The best ways to pickle cucumbers for the winter with lemon
Winter blanks - a great way to diversify the menu and stock up on vitamins during the cold and cold season. Such dishes are saturated with useful elements that strengthen the immune system and have a positive effect on the human body. In addition, the blanks will decorate any table, be it a family dinner or a gala dinner.
Among the variety of dishes, pickles with the addition of lemon stand out especially. The appetizer turns out to be tasty, with a piquant sourness and a bright aroma. Let's take a closer look at the most popular recipes for pickling cucumbers for the winter with lemon.
The content of the article
What does lemon give when pickling cucumbers
Lemon extends the shelf life of the workpieces, adds cucumbers pleasant sourness, so such pickles are harmoniously combined with meat and fish dishes, vegetable side dishes and salads.
Lemon has a low calorie content, so the preparations fit perfectly into the diet and proper nutrition. In addition, the bright ingredient makes the blanks more appetizing, lemon slices look attractive in any jars.
Interesting! Lemon pulp contains malic acid, pectin, dietary fiber, essential oils, vitamin C and many other useful elements. The use of the product in moderation improves the functioning of the brain, has a positive effect on the state of the nervous and cardiovascular systems. A cucumber and lemon snack is recognized as an excellent prevention of colds and respiratory diseases.
The best recipes
Cooking pickles is a simple process. Even a novice cook can handle salting, the main thing is to adhere to the recipe of the dish and use high-quality ingredients.
How to pickle cucumbers with lemon: the most delicious and simple recipes from experienced housewives.
Classic recipe
A mixture of aromatic herbs and spices is used in the preparation. Add mint, basil, coriander or parsley to taste. The classic recipe does not use vinegar, which makes the dish even healthier. Such blanks are stored for a long time and do not lose their useful qualities.
Ingredient List:
- 600 g of cucumbers;
- 1 lemon;
- 3 cloves garlic;
- 2 bay leaves;
- 1 liter of water;
- 150 g sugar;
- 40 g of salt;
- 20 g citric acid;
- 3 mustard seeds;
- 4 allspice peas;
- 1 bunch of parsley or other herbs.
How to cook:
- Rinse cucumbers and soak in cold water for 5 hours. Cut off the ends.
- Rinse and dry lemons. Cut into medium slices.
- Sterilize banks. Put bay leaves, spices and spices at the bottom of each. Tamp the cucumbers on top.
- Boil water, pour into a jar, leave for 25 minutes. Then pour the water back into the pan, add citric acid, sugar and salt. Leave on low heat for 10 minutes.
- Pour the marinade into jars and roll up with clean lids. Leave to cool completely.
- Store in refrigerator or closet.
"Prague style"
The favorite snack of many housewives has an original taste and pleasant aroma. The average cooking time for cucumbers is 40-50 minutes.
For cooking you will need:
- 0.5 kg of cucumbers;
- 1/2 lemon;
- 500 ml of water;
- 2 bay leaves;
- 1 bunch of dill;
- 1 horseradish sheet;
- 80 g sugar;
- 60 g of salt;
- 10 g citric acid.
Cooking technology:
- Rinse cucumbers and lemons thoroughly under running water.
- Put horseradish leaf, dill, laurel leaves on the bottom of a clean jar.
- Put cucumbers and lemon slices on top.
- Prepare the marinade: add sugar, salt and citric acid to the water. Boil for 1 minute.
- Pour hot marinade over vegetables and spices.
- Cover the blanks with sterilized lids, place in a saucepan and sterilize for 10 minutes.
- Close the lids and turn upside down until it cools completely.
With basil
Basil will diversify the usual taste of the product and enrich the dish with useful properties. The spice has a bitter taste and strong aroma.
To prepare an original basil snack, you will need the following ingredients:
- 0.5 kg of cucumbers;
- 1 bunch of basil
- 1 sprig of dill;
- 2 bay leaves;
- 2 black peppercorns;
- 1 liter of water;
- 30 g of coarse rock salt;
- 50 g sugar;
- 10 ml of vinegar essence 70%.
How to cook:
- Rinse glass jars thoroughly with water and baking soda, wipe with dry and clean towels.
- Soak cucumbers in cold water for two hours, put in a container.
- Place basil, parsley and bay leaf between the cucumbers.
- Pour the ingredients with boiling water, leave for 10 minutes. Drain the water back into the pot and repeat the procedure.
- Dissolve salt and sugar in the marinade, add vinegar essence.
- Pour the marinade into the jars up to the very neck, add the black peppercorns.
- Roll up, wrap in a blanket and turn upside down until it cools completely.
Interesting! Some culinary experts use apple cider or grape vinegar instead of vinegar essence. A small amount of this liquid stimulates the elimination of toxins from the body and lowers cholesterol levels. Vinegar has an antiseptic and diuretic effect, cleanses blood vessels.
Crispy cucumbers with lemon and spices
The crispy appetizer is ideal with boiled and fried potatoes and is often taken with you to picnics and put on the festive table.
Ingredient List:
- 1 kg of cucumbers;
- 1 lemon;
- 60 g of salt;
- 80 g sugar;
- 1 liter of water;
- 6 cloves of garlic;
- 3 bay leaves;
- 6 peas of a clove;
- 30 g coriander seeds;
- 30 g of cumin seeds;
- 15 ml vinegar;
- 4 sprigs of fresh parsley;
- 5 sprigs fresh dill.
How to cook:
- Rinse and dry cucumbers. Cut off the ends and pierce with a fork in several places. This is necessary so that the fruits are evenly saturated with brine.
- Prepare jars, put cucumbers, coriander, cumin, parsley and dill in each.
- Pour water into a saucepan, add salt and sugar, vinegar. Boil marinade and pour into a jar.
- Add bay leaves and roll up the lid. Cool and refrigerate.
- The product is ready for use in 8 hours.
Cucumber jam with lemon
This amazing appetizer will pleasantly surprise any gourmet. In preparation, the preparation does not require special knowledge and skills.
You will need:
- 1 kg of cucumbers;
- 2 lemons;
- 1 bunch of mint;
- 600 g sugar;
- 1 bag of vanillin.
Cooking method:
- Rinse and dry all ingredients. Cut the cucumbers into small pieces, put in a thick saucepan. Chop mint, add to cucumbers.
- Scald the lemon with boiling water, remove the zest with a fine grater. Mix lemon and cucumbers, squeeze out the rest of lemon juice.
- Mix everything thoroughly, pour out the vanillin. Cover the pan with a lid and leave for 3 hours to soak everything in the lemon juice.
- After the time has elapsed, pour water into a saucepan, put on fire and cook until boiling, stirring occasionally.
- Sterilize jars and lids, spread the jam. Roll up and wrap in a blanket until it cools. Store in a cool place.
Tips and tricks from experienced housewives
Particular attention is paid to the choice of vegetables. For blanks, small cucumbers 10-15 cm long are ideal. Choose whole fruits of the same size so that salting occurs evenly. It is not advisable to use cracked or scratched cucumbers. Also, it will not be superfluous to pierce them with a fork or a thin knife in several places.
As for lemons, housewives recommend using medium-sized fruits with thin skin. It is believed that it is these fruits that are the most juicy and vitamin-rich.
In addition, experienced chefs advise you to listen to the following recommendations:
- Choose cucumbers that are bright green. Only young vegetables have this color. Fruits with a yellowish tinge are not suitable.
- Use varieties with bumps, the jars with them explode less often.
- For crunch, use cherry or black currant leaves in addition to traditional spices. Add oak leaves to the jars to give the cucumbers firmness.
- Add chilli, mustard or horseradish to make the lemon cucumbers more spicy and savory.
- Rinse all vegetables and herbs thoroughly before cooking. Use only clean cooking utensils.
- Check the jars for chips, cracks, and rust. To wash the cans, do not use ordinary dish detergents, it is better to use baking soda or laundry soap.
Conclusion
Pickled cucumbers with lemon are a delicious addition to the first and second courses. Only fresh ingredients are used for pickling. They are thoroughly washed, the cucumbers are soaked for several hours in cold water. To make the dish spicy, add pepper or mustard.
To prepare the marinade, use only clean water from the filter. Subject to all the rules, snacks are successfully stored until next winter. A great storage space is a pantry, cellar or basement.