How to pickle cucumbers in a barrel or oak tub for the winter: grandmother’s recipes, video

Pickling cucumbers in a barrel is an original tradition. In the old days, they were prepared by everyone, regardless of class and material well-being. Then large containers began to give way to glass jars. Perhaps it is much more convenient to store them, but such delicious cucumbers did not work out.

Now there are small barrels and tubs with a capacity of 10-20 liters, which can be kept even in a city apartment. But many housewives simply do not know how to pickle cucumbers in them. But the most difficult thing is to prepare the container and choose the right vegetables. The salting process is simple.

Canned pickled cucumbers will never be as tasty as cask pickles

Features of pickling cucumbers in a barrel

Barrel cucumbers are loved for their rich, spicy taste and aroma. But the vegetable itself is insipid and has a faint, barely noticeable smell. When salted, the delicate aroma of freshness inherent in cucumbers disappears altogether.

The taste and smell of salting is largely due to spices. There is a standard set of products that are put in cucumbers. But they also need to be chosen correctly:

1. Dill – spice number 1 when pickling cucumbers. Young grass and newly opened yellow flowers will not go into a barrel. You need to take one that is waist-high, with huge umbrellas, empty stems and foliage that has begun to dry out. Use such dill completely, breaking or cutting into pieces. Only the root is thrown away.
2. All traditional recipes for pickles contain blackcurrant leaves. They are placed whole, having previously been washed, so that they give up their aroma already in the barrel.
3. Cherry leaves are not always used, but in vain. They make the aroma subtle and spicy.
4. In traditional recipes for cold pickled pickles in a barrel, horseradish leaves are used. They do not have their own taste or smell, but they make vegetables vigorous and crispy. In order for cucumbers to become “thermonuclear”, horseradish leaves are replaced or supplemented with pieces of peeled root. Almost all recipes allow this.
5. Oak leaves are usually placed in jars, plastic or stainless steel barrels to give cucumbers strength. Or in containers made of beech, linden or other wood. Except oak. There is no need to put these leaves.
6. Hot pepper not only adds spice to cucumbers, but also fights mold. So it must be put in.

Of the optional ingredients for lovers of spices, one can name tarragon (tarragon) and thyme. Some consider their aroma unnecessary when pickling cucumbers, others always put these herbs.

When pickling cucumbers, you can use any spicy herbs, but you still need to observe the measure

For those who have not cooked vegetables with tarragon or thyme before, it is recommended to make a three-liter jar to start with. If you like it, next season use a container for salting a large volume.

Salt to take iodized, fine grinding, such as “Extra”, is categorically not recommended. Only stone, unrefined or sea. Otherwise, the cucumbers will be “not the same.”

Water should be used spring, well or purified. For pickling cucumbers, it is better if it is tough. For this, 1 tbsp. l. calcium chloride purchased at a pharmacy is dissolved in 3 liters of water, if the latter is from the tap, it must be boiled and cooled.

If there is a barrel or tub, but for some reason there is no lid, it does not matter. You can make a wooden circle with a diameter slightly smaller than the neck of the container, place it on top of the sterile tissue and press down with a load. From time to time, the cloth will have to be washed. In extreme cases, the piece of wood can be replaced with a suitable diameter of an enameled or food grade stainless steel lid. For convenience, it is turned down by the handle.

And the last. It is in three-liter jars that cucumbers are placed “standing up”. In barrels they are flat. If someone wants to spend a lot of time for a vertical dive – please, but the taste will not change from the way of laying.

Preparing a barrel or tub for salting

New wooden barrels must be started 2-3 weeks before pickling cucumbers. This time is needed to remove tannins. They are completely filled with clean water, which is changed every 2-3 days.

Barrels and tubs made of wood that have already been in use are soaked until the leak stops. Then the containers are filled with boiling soda solution. On a bucket of water take from 50 to 60 g of calcined, or 25 g of caustic. Allow the solution to act for 20 minutes, then thoroughly rinse the barrels with cold water. It is best to do this outside with a hose to completely remove the soda.

Stainless steel and plastic containers are washed with sodium bicarbonate dissolved in hot water. Rinse thoroughly.

Container for pickling cucumbers must be prepared carefully

What cucumbers are suitable for pickling in a barrel

To salt cucumbers in a barrel for the winter, you need to choose the right fruits. They should be the same average size – gherkins or those that have begun to turn yellow are not suitable. It is better to use freshly picked cucumbers, but for the townspeople this is difficult to implement.

Therefore, you should go to the market as early as possible and try to buy first-hand fruits – from farmers or grandmothers who sell surplus from their own garden. You need to take cucumbers of the same variety and size, then they will be salted evenly.

Heavy cool fruits, most likely, are collected in the morning, in extreme cases – in the evening. Light and warm obviously had time to lie down, and the pulp, most likely, is flabby. Crispy cucumbers with pickling will not work.

The best greens are with a white nose and longitudinal stripes. True, to find such ones is a great success, when they appear on sale, they are instantly sold out. If it was not possible to find greens with white marks, then taking pimply ones is quite realistic. But there are certain subtleties here:

1. For pickling, they take cucumbers in a “” shirt – with large rare tubercles and sharp black spikes. Their length should not exceed 11 cm, and the diameter at the thickest point – 5,5 cm (better – less, but it depends on the variety).
2. To pickle cucumbers, choose a “German” shirt. Her pimples are also black, but small, arranged so tightly that they almost merge. The length of the fruit should be from 3 to 11 cm. It is advisable to choose late varieties for pickling.
3. Cucumbers with white pimples are considered not very suitable for whole-fruit preparations. They are used in combined salads.
4. Cucumbers that have a smooth skin should not be taken for harvesting at all. They are eaten fresh.

To get crispy cucumbers when salted in barrels for the winter, they are soaked for several hours in very cold water. You can put ice cubes in the container.

The best pickles have black pimples and white longitudinal stripes.

How to pickle cucumbers in a barrel for the winter

There are many recipes for pickling barrel cucumbers. But you shouldn’t cook them in a barrel for the first time – suddenly you don’t like it.

The exact number of cucumbers is not given in the recipes. Fruits can be of different lengths, thickness and density. Therefore, the weight of cucumbers, even for a 10-liter barrel, can vary greatly.

An old recipe for pickling cucumbers in a barrel

Now few people have 200-liter barrels, so the recipe is given for 10 liters. For larger containers, the quantity of products must be proportionally increased. This is the right way to pickle cucumbers in a barrel so that they are crispy and firm, without garlic.

Ingredients:

• cucumbers – how much will go into the barrel;
• black currant leaf – 30 pcs.;
• dill stalks with umbrellas – 6 pcs.;
• hot pepper – 3-5 pcs.;
• horseradish leaves – 5 pcs.;
• salt – 2 tbsp. l. for 1 liter of water;
• a piece of horseradish root as thick as a finger, about 10 cm long.

The amount of water depends on the shape of the cucumbers and the density of their stacking.

Preparation:

1. Wash cucumbers and herbs. Peel the horseradish root, cut into pieces or rub. Cut hot pepper into rings.

   

2. Set aside 2 sheets of horseradish. Lay the cucumbers flat in the barrel. Greens, chopped horseradish root and pepper can be placed at the bottom of the container or interspersed with fruits.

   

3. Fill the barrel with cold water. Drain it, measure the amount, add salt. It is not necessary to boil water at the same time – the liquid must be returned to the barrel as soon as possible so that the cucumbers do not lose moisture, and it will take a long time to cool. The salt is just well mixed. Finally, it will dissolve already in the barrel.

   

4. Pour brine over cucumbers. Put the remaining horseradish leaves on top. Close the lid tightly. Store the keg in a cold place at a temperature not exceeding 6-7 °C. Cucumbers can be eaten after 1,5 months.

   

The recipe for pickling cucumbers in a barrel in a cold way

There are many delicious recipes for pickled cucumbers in a barrel. This one is one of the best. It is close to the classic, but adapted to modern realities – the barrel can simply be stored in a cool place. Even in the villages today, not everyone has a cold basement, to say nothing of city apartments.

Ingredients for a 10 liter barrel:

• cucumbers – how much will fit;
• garlic – 2 large heads;
• horseradish – a bunch of leaves;
• dill – stems with umbrellas, but without a root;
• blackcurrant – a large handful of leaves;
• hot red pepper – 3 pcs.;
• hard water;
• salt – 2 tbsp. l. for 1 liters of liquid.

Preparation:

1. Wash greens and cucumbers. If the fruits are picked the day before or it is not known when, you should soak them for several hours in cold water with the addition of ice cubes.

   

2. Put a piece of dill, horseradish leaves and currants on the bottom of the prepared barrel.

   

3. Lay the cucumbers flat, layering with greens, slices of pepper and garlic cloves.

   

4. Fill the barrel with water, measuring the amount of liquid. Drain it, dissolve the salt, add calcium chloride if necessary. Return to barrel.

   

5. To cover with a lid. Put in a warm place where the temperature will not exceed 20 ° C for 2-3 days. Then take out to the cold. After a month and a half, the cucumbers are ready.

   

Comment! If the container is covered with a non-native lid, periodically check the liquid level, adding brine if necessary. Replace the cloth regularly with a clean one.

Recipe for pickled cucumbers for the winter in a barrel with mustard

It is delicious to pickle cucumbers in a barrel with mustard. It acts as a preservative, gives additional strength and sharpness. It is recommended to use grains, but some farms successfully prepare cucumbers with mustard powder.

Ingredients:

• cucumbers – how much will fit;
• garlic – 1 head;
• horseradish leaves – a bunch;
• dill – 3 large old stems without roots;
• blackcurrant leaves – 20 pcs.;
• horseradish root – 10 cm;
• salt – 2 tbsp. l. for 1 liter of water;
• cherry leaves – 10 pcs.;
• mustard – 5 tbsp. l. ground dry or 7 tbsp. l. grains;
• water.

Preparation:

1. The brine must be cooked in advance. It is difficult to calculate the amount of water, but first filling the barrel with cucumbers, and then taking them out and immersing them in a cold liquid so that they do not lose their elasticity is troublesome. If you do not want to do this, you can cook 4 liters of brine from rock salt and mustard. First, add sodium chloride to the water. After boiling, remove the foam, throw mustard.

   

2. Wash greens and cucumbers. Peel and cut into pieces the horseradish root.

   

3. Place part of the greens on the bottom of the barrel, lay cucumbers flat on top, layering with leaves, garlic, roots, dill.

   

4. Fill with chilled brine. Its temperature should be around 20°C.

   

5. Cover with a lid and put in a cold place (6-7 ° C).

   

Salted cucumbers in a barrel

Why make salted cucumbers in a barrel? After some time (depending on the temperature of the content), they will become vigorous. Of course, for a big company, for example, when city dwellers gather in nature.

Salted cucumbers can be made in many ways. But this recipe is the simplest, designed specifically for men who are absolutely incapable of cooking. Despite the fantastic ease of preparation, cucumbers are delicious. And they are eaten quickly even by gourmets.

Ingredients:

• cucumbers;
• water;
• salt.

Very detailed instructions:

1. Find out from your wife where the salt is. This is where her participation in the preparation ends.

   

2. Go to the market or shop for cucumbers. When there is a bucket, take it with you, buy vegetables, how much will go in. If the container could not be found, take 10 kg. You can give the extra to your wife – she will be delighted.

   

3. Wash (rinse) the cucumbers and the barrel.

   

4. Cut off the nose and tail of the greens. Approximately 1-1,5 cm.

   

5. Put them in a barrel, as it turns out.

   

6. In order not to overwork, pour water directly from the tap into a liter jar, shake 2 tbsp. l. salt. It may not be completely. Pour into a barrel. Prepare the next batch.

   

7. When the barrel is full, close the lid. Alternatively, you can pour off some of the liquid (about 0,5 liters), put a clean kitchen towel directly on top of the brine. The edges must also be in the container, otherwise the water will drip onto the floor or table. Place an inverted large lid and weight on top. You can pour water into the same jar where the salt was diluted and use it as an oppression (weighting agent).

   

8. Stay away from the barrel for three days. Then you can start trying. You need to try not to eat all the cucumbers before leaving for nature. If they are overstayed, they will be tasty, but no longer lightly salted.

   

Pickled crispy cucumbers for the winter in a barrel

Barrel cucumbers are usually made without vinegar. But it is a good preservative, and some people prefer pickled vegetables to salted vegetables. Nobody bothers to cook cucumbers in large containers with vinegar.

To make barrel pickled greens crunch better, you can pour vodka into them when pickling. If not sorry. For each liter of water, add 50 ml of the product. Garlic should not be put at all.

Ingredients for 10 l:

• cucumbers – how many will go into the tub;
• red hot pepper – 3 pods;
• currant leaves – 20 pcs.;
• horseradish leaves – a bunch;
• dill stalks – 5 pcs.;
• vodka – 50 ml per 1 liter of water;
• vinegar – 200 ml;
• horseradish root – 10 cm;
• salt – 2 tbsp. l. for 1 l;
• water.

Preparation:

1. Wash cucumbers and herbs in cold water. Peel and rub the horseradish root.

   

2. Put a piece of greenery on the bottom of the barrel. Place cucumbers on top. Cover with remaining leaves and roots.

   

3. Measure the required amount of water. Add salt, vodka, vinegar, pour cucumbers.

   

4. Seal with a lid or put oppression on top. Send the barrel to a cold place. Cucumbers are ready for use in 1,5 months.

   

Pickled cucumbers with coriander in a plastic barrel

A plastic barrel is not the best container for pickling cucumbers. Even when it is intended for food. If the hostess decided to cook vegetables in it for the winter, then it’s better to just salt, without adding vinegar, alcohol, aspirin and other “aggressive” products. This is where the fermentation process will take place. And so that they are not too intense, the container should be placed immediately in the cold.

Ingredients for a 10 l container:

• cucumbers – how much will fit;
• dill – 5 old stems with umbrellas;
• garlic – 2 heads;
• horseradish root – 10 cm;
• red hot pepper – 3 pods;
• black currant leaves – 30 g;
• tarragon – 30 g;
• salt – 2 tbsp. l. for 1 liter of water;
• horseradish leaves – a bunch;
• coriander seeds – 3 tbsp. L.;
• water.

Preparation:

1. Wash cucumbers and herbs with cold water. Put in a barrel, interspersing the fruits with spices (except coriander).

   

2. Measure the amount of water. Dissolve the required amount of salt.

   

3. Pour into a barrel, add coriander seeds.

   

4. Clog or put oppression. Remove to a cold place.

   

A simple salting of tomatoes and cucumbers for the winter in a barrel

There are many recipes for co-salting vegetables. Most of all, tomatoes and cucumbers are eaten in winter. When the house has a cold basement or cellar, and the family is not too big, it makes sense to salt them together. It should be borne in mind that the taste of both products will change somewhat.

The proposed recipe is one of the simplest. Prepared with sugar, so that the fermentation will be intense. Until it stops, it is not recommended to clog the barrel with the “native” lid. From above, the workpiece is covered with a clean cloth and put oppression. At first, you will often have to remove the foam, change the rag and add the brine. When fermentation stops, the barrel is topped up with salt water and corked.

Ingredients:

• salt – 2 tbsp. l. for 1 liter of water;
• sugar – 1,5 tbsp. l. for 1 l;
• leaves of horseradish, blackcurrant, dill;
• water.

The main ingredients are tomatoes and cucumbers. They are put as much as will fit into a 10-liter container. It is impossible to name the weight exactly – it all depends on the size, density and freshness of the fruit. The best proportion for this recipe is 70% tomatoes and 30% cucumbers. You don’t have to stick to it exactly.

Preparation:

1. First you need to boil the brine from water, salt and sugar. It is not worth shifting vegetables back and forth, tomatoes are easily damaged. It is better to make a little more brine, for example, 4 liters. This should be enough, if left, pour into a jar and refrigerate, it will be needed in the future.

   

2. Greens are placed at the bottom of the barrel, then cucumbers, and tomatoes on top. Pour completely cooled brine.

   

3. Put in a warm place with a temperature of 18-20 ° C. Press down with oppression. Regularly remove the foam, change the cloth, pour the brine.

   

When the fermentation subsides, move the container to a cool place. But they don’t clog the lid, they keep it under oppression.

Conclusion

Pickling cucumbers in a barrel is a responsible process. Containers and vegetables must be cooked carefully. But spices can be added arbitrarily, among the mandatory – only salt. Even dill, horseradish and blackcurrant leaves are more a tribute to tradition than a necessity. True, pickles with them are much tastier and more aromatic.