Simple and quick recipes for fermented watermelons

Watermelon has many useful properties and rich composition: minerals with fiber, vitamins, amino acids. The fruit does not harm diabetics, as it contains a small amount of sugar. It is useful for losing weight people due to its low calorie content.

And if in the summer it is easy to consume vitamins and lose weight with the help of melons, then in winter, of course, it is more difficult and many times more expensive. Pickled ones will help watermelons, which retain their vitamin composition and are more nutritious than fresh ones by only 1-1.2%. What recipe to choose and how to properly prepare fruits for the winter, we will tell you in this article.

Cooking features

Salting and pickling are two processes for preserving a watermelon for the winter.

Salting, also known as fermentation, involves the use of the product's own lactic acid, which is formed during fermentation, and sugar, which is already in the fruit or was added during the cooking process. Pickled, salted preparations are stored in cool and dark places.

Pickling takes place with a preservative, most often vinegar. The workpieces are stored at room temperature.

Sourdough tips

To salting a watermelon is a success, follow a few rules:

1. Fruit of any degree of ripeness is suitable, without damage or rot.
2. Try not to buy watermelons from the store, especially out of season. These fruits contain nitrates.
3. It is not necessary to remove the crust from the watermelon. But berry without a crust, ferments only two days.
4. When salting in a jar under an iron lid, the bones from the pulp are removed so that the container does not swell. It is not necessary to remove the bones when salting in a saucepan or barrel.
5. Whole fruits are pierced in several places for quick and even salting.
6. For salting, do not use "Extra" salt and iodized salt. The first will over-salt, the second will soften the product.
7. Calculate the correct amount of brine. If you cut 5 kg of watermelon coarsely, then you need 5 liters of brine, if you chop finely, then 3 liters.
8. Decide on your choice of spices. You can use any one, so choose according to your taste. But don't overdo it with quantity.
9. Watermelon is also salted with other vegetables - for example, cabbage or green tomatoes. So pickles will complement each other's taste.
10. It is better to start salt in barrels in the middle of autumn, when the temperature drops. In such conditions, it is easier to control the fermentation process.

Selection of dishes for sourdough

The choice of utensils for fermentation for the winter depends only on the number of fruits and storage space.

A barrel will do if:

• there is a cellar or basement where the container will be stored correctly;
• you have a large family with a good appetite;
• there is no vinegar in the recipe;
• there is time and opportunity to monitor the fermentation process: if a plaque has formed on the surface, it should be removed immediately.

A bank is suitable if:

• watermelons are fermented according to a recipe that involves storage in a small cool room or refrigerator;
• the recipe contains vinegar;
• the recipe involves cutting watermelons into slices or pieces.

The saucepan is a universal container. During the cooking process, you can use vinegar in it, it will accommodate both small pieces and halves, it will easily fit into the refrigerator.

Recipes

Melons collected in the fall can be turned into tasty and healthy winter food. It only takes a little effort and adherence to the recipe.

Whole fermented watermelons in a barrel

The most difficult part of fermenting watermelons according to this recipe is to prepare a barrel.It must be well rinsed, doused with boiling water. If it passes water somewhere, then pour water and wait for the tree to swell, paint over the rings.

Reference. Choose small fruits, maximum 15 cm in diameter. Rinse them with running water and scald with boiling water. Pierce each fruit in several places - for quick and even salting.

Ingredients for 10 liters of water:

• watermelons - how many will fit into the barrel;
• salt - 400 g;
• sugar - 1200 g.

Cooking method:

1. Put the fruits tightly to each other.
2. Prepare the brine by dissolving salt and sugar in boiled and cooled water.
3. Pour the marinade over the barrel above the melons.
4. Cover with gauze, then a wooden lid, put under oppression.
5. After 2-3 days, take to a cool place.
6. Ready to use in 2-3 weeks.

Watermelon in a barrel with sauerkraut

Here cabbage is pre-salted at the rate of 60-70 g of salt per 1 kg of cabbage, and sauerkraut is put in a barrel.

Ingredients for 10 liters of water:

• watermelons - how much will fit in a barrel;
• cabbage (fresh) - 10 kg;
• salt - 500 g;
• sugar - 500 g

Cooking method:

1. Prepare a barrel for sourdough: wash, scald, putty if necessary.
2. Arrange the watermelons tightly, filling the empty spaces between them with chopped cabbage.
3. Boil water, dilute salt and sugar, cool and pour melons.
4. Cover with gauze and put under pressure.
5. Leave at room temperature for two days, then take to a cool place.
6. You can try in a month.

Fermented watermelon in watermelon juice

For the recipe, both ripe fruits and overripe ones are suitable - they go for juice.

Ingredients:

• watermelons for salting - 10 kg;
• watermelons for pulp - 5 kg;
• salt - 60-70 g per 1 kg of pulp.

Cooking method:

1. Cut melons for salting into large slices, about 10-15 cm thick.
2. Finely chop the fruits into pulp, salt. It is allowed to grind them in a blender.
3. Layer the salted watermelons and the pulp. Repeat until you run out of ingredients.
4. Prepare the container: rinse the barrel and scald with boiling water, sterilize the cans, boil the pan with water for several minutes.
5. Cover the filled container with a linen towel or gauze, use oppression.
6. After a week, remove to a cool place.
7. You can eat it in a month.

Pickled watermelon with spices

Melons love different seasonings. It all depends on your taste preferences.

When salting, add coriander, ginger root, garlic cloves, allspice, celery, chilli, horseradish roots to the pan.

Ingredients:

• watermelons for salting - 10 kg;
• cloves of garlic - 10 pcs.;
• allspice peas - 10 pcs.;
• celery and dill - 2 bunches each;
• horseradish root - 1 pc .;
• salt - 2 tbsp. l. for 1 liter of water;
• sugar - 5 tbsp. l. for 1 liter of water.

Cooking method:

1. Prepare a container for salting: wash and scald the barrel or pan, sterilize the jars.
2. Chop 3-5 cm celery, dill, horseradish.
3. Cut watermelons into large semicircles of 2-3 cm. For a jar - a little smaller.
4. Lay melons and gourds to each other, shifting various prepared spices.
5. Prepare a classic marinade: boil, dilute salt and sugar. Fill with brine at room temperature.
6. Keep warm for 2-3 days, then put in the refrigerator. Try it in 2-3 weeks.

Sourdough in ceramic barrels

Sometimes housewives wonder how to ferment a watermelon cut into slices. Almost the same as whole - they will cook faster, and the taste will be the same as when salted in oak barrels.

Ingredients:

• watermelons for salting - 10 kg;
• greens: dill, pepper, celery - in a bunch;
• garlic - 5 teeth;
• hot pepper - 1 pc.;
• black peppercorns - 10 pcs.;
• salt and sugar - 170 g per 3 liters of water.

Cooking method:

1. When salting in ceramic barrels, cut the fruits into small slices along.
2. Put half of the herbs, hot peppers, garlic and other spices at the bottom.
3. Place the watermelons.
4. Top with garlic and herbs.
5. Cover with black peppercorns.
6. Pour salt and sugar diluted in water.
7. Place under the load, covering with linen or gauze.
8. Put in a cool place after a couple of days.
9. Ready to eat in three weeks.

Salting watermelon with hot peppers and herbs

Salting watermelons is a method that allows you to save more vitamins in fruits for the winter. How to ferment watermelons - in a jar or a barrel - is up to you.

Ingredients for 5 kg of fruit:

• 1 chilli hot pepper;
• medium head of garlic;
• 1 tsp peppercorns;
• water - 3 l;
• salt - 170 g;
• sugar - 170 g;
• a bunch of greens (parsley and / or dill).

Cooking method:

1. Prepare the brine: boil 3 liters of water, cool and dissolve the prepared salt and sugar.
2. Cut the watermelons and place them tightly in a prepared container.
3. When stacking melons, evenly distribute the spices on each layer.
4. Pour marinade, cover with gauze, put under load.
5. When the fermentation process begins, put in the refrigerator.
6. Consume in a month.

Pickled watermelons with mustard powder

The instant recipe uses mustard in a jar.

Ingredients for a three-liter can:

• watermelons - 2-3 pcs.;
• powdered mustard - 1 tablespoon;
• sugar - 1 tablespoon;
• salt - 1 tablespoon

Cooking method:

1. Cut off the green crust, leaving the white one.
2. Sterilize banks.
3. Prepare the curing mixture: mix salt, sugar and mustard.
4. Lay the melons tightly to each other, pouring the prepared mixture.
5. Leave warm for three days, shaking regularly.
6. During this time, the watermelons will exude juice and decrease in volume. You can reduce the number of jars by shifting their contents tighter. But don't tamp! Keep in mind that the fermentation process is still going on and preservation needs free space.
7. Put in the refrigerator, you can use it in a day.

Storage advice

Simple rules will allow you to preserve the taste and quality of pickles at home:

1. Be sure to cover salted foods with gauze or linen - it will be an indicator of the correct fermentation process. If a white bloom has formed on the surface, then the gauze is removed, rinsed or replaced with a new one.
2. The ideal option for pickling is in an oak barrel. It is better stored in it and gives a special aroma.
3. The optimum storage temperature is + 3 ° С.
4. Store in a cool, dark place for no more than six months. Therefore, choose containers for salting based on the number of family members and the amount of food consumption.
5. If, while checking the barrel, you find that the brine has evaporated and the fruits are bare, urgently add it to the required level.

Read also:

Can you eat watermelon for type 2 diabetes?

Popular variety of watermelon "Crimson Sweet".

What varieties of watermelons are preferable for planting in Siberia.

Conclusion

Pickles prepared according to recipes for fermenting watermelons will taste tender, with sweet, salty and sour notes. To choose the best one, we recommend trying several.

The taste of sour watermelons for the winter directly depends on the quality of the brine in which they will be infused. Experiment and let pickled watermelons become your business card!