Classic recipe for lightly salted cucumbers in a pan with hot brine

Lightly salted cucumbers are one of the popular snacks. It combines the piquantness of canned cucumbers and the refreshing taste of fresh fruits. They are served with hot and main courses, and used as an ingredient for salads and sandwiches.

Lightly salted cucumbers are a summer preparation. After preparing it, you don’t have to wait several months for the fruits to be salted. Usually it is enough for vegetables to stand in brine for 2-10 days. The fastest pickling of cucumbers is the hot method. We'll talk about how to do it correctly below.

Features of preparing lightly salted cucumbers in hot brine

Cucumbers are preserved not only for the winter. During the fresh cucumber harvest season, housewives prepare lightly salted vegetables. They are salted for several days and stored for quite a long time.

The hot cooking method is popular. This method has several advantages:

1. Fast preparation. Hot brine penetrates faster into the fruit. This appetizer will be ready in 2-3 days.
2. Storage duration. Boiling water destroys bacteria, fungi and mold. Thanks to this, the snack will not spoil for a long time.
3. Benefit. Most recipes do not use vinegar, which is considered harmful to the stomach. Pediatricians allow the inclusion of lightly salted cucumbers in children's diets. With this method of preservation, many useful microelements are preserved.
4. Low salt content. This allows people suffering from hypertension, diabetes, etc. to consume small portions of lightly salted fruits.

Fruits cooked in hot brine acquire a delicate, lightly salted taste and remain firm and crunchy. Spices add extra piquancy to vegetables.

Preparing to cook

To make the appetizer tasty, it is important to choose the right ingredients. Particular attention is paid to the choice of cucumbers.

Small, elastic vegetables no larger than 15 cm in size are suitable for hot pickling. Larger fruits will not be salted evenly. It is important that there are “pimples” on the vegetables - then they will turn out crispy.

Preparing cucumbers for pickling:

1. Sorting. Remove soft, damaged and rotten fruits.
2. Flushing. Take cold water into a bowl. Cucumbers are washed in it and the remaining inflorescences are removed.
3. Soak. Cucumbers are soaked in clean cold water for 2-3 hours.

The choice of salt also matters. For salting, it is better to use rock salt. Iodized and fine are not suitable.

It is more convenient to pickle cucumbers in an enamel or wooden container. Cucumbers can also be preserved in jars - it is convenient to store them in such containers.

Important! The container must be washed before use.

Cooking recipes

There are many recipes for making lightly salted cucumbers. They include different ingredients: spices for brine or vegetables and fruits, which give the snack an unusual taste.

The taste of the fruit depends on how well the brine is prepared. In any recipe, add 1 tbsp to 1 liter of water. l. salt. This proportion allows you to quickly cook vegetables without oversalting them.

Advice. Brine should completely cover the fruit. Otherwise, they will salt unevenly.

Classic recipe for lightly salted cucumbers using the hot method

According to the classic recipe preparing lightly salted cucumbers, they are poured into saucepan hot brine. This method is suitable for beginner cooks, as the recipe is extremely simple.

Ingredients:

• cucumbers – 2 kg;
• water – 2.5 l;
• salt – 2.5 tbsp. l.;
• bay leaf – 6 pcs.;
• allspice – 10 peas;
• black pepper – 20 peas;
• dill – 2 bunches;
• parsley – 2 bunches;
• garlic - two heads;
• cherry and currant leaves - 5 pcs.;
• horseradish - 4 leaves.

Use purified water - then the fruits will be more tasty.

How to prepare lightly salted cucumbers according to the classic recipe:

1. The water is brought to a boil. Add salt, peppercorns, bay leaf to it. The ingredients are boiled until the salt is completely dissolved.
2. Dry the fruits with a paper towel. The ends are cut off on both sides. Peel the garlic and use the whole cloves.
3. Dill, parsley, leaves of fruit trees and horseradish are washed and divided into two parts. Place half of the greens on the bottom of the pan.
4. Then lay cucumbers and garlic in layers. They try to pack the fruits as densely as possible.
5. The rest of the greens are placed on top of the fruits.
6. Boiling brine is poured into a container with vegetables. Place a plate and pressure on top.

Place the cucumbers in a cool place for 2-3 days until ready.

Advice. A three-liter jar filled with cold water or a large stone is used as oppression.

Recipe with apples in hot brine

One of the most interesting combinations is cucumbers and apples. Together with salty brine, the ingredients acquire an unusual, sweet-salty taste. This appetizer goes well with meat dishes and stewed potatoes.

Ingredients:

• cucumbers – 2 kg;
• large apples – 6 pcs.;
• black currant leaves – 6 pcs.;
• salt – 2 tbsp. l.;
• water – 2 l;
• dill - 1 bunch.

Green apples work best for this recipe.They are sour, so the taste of the snack is more harmonious.

How to pickle cucumbers and apples:

1. The ends of the cucumbers are cut off. Several punctures are made in each fruit.
2. The apples are washed, cut into 4 parts and freed from seeds. The skin is not removed.
3. Place half of the greens on the bottom of the pan. Apples and cucumbers are placed there in layers. To ensure that the ingredients are crispy, they are placed tightly. Top with greens.
4. Prepare the brine. To do this, salt is added to the water. Bring the brine to a boil and pour it into the pan with the other ingredients.
5. Cover the cucumbers with apples with a lid. They put oppression on top.

According to this recipe, you can pickle cucumbers with grapes, pears and cherry plums. It is better to use slightly unripe fruits.

Recipe for aromatic lightly salted cucumbers

If you add suitable spices to the cucumber brine, you will get a delicious aromatic filling. In it, vegetables will acquire an unusual taste.

Ingredients:

• cucumbers – 2 kg;
• sugar – 2 tbsp. l.;
• water – 2 l;
• salt – 2 tbsp. l.;
• cloves – 4 pcs.;
• allspice – 8 peas;
• raspberry, cherry and black currant leaves - 6 pcs each;
• garlic – 3 cloves;
• horseradish leaves – 3 pcs.;
• dill - 1 large bunch.

Instead of dill and horseradish, housewives often use a pickling kit. It includes dill umbrellas, horseradish leaves and some other herbs. This set is sold at food markets.

How to pickle aromatic cucumbers at home:

1. Pre-prepared fruits are pierced with a fork. The ends of the greens are cut off on both sides.
2. Dill, leaves of fruit trees, horseradish and cucumbers are tightly placed in layers in a container. It is not necessary to cut the greens.
3. Sugar, salt, allspice and cloves are added to the water. Bring the brine to a boil. It is important that the salt and sugar are completely dissolved.
4. Vegetables and herbs are poured with boiling brine.A lid and bend are installed on top.

On cooking snacks take 3 days. The salting process takes place in the refrigerator.

Advice. The brine from these lightly salted cucumbers will be an excellent hangover cure.

Hot spicy cucumbers with horseradish and pepper

Fans of spicy dishes will appreciate lightly salted cucumbers with pepper and horseradish. They turn out not only hot, but also spicy. The spiciness of the dish depends on the amount of pepper.

Ingredients:

• cucumbers – 2 kg;
• horseradish leaves – 8 pcs.;
• hot fresh pepper – 1 kg;
• sugar – 2 tbsp. l.;
• salt – 2 tbsp. l.;
• black peppercorns – 14 pcs.;
• dill – 2 bunches;
• bay leaf – 4 pcs.

To make the taste of horseradish more pronounced, some housewives add 1 tbsp to the brine. l. grated root of this plant.

How to prepare spicy cucumbers with pepper and horseradish:

1. The ends of the fruits are cut off on both sides. The garlic is peeled and divided into cloves. Pepper is cut into pieces. To reduce the pungency of pickles, the seeds are removed.
2. Place ¼ dill and horseradish on the bottom of the pan. Then lay a layer of cucumbers, peppers and garlic. Place another ¼ of the greens and a layer of vegetables on top. In this way, alternate cucumbers with herbs. The top layer should consist of greens.
3. Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Sugar, bay leaf, salt and peppercorns are added to it. The mixture is boiled until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved.
4. Vegetables are poured with hot brine. A lid and bend are installed on top.

In this marinade, pepper also acquires a special taste - it becomes less spicy, and it is often used as an ingredient for hot dishes.

With mustard, chili and vinegar in hot brine

Cucumbers with mustard and chili are another spicy variation of the popular snack. Mustard seeds give it an unusual spicy note and original taste, making the brine even more aromatic.

Ingredients:

• cucumbers – 2 kg;
• salt – 2 tbsp. l.;
• water – 2 l;
• garlic – 20 cloves;
• dill – 2 bunches;
• dried chili pepper – 3 tsp;
• dry mustard seeds - 2 tbsp. l.;
• coriander – 2 tsp;
• zira – 1 tbsp. l.;
• vinegar - 2 tbsp. l.

Fresh hot peppers are often used instead of chili powder. In this case, it is cut into rings.

How to make spicy lightly salted cucumbers with chili and mustard:

1. The edges of the fruit are cut off on both sides. Garlic cloves are peeled and divided into cloves.
2. Place some of the dill on the bottom of the pan. A layer of cucumbers is placed on top. Vegetables are sprinkled with garlic, chili, cumin and coriander. Then a layer of dill, cucumbers and spices is placed again. Layers alternate until all ingredients are gone.
3. Pour water into the pan, add salt and mustard seeds. The mixture is brought to a boil and stirred until the salt is completely dissolved. Vinegar is poured into the brine, after which the pan is immediately removed from the heat.
4. The marinade is poured into the pan with vegetables. Place a lid and pressure on top.

It is recommended to put the pan in the refrigerator already at the salting stage. Then there will be a snack stored longer.

Note! Vinegar gives the snack a more interesting taste, but makes it less healthy.

With vodka

Recipe with vodka allows you to preserve the bright green color of lightly salted cucumbers. Such vegetables are practically no different in appearance from fresh ones, but have a pleasant piquant taste.

Ingredients:

• cucumbers – 2 kg;
• salt – 2 tbsp. l.;
• water – 2 l;
• leaves of horseradish, cherry, black currant - 6 pcs.;
• dill – 1 large bunch;
• garlic - two heads;
• sugar – 4 tbsp. l.;
• apple cider vinegar – 100 ml;
• vodka – 70 ml.

Other spices can be used if desired. Mustard seeds, anise, coriander, cloves, black and allspice are combined with lightly salted vegetables.

Cooking method:

1. The edges of cucumber fruits are cut off on both sides. Several punctures are made in each fruit with a fork.
2. Cucumbers, horseradish leaves, cherries, black currants, dill and coated garlic are placed in a saucepan in layers. The top layer should consist of greens.
3. Brine is prepared in a saucepan. To do this, mix water with sugar and salt. The ingredients are brought to a boil.
4. Vodka, vinegar and brine are poured into the pan with vegetables. The vegetables are covered with a lid and placed under pressure.

Vinegar and vodka should not be allowed to boil for a long time. Otherwise they will lose their properties.

With ginger

Ginger gives the snack a deep spicy taste. This version of lightly salted cucumbers can surprise even experienced housewives.

Ingredients:

• cucumbers – 2 kg;
• salt – 2 tbsp. l.;
• fresh ginger root – 100 g;
• vinegar - 4 tbsp. l.;
• sugar – 2 tbsp. l.

The amount of sugar can be changed to suit your taste. Some housewives like to add more vinegar.

How to prepare:

1. The ends of the fruits are cut off on both sides. A large number of punctures are made in them with a fork.
2. Ginger is peeled, grated on a coarse grater or cut into thin slices.
3. Ginger and cucumbers are placed in layers in a container.
4. Bring the water to a boil, add salt, sugar and vinegar.
5. When the ingredients in the boiling brine dissolve, it is poured into the vegetables.
6. The snack is placed under pressure and left in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Cooking recommendations

Secrets of preparing lightly salted snacks from experienced housewives:

• to speed up the process of preparing the fruits, they are cut into slices;
• if you let the cucumbers stand for 12 hours in a warm place, they will pickle much faster;
• long-term soaking of fruits in cold water makes them crispy;
• If you use cucumbers collected the day before pickling, they will not crisp.

Storage tips

Lightly salted cucumbers are stored in the refrigerator or in the cellar in brine. The shelf life of this snack is 1-2 weeks.

The longer the cucumbers are in brine, the more salty they taste. If you exceed the recommended storage time, the vegetables will not spoil, but will become salty.

To prevent mold from appearing on vegetables, mustard plaster is placed on them. This additive will not affect the taste.

Conclusion

Lightly salted cucumbers are one of the most popular summer snacks. It is combined with meat and vegetable dishes, and is used as an ingredient for hamburgers and salads.

There are many recipes for lightly salted vegetables. Most housewives consider the hot method the most convenient. In this case, the fruits acquire a uniform salty taste, but remain crunchy.