

Pickled watermelons with apples are a tasty and unusual preparation for the winter. It is pleasant to feast on such a dish on cold days, remembering the hot summer. It is not a shame to put it on the festive table.

List of components:

• medium watermelons (up to 3 kg) - 10 pcs.;
• sour apples - 6 kg;
• rock salt - 700-800 g;
• fresh cherry and currant leaves - 15 pcs.;
• clean water - 10 liters;
• rye straw - as needed.

Preparation:

1. Rinse watermelons and apples thoroughly, scald with boiling water.
2. Pierce the crust with a wooden skewer in several places.
3. Rinse the straw and leaves thoroughly, then pour over boiling water.
4. Place watermelons in layers in a barrel, alternating with layers of clean straw and leaves, and fill the voids with apples.
5. Dissolve the salt in 10 liters of hot water, and then fill the barrel to the brim with the resulting brine.
6. Cover the container with a clean cloth, place a wooden circle on top, and place a bucket of water on it.

Keep the barrel in a cool and dark place. The watermelons will be ready in about 2-3 weeks.

With cabbage

Barrel watermelons with sauerkraut have long been popular in the USSR. The advantage of this recipe the possibility of utilizing unripe tomatoes is considered, which is very important for residents of the northern regions.

The components are placed in a clean barrel, alternating layers:

• shredded cabbage (layer thickness - 10 cm);
• watermelons;
• unripe tomatoes.

The watermelons should not be in contact with each other.

Then the barrel is filled to the brim with brine:

• boiling water - 10 l;
• salt - 500 g;
• granulated sugar - 0.5 kg.

The container is closed and removed to a warm room for a day, after which it is rearranged into the cellar. It is advisable to eat pickled watermelons before mid-January, since it is up to this moment that they will retain their beneficial and taste properties.

With spices

To give pickled berries a piquant taste and bright aroma, they often use:

• allspice;
• celery;
• ginger or horseradish root;
• hot peppers in pods;
• coriander;
• Bay leaf;
• cloves;
• dried garlic.

These spices are evenly distributed between the layers of the main components until the brine is poured.

One of the popular cooking options for seasoned fermented watermelons involves the use of the following products:

• sweet fruits - 5 kg;
• peppercorns - 1 tsp;
• cloves - 1 tsp;
• salt - 400 g;
• water - 5-6 liters;
• bay leaf - 10 leaves;
• dill - 4 branches.

Algorithm:

1. The fruits are cut into triangles and placed in a barrel.
2. Several laurel leaves, cloves and peppercorns are placed on each layer, and dill on the last.
3. Brine is made from water and salt and watermelons are poured over it.
4. The barrel is closed and placed in a dark place for a month.

With mustard powder

For 20 pieces of watermelon weighing up to 2 kg, take:

• mustard powder - 0.5 pack;
• salt - 0.8 kg;
• sugar - 400 g;
• water — 10 liters.

A brine is prepared from these components, after which they are poured into the fruits placed in a barrel. The first snack is sampled three weeks later.

Reference. The fermentation process involves lactic acid bacteria contained in the pulp of watermelons. This is how pickled and salty dishes are obtained, while 70% vinegar is added to the brine for pickling.

With hot peppers and herbs

Fans of spicy and spicy food will love the following recipe for pickled watermelons. In this case, 10 kg of berries are cut into small pieces, placed in a container and filled with brine prepared from the following components:

• hot pepper - 2 pods;
• garlic - 10-15 minced teeth;
• peppercorns - 1 tbsp l .;
• dill and parsley - 1 large bunch each (finely chopped);
• salt and sugar - 400 g each;
• boiling water - 6-7 liters.

The barrel is closed with a wooden circle, a load is placed on top. This will keep the components in the brine at all times. At first, the workpieces are kept in a warm place, but after the liquid begins to ferment, they are lowered into the basement.

With garlic

For the sourdough with garlic, thin-crust watermelons are cut into large longitudinal slices. Then they act according to the following scheme:

1. Pieces of melons are laid out in layers in a barrel. In this case, 2-3 peeled garlic cloves are placed on each row.
2. The filled keg is poured with brine. It is prepared at the rate of 9 tbsp. l. rock salt and 3 black peppercorns in 3 liters of water. The brine is boiled for about 5-10 minutes, after which it is cooled to room temperature.
3. The barrel is closed and removed to a dark place.

Sourdough watermelon

Sourdough watermelon in barrels made of different materials has some subtleties that should be known to both beginners and experienced chefs.

In a wooden barrel

Wooden barrels are considered the most suitable for salting watermelons.

They are made from environmentally friendly material without foreign smell.

At the same time, oak containers extend the shelf life of the workpieces, since such wood contains a large amount of tannins. They slowly release from the sides of the barrel and help the watermelons stay edible longer.

Attention! Do not use a barrel with a burnt inner surface for picking up pickles. It is only suitable for storing house wines.

In a ceramic barrel

Not every family can afford to ferment berries in large wooden barrels. In this case, it is better to use small ceramic barrels, and the process is carried out according to the following algorithm:

1. Dense fruits are cut into thin longitudinal slices.
2. The bottom of a ceramic container is laid out with hot pepper, cloves of garlic and fresh herbs.
3. The remaining space is filled with slices of watermelon, and some dill twigs are placed on top and covered with salt (400 g per 5 kg of fruit).
4. The keg is filled with boiling water, closed and stored in a dark, cool place.

In plastic dishes

In plastic barrels, sourdough is produced according to the same recipes as in wooden ones. However, it should be borne in mind that workpieces in such containers can acquire an unpleasant aftertaste. The fact is that plastic contains a considerable amount of toxic and odorous substances, and watermelons absorb extraneous odors.

Terms and conditions of storage

Fermented watermelons remain edible for six months. In this case, the optimal storage conditions are:

• air temperature + 2 ... + 5 ° С;
• humidity up to 75%;
• dark place out of direct sunlight.

To extend the shelf life, add a little vinegar to the brine and arrange the snack in sterilized glass jars, but note that in this case, the fruits will turn out pickled.

Conclusion

Pickled watermelons, prepared according to one of the proposed recipes, turn out to be unusual and tasty. They are served as a stand-alone snack or as a savory side dish for meat. If the salted fruits are beautifully cut and put on the festive table, it will turn out to surprise the guests and be known as an original culinary specialist.