Simple and delicious ways to dry pickle cucumbers in a jar, bag and barrel

Pickled cucumbers have been and remain a favorite food in many families. However, not everyone has the ability and desire to spend a lot of time canning and cooking brine. An alternative to the usual method of harvesting fruits is dry salting.

What is dry pickling of cucumbers

Dry salting is a preservation method in which the product is rubbed or generously sprinkled with salt.

Most often, fish, meat, lard and cabbage are cooked in this way, but in this way you can salt and cucumbers.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of dry salting:

• quick and easy - no need to cook the brine;
• reduction of salting time - pickles are eaten after half an hour, maximum after 2-3 days;
• vegetables retain their original green color.

Disadvantages of this method:

1. Significantly more salt is needed than for brine. If for the preparation of brine for 1 kg of cucumbers it takes only 60 g of salt, then with dry salting - 250-300 g for the same amount of fruits.
2. With a dry method, there is always a risk of oversalting the fruits. They will have to be soaked in water before use, constantly tasting for salt. Its excess is harmful to people with hypertension.
3. Dry salting does not lead to the formation of lactic acid, which preserves the product and is good for the body. Dry salted cucumbers are stored for no more than a month.

Recipes for dry pickling cucumbers in a jar for the winter

When dry pickling cucumbers, use the same spices, spices and herbs as with the pickling method. Salt draws the aroma from these products, cucumbers absorb it, enriching the taste with new notes.

Attention! Salt is used only coarsely and without the addition of iodine. Otherwise, the cucumbers will soften and get an unpleasant aftertaste.

The classic quick way with herbs and spices

For 2 kg of cucumbers you need:

• a large bunch of dill greens;
• 600 g of salt;
• 10 black peppercorns;
• 5 bay leaves.

Step by step cooking guide:

1. Cut vegetables on both sides and pierce with a fork in several places.
2. Finely chop the dill, break the bay leaf into small pieces. Mix salt with dill, pepper and bay leaves.
3. To the bottom banks pack the fruits tightly and sprinkle them with salt and spices, shaking the jar gently to distribute the food evenly and fill the empty space.
4. Leave at room temperature for several hours for the salt to settle. After that, fill the voids with the rest of the salt. Close the jars with plastic lids and place in a cool place.
5. Soak cucumbers in cool water for one day before eating. Change the water several times.

Tarragon and Garlic Recipe

Products for a three-liter can:

• 1.5 kg of fruit;
• 300 g of salt;
• a sprig of tarragon;
• 5 cloves of garlic;
• other spices to taste.

How to cook:

1. Cut the cucumbers and pierce with a fork.
2. Chop the garlic, remove the leaves from the tarragon, mix with salt.
3. Put the food in the jar as follows: a layer of vegetables, a layer of salt and spices, a layer of vegetables. Repeat to the top containers... If salt remains, sprinkle on top.
4. Shake the jar vigorously but gently. Let stand for 2-3 hours at room temperature and put in the refrigerator or cellar.

Cucumbers with coriander and dry mustard

Ingredients for 1 kg of fruit:

• 5 tbsp. l. salt without a slide;
• 2-3 garlic cloves;
• 2 tsp each dry mustard and coriander;
• 1 bunch of dill and parsley;
• ground black pepper or a mixture of peppers.

Preparation:

1. Cut the fruits into bars or circles.
2. Chop the garlic and herbs.
3. Mix salt with seasonings.
4. Put vegetables and spicy salt in jars, close the lids, shake.
5. Keep refrigerated.

Recipe with currant and cherry leaves

Prepare ingredients:

• 1 kg of small cucumbers;
• 7.5 tbsp. l. salt;
• 7.5 tbsp. l. Sahara;
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• 5-10 leaves of currant and cherry;
• add a few horseradish leaves if desired.

An equal amount of salt and sugar in this recipe will speed up the pickling of the cucumbers.

Process step by step:

1. Wash cucumbers, soak, cut and pierce in several places.
2. Wash and dry the leaves of fruit trees and horseradish.
3. Cut the garlic into thin slices. Mix sugar and salt.
4. Cover the bottom of the jar with part of the leaves, put cucumbers on top. Pour the garlic and a mixture of salt and sugar, then the fruits, sprinkle with the mixture again. Continue to the top of the can.
5. Close the container, put in a cold place. Cucumbers are ready in 2-3 days.

How to dry lightly salted cucumbers

For salting 2 kg of vegetables you will need:

• 4 tbsp. l. salt;
• 2 tbsp. l. Sahara;
• 2 heads of garlic;
• 4 leaves of lavrushka;
• dried dill to taste;
• add fresh cilantro or fennel if desired.

Cooking steps:

1. If using herbs, chop finely. Add herbs, sugar and spices to the salt, mix.
2. Wash cucumbers, but do not wipe, cut the garlic into thin slices.
3. Dip vegetables in a salt mixture and place in a container. Due to the fact that the cucumbers are wet, the salt will stick to them better. Place garlic, bay leaf and dried dill on top. So fill all containers.
4. You can put cilantro and fennel greens on top. It will add flavor to the top layers of the cucumbers.
5. Close the container and put it in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. Lightly salted cucumbers are ready.

Dry pickling of cucumbers in a bag

This method is convenient in that you do not need to wash and sterilize containers for vegetables, and the package itself does not take up much space in the refrigerator. Use a strong plastic bag or several thin disposable bags, put on top of each other.

Products for pickling cucumbers in a package:

• 1 kg of vegetable;
• 1 tbsp. l. salt;
• 1 tbsp. l. Sahara;
• 3 garlic cloves;
• a bunch of any greenery.

Preparation:

1. Finely chop the garlic and herbs, mix with salt and sugar.
2. Put the cucumbers in a bag, add the salt mixture. Tie the bag and turn it over in your hands so that the dry brine evenly covers all the vegetables.
3. Leave the package in the refrigerator for 12 hours.

Store the cucumbers in the refrigerator in the same bag. The longer they lie in dry brine, the more salted.

Dry salting in a barrel

Suitable for salting wooden barrel from linden or oak. Plastic can give food an unpleasant aftertaste, and metal can transfer harmful substances to the workpiece.

Barrel Ingredients:

• 10 kg of cucumbers;
• 3 kg of salt;
• if desired, you can add spices and herbs in a total amount of 5% by weight of the fruit.

Salting process:

1. Wash cucumbers, cut at both ends and pierce several places. Place them in a barrel in dense vertical rows. Pour salt and spices on top.
2. Repeat to the edge of the barrel. The top layer should be salt.
3. Place the barrel in a cool dark place for 3-4 days.

Useful tips on the topic

There are a few tricks you can use to make pickles taste better:

1. For dry pickling, choose special pickling cucumber varieties. AND lightly salted can be made from young cucumbers or gherkins.
2. Before salting, it is recommended to soak vegetables in water, changing it periodically. This will refresh the fruit and preserve the crunch.
3. You can add juice and zest to salt lemon or lime. They will give the fruit a spicy flavor.
4. In the process of salting, shake the bag or container periodically so that the fruits are salted evenly.
5. Chop the herbs used for salting finely, and then squeeze out some juice with a mortar. So the fruits will better absorb the aroma of herbs.
6. Use in moderation with garlic, as too much will reduce the crunch of the fruit.
7. To get spicy cucumbers, it is enough to salt them together with a pod of red pepper. Remove the seeds first and cut it into several pieces.

Conclusion

Dry pickled cucumbers are slightly inferior to pickled cucumbers. However, dry salting saves time, which is now a valuable resource. The speed of salting allows you to get a delicious appetizer already for lunch or dinner.

You do not need to use a special container, sometimes it is enough to take a plastic bag. The dry salting method is not much different from the brine method and also allows you to enrich the recipe with herbs and spices.