Recipe for a delicious winter snack: crispy pickled cucumbers with vodka

Pickled cucumbers are one of the most favorite preserves, and vodka, in addition to the status of the main drink of all Russian feasts, has the properties of a preservative. For this reason, preparations from cucumbers with vodka have taken root in cookbooks and on refrigerator shelves. How to pickle cucumbers with vodka for the winter - we will tell you in the article.

Why canned cucumbers with strong alcohol?

The main problem of cucumber preservation is cans swelling and mold in pickling, which are usually associated with an unfinished fermentation process and insufficiently high-quality preparation of containers for preservation.

The most commonly used preservation ingredient is vinegar combined with salt and sugar. Vodka (or 40% alcohol) has been used as a preservative relatively recently, but this method has already gained its admirers.

Advantages of using vodka:

• alcohol is an ideal preservative, it stops fermentation, prevents mold and fungi from multiplying;
• salting has a long shelf life;
• vodka improves the compatibility of tastes of different ingredients, therefore it is suitable for salting salads and combinations of different vegetables;
• you can even use vodka, the taste of which the household did not like, but it is a pity to pour it out.

Disadvantages of such conservation:

• despite the extremely small amount of vodka in the brine, such cucumbers should not be given to babies, and older children should be limited to 1-2 fruits a day;
• only ground cucumbers grown in season are suitable for salting; it is not recommended to preserve greenhouse fruits with soft skin with vodka.

Cucumbers pickled with vodka have special taste characteristics:

• they always come out tight and crispy, while vinegar often softens foods, removing crunchiness;
• in such blanks there is no "vinegar" taste and smell, which many do not like;

The amount of alcohol in pickled cucumber recipes is extremely low - as a rule, no more than 1-2% of the total brine volume, so vodka in pickle will not be felt, and the effect of such a small amount of alcohol on the body can be considered insignificant.

Preparation for conservation

In order for the resulting blanks to please with taste, crunch and vitamins, high-quality preparation of products and containers is needed.

Choice of capacity

For pickling with vodka, glass jars with a capacity of 1 to 3 liters are suitable.

Preliminary preparation of containers includes:

• thorough washing of cans and lids with soda;
• sterilization of cans in a convenient way - steamed, in an oven or microwave;
• steam sterilization of lids.

Preparation of ingredients

For pickling with vodka, ground seasonal dark-colored cucumbers with sharp pimples and a small crack in the center of the vegetable are selected when it is cut. Greenhouse fruits have too soft skin, so they are not suitable for preservation with vodka.

The fruits are washed and pre-soaked in water from several hours to a day.

If cucumbers with cut tails or cut into pieces are used for salting, then each instance is tried, after which bitter fruits removed so that they do not spoil the taste of the product.

Any alcohol with a strength of 40% is suitable for pickling. But alcohol with additives is more likely to give the cucumber or pickle their subtle flavor.Therefore, vodka or 40% alcohol is used to obtain a classic taste.

Drinking well water is ideal for cucumber preparations. In its absence, the best substitute will be bottled. Drinking tap water can be used for pickles only after filtration.

How to pickle cucumbers with vodka

Preservation of cucumbers with vodka differs little from other methods: pre-soaked cucumbers are placed in a jar, sprinkled with spices, poured with hot marinade and rolled up. But there are blanks, the pickling order of which is somewhat different from the standard one.

We offer options recipes crispy pickled cucumbers with vodka for the winter.

The classic way

Crispy, tasty and dense cucumbers, ideal for both daily meat and vegetable menus, and holiday treats.

Ingredients:

• cucumbers (gherkins) - 600 g;
• water - 0.5 l;
• salt - 2 tsp;
• vinegar - 1 tsp;
• sugar - 1 tbsp. l .;
• vodka - 1 tbsp. l .;
• spices (garlic, dill, bay leaf, etc.) - to taste.

Cooking procedure:

1. Spices are placed at the bottom of the sterilized container.
2. Pre-soaked cucumbers of the same size tightly placed in a container.
3. Pour boiling water over, drain after 15-20 minutes.
4. Marinade: add salt and sugar to boiling water.
5. Pour vinegar and vodka into a jar.
6. Pour in hot marinade.
7. Roll up, turn over and cover with a warm blanket.

No vinegar

Ideal cucumbers for those who don't like the taste and smell of vinegar. There is no vinegar in this salting.

Ingredients:

• cucumbers - for a capacity of 3 liters;
• water - 1.5 l;
• salt - 4 tbsp. l .;
• vodka (alcohol 40%, moonshine 40%) - 50 ml;
• spices, herbs, spices (garlic, dill, bay leaf, cherry leaves, oak leaves) - to taste.

Cooking procedure:

1. From pre-soaked cucumbers, both "tails" are cut off.
2. Cucumbers are placed in sterilized containers, sprinkled with spices. Do not tamp.
3. Sprinkle salt on top of the cucumbers.
4. Pour cold boiled water.
5. Cover with lids (not tightly) and put in the cold for sourdough.
6. After 2-7 days (in a warm place - faster, in a cold place - longer) a film will appear on the cucumbers, which means that the leaven is proceeding correctly.
7. Without removing the film, the brine is drained and brought to a boil.
8. Alcohol is poured into cucumbers, poured with boiling brine.
9. Roll up, turn over and cover with a blanket.

With red currant

Crispy cucumbers pickled with a little salt and with the addition of red currants are not just a tasty preparation, but also a source of vitamins for the whole family in the cool winter time.

Ingredients:

• cucumbers - 2 kg;
• red currant - 350 g;
• garlic - 1 head;
• water - 1.5 l;
• salt - 3 tbsp. l .;
• sugar - 50 g;
• vodka - 30 ml;
• vinegar - 0.5 cups;
• spices, herbs, spices - to taste.

Cooking procedure:

1. The red currants are washed and divided into small twigs.
2. Spices, herbs, spices, garlic are poured into the sterilized container.
3. Then spread the pre-soaked cucumbers mixed with red currant berries.
4. Pour boiling water for 15 minutes, after which the water is drained.
5. Marinade: add salt, sugar, vinegar and vodka to the boiled drained water.
6. Pour the marinade into jars for 20 minutes, drain, boil again and pour cucumbers.
7. Roll up, turn over and cover with a warm blanket.

With honey, citric acid and mountain ash without sterilization

The recipe includes mountain ash, which has bactericidal properties. Mild taste and undoubted benefits are the main advantages of such salting.

Ingredients:

• small cucumbers - for a capacity of 1 liter;
• salt - 1.5 tbsp. l. without a slide for 1 liter of water;
• vodka (alcohol 40%, moonshine 40%) - 1.5 tbsp. l .;
• liquid honey - 2 tbsp. l. for 1 liter of water;
• citric acid - 1 tsp. for 1 liter of water;
• rowan clusters (berries) - 3-4 branches;
• spices (dill, horseradish root, garlic, red rowan and cherry leaves, peppercorns) - to taste.

Cooking procedure:

1. In pre-soaked cucumbers, both "tails" are cut off.
2. The greens and leaves are washed, the horseradish root is cut into pieces of 1.5-2 cm.
3. Rowan bunches are disassembled into small twigs with berries.
4. At the bottom of the sterilized container are placed rowan and cherry leaves, dill, garlic, pieces of horseradish root.
5. Next, cucumbers are mixed with rowan berries (on small branches).
6. Cherry leaves are placed under the lid.
7. Pour boiling water over for 30 minutes. The water is drained, boiled again and re-poured into the jars for 30 minutes.
8. Based on the volume of water, calculate the amount of salt, honey and citric acid.
9. Water from cans is drained, boiled, salt and citric acid are added, boiled for 3-4 minutes.
10. Alcohol is poured into cucumbers.
11. Honey is dissolved in brine and the brine is poured into jars.
12. Roll up, turn over and leave to cool.

With lime and cognac

Spicy, spicy, crispy cucumbers will be appreciated by the male half of the family.

However, according to this recipe, you can also pickle cucumbers for ladies, if you replace the spices with softer ones.

Ingredients:

• cucumbers - for a capacity of 1 liter;
• lemon (lime) - 4-6 pieces;
• salt - 2 tsp;
• sugar - 2 tsp;
• cognac (vodka, alcohol 40%, moonshine 40%) - 1.5 tbsp. l .;
• spices for men (cloves, ginger root, hot pepper, mustard seeds, dill, bay leaves, cherry leaves, oak leaves) - to taste;
• spices for ladies (cinnamon stick, star anise stars, nasturtium buds, cardamom boxes, cherry leaves, tarragon sprigs) - to taste.

Cooking procedure:

1. In pre-soaked cucumbers, "tails" are cut off on both sides.
2. The lemon or lime is scalded before slicing.
3. The ginger root is washed, peeled and cut into slices.
4. For men - a clove (2-3 buds), ginger root (3-4 slices), hot pepper (1 / 8-1 / 4), mustard (1 tsp. Seeds) are placed on the bottom of the sterilized container. For ladies - cinnamon (1 / 6-1 / 4 sticks), star anise (½ stars), cardamom (2-3 boxes), cherry leaf (1 leaf), tarragon (1 branch) are placed on the bottom of the sterilized container.
5. Then cucumbers are mixed with lemon slices in a jar.
6. Put under the lid: for men - cherry leaves and dill umbrellas, for ladies - lemon, nasturtium (2-3 buds), cherry leaves.
7. Pour boiling water, after 15-20 minutes the water is drained.
8. The drained water is boiled, salt and sugar are added and boiled again for 2-3 minutes.
9. Cognac (or vodka, alcohol) is poured into cucumbers.
10. Pour in brine.
11. Roll up, turn over and cool.

Why strong alcohol is eaten with pickled cucumbers

Many eat strong alcohol with pickled cucumbers, but this is just wrong.

Dietitians and nutritionists say that pickled cucumbers with vinegar, and even after vodka, overload the kidneys, liver and irritate the stomach lining.

As a snack with vodka, only lightly salted cucumbers without the addition of vinegar are allowed. In addition to the pleasant taste, such "non-acetic" starters will help restore the water-salt balance, disturbed by alcohol.

Vodka is recommended to have a snack with fresh meat and vegetable dishes, but pickled vegetables are best eaten separately.

Useful tips and tricks for preserving delicious crunchy cucumbers

For a tasty and crispy preservation of cucumbers, it is enough to observe several important conditions:

• picking the right cucumbers - dark, with sharp pimples, salad varieties are not suitable for pickling;
• carefully prepare containers - wash, sterilize;
• do not put the fruits in the container too tightly - the brine must have access to each vegetable;
• strictly follow the recommendations for the amount of ingredients - too few spices or seasonings will make the vegetables bland, and the excess will lead to puffy cans or a change in the taste of the product.

Conclusion

Cucumbers pickled with the addition of alcohol (vodka, alcohol, cognac) will become the main decoration of the festive and everyday menu, if you choose a recipe that will appeal to your household.

Guests will like the classic salting recipe, lovers of the "natural" taste will appreciate the recipes without vinegar, and recipes with rowan or cognac will be highly appreciated on the festive table.