Is it possible to pickle cucumbers with apple cider vinegar for the winter and how to do it correctly

Citric acid does not inspire confidence, and does the taste of table vinegar take away the pleasure of eating pickled cucumbers? No problem, replace these ingredients with apple cider vinegar. It has no aftertaste, is softer on the stomach, and the cucumbers will be stored for many months.

So that you have no doubts, we will update your cookbook with new recipes, and at the same time we will tell you about the rules for choosing cucumbers for such preparations and shelf life, and also add some useful tips.

Is it possible to pickle cucumbers with apple cider vinegar for the winter?

Not only is it possible, but it is also necessary. Apple cider vinegar is suitable for any winter preparations. It is added at the very end of cooking either to the marinade (boiling) or to the jar before the final pouring.

What does it give in the recipe?

Apple cider vinegar is responsible for the shelf life of cucumbers. Its task is to prevent the lids from swelling and the marinade becoming cloudy. It does not give the dish a sour taste. Such pickling safe and can be stored for a long time.

Selection and preparation of cucumbers

You will need pickling cucumbers. They are more suitable for long-term storage.

What is important to pay attention to:

• cucumber size - no more than 13 cm;
• the color of the peel is healthy, without burnt spots and rot;
• the stalk is strong;
• the peel is not loose;
• the tails of cucumbers are the same color as the vegetable itself;
• The fruits are elastic, hard, without dents.

Proceed according to the following algorithm:

1. Fill a bowl with ice water and place the cucumbers in it. The water should cover them completely.
2. Lower the basin to the floor, where there is no light.
3. Change the water or add ice cubes every 2 hours. Soaking time: 2–8 hours.
4. Rinse each fruit thoroughly with cool running water.
5. If there is dirt that cannot be removed by water pressure, remove it with a soft brush. A dental one will do.
6. Cut off the tails on both sides.

The cucumbers are ready to go into the jar.

Pickling recipes

Recipes for pickling cucumbers great multitude. At your discretion, you can take the usual recipe and replace table vinegar with apple cider vinegar. But we still recommend diversifying your pantry shelves with new recipes.

Classic with garlic and spices

Among the additional ingredients in the classic recipe is onion. It should be finely chopped. If desired, you can completely exclude this component from the recipe. But currant and cherry leaves are mandatory ingredients.

For a 1.5 liter jar:

• 1800 g vegetables;
• 5 cloves of garlic;
• 1 onion;
• 1 sprig of dill;
• 1 sprig of parsley;
• 120 ml apple cider vinegar;
• 1 tbsp. l. salt;
• 5 tbsp. l. Sahara;
• 1 dill umbrella;
• 3 bay leaves;
• 4 currant leaves;
• 4 cherry leaves;
• peppercorns.

Cooking method:

1. Soak small cucumbers in ice water for 4 hours.
2. Cut off the tails and thoroughly clean each vegetable of dirt.
3. Wash the jars. You can use regular detergent or baking soda solution. Rinse the foam well.
4. Sterilize the jars.
5. Finely chop the onion.
6. Rinse the greens in cool water.
7. Chop the dill and parsley.
8. Place cherry and currant leaves at the bottom of the containers.
9. Add 3 cloves of garlic and chopped onion to them.
10. Fill the jar with cucumbers, placing them vertically first.
11. Top with chopped herbs, remaining garlic cloves and dill umbrella.
12. Boil the water.
13. Pour boiling water into the jars.Cover with lids and cool for 15 minutes.
14. Drain the water back, add salt, sugar, bay leaf and peppercorns.
15. Boil, then pour in apple cider vinegar and immediately remove from heat.
16. Fill the jars with marinade to the middle, and after 7-10 seconds add the second part.
17. Cover with lids.
18. Sterilize for 15 minutes.
19. Arm yourself with a seaming wrench and roll up the cans. Turn it over.
20. Prepare thick towels in advance and wrap the workpieces with them. In this form they should stand for exactly 2 days.

Bay leaves should not end up in jars, but peppercorns, on the contrary, are required.

Without sterilization

Sterilization of the finished product in this recipe is replaced by triple pouring.

For a liter jar you will need:

• 1 kg of cucumbers;
• 3 cloves of garlic;
• 1 onion;
• 1 horseradish leaf;
• 1 horseradish root;
• 150 ml apple cider vinegar;
• 4 tbsp. l. Sahara;
• 1.5 tbsp. l. salt;
• greens of your choice;
• peppercorns to taste;
• 1 bay leaf.

How to cook:

1. Collect cucumbers in the evening. Fill a basin with cold water and place it in a dark and cool place.
2. Put cucumbers there.
3. In the morning, rinse each vegetable and remove dirt with a brush. Cut off the tails.
4. Cut the onion into large rings.
5. Chop the garlic or pass through a press.
6. Finely chop the horseradish root and mix with garlic.
7. Chop the greens.
8. Rinse the horseradish leaf.
9. Wash the jars with soda solution, rinse and dry. Sterilize in any convenient way.
10. Place a horseradish leaf on the bottom of the containers, and a mixture of garlic and horseradish root on top.
11. Fill the jars halfway with cucumbers.
12. Place all the onion rings.
13. Continue filling the jars with cucumbers.
14. Place chopped herbs on top.
15. Put the water on fire.
16. As soon as it boils, pour the boiling water into the jars.
17. Cover the jars with lids. Cool for 20 minutes.
18. Drain the same water and boil again.
19. Refill each jar with boiling water. Cover with lids and wait 15 minutes.
20. Drain the water and boil.
21. Add salt and sugar to boiling water. Mix well.
22. Add bay leaf and peppercorns. Boil for 3 minutes.
23. Pour apple cider vinegar into each jar.
24. Remove the boiling marinade from the stove and gradually fill the jars with it.
25. Seal immediately. Turn over and wrap.
26. After 3 days, transfer the workpieces to a place where they will be stored for more than 9 months.

The lids also need to be boiled.

With bell pepper and chili

This recipe will be appreciated by lovers of slightly spicy preparations. Chili pepper in combination with Bulgarian will make the taste of pickled cucumbers more subtle and elegant. At your discretion, you can add 1 tsp. grain mustard.

Ingredients for a liter jar:

• 700 g cucumbers;
• 2 bell peppers (preferably red);
• 1 chili pepper;
• 3 cloves of garlic;
• 3 currant leaves;
• 1 cherry leaf;
• 3 bay leaves;
• 100 ml apple cider vinegar;
• 1 tbsp. l. salt;
• 3 tbsp. l. Sahara;
• peppercorns to taste.

Cooking method:

1. Soak the cucumbers in cold water for 4 hours. Add water periodically or replace it completely. Avoid exposure to sunlight at this stage.
2. Cut the bell pepper into oblong slices.
3. Rinse cherry and currant leaves in cool water.
4. Sterilize clean jars and then make sure there are no chips or cracks.
5. Finely chop the chili pepper.
6. Rinse the cucumbers in cold water and cut off both edges. If the vegetable is damaged, do not pick it up.
7. Place currant and cherry leaves at the bottom of dry jars.
8. Add all the garlic cloves to them.
9. Fill the jar 1/3 full with cucumbers.
10. Add chili pepper.
11. Next, lay out the cucumbers so that slices of bell pepper are placed between them.
12. Boil water and pour into jars.
13. Leave for 15–20 minutes, covered with lids.
14. Carefully pour the water back into the pan. Immediately add salt, sugar and peppercorns.
15. Bring to a boil, stir for 20–30 seconds.
16. Add vinegar to the marinade, stir and pour into jars.
17. Cover with lids.
18. Sterilize for 10 minutes.
19. Seal and turn upside down. Place on the floor and cover with thick material for 2 days.

The cucumbers turn out juicy and aromatic; greens are not necessary here. If you decide to add it, avoid basil as it will overpower the flavor of the peppers. Serve these preparations with pilaf.

Gherkins with apple cider vinegar and herbes de Provence

For this recipe, it is recommended to purchase a ready-made mixture of Provençal herbs. It includes 9 different items.

Ingredients for a liter jar:

• 1 kg gherkins;
• 1 tsp. Provençal herbs;
• 3 cloves of garlic;
• 2 pcs. carnations;
• 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil;
• 2 tbsp. l. apple cider vinegar;
• 1 tbsp. l. salt;
• 3, 5 tbsp. l. Sahara.

Cooking method:

1. Soak the gherkins for 2 hours in cold water.
2. Pass the garlic through a press.
3. Rinse the jars with baking soda solution and rinse 2-3 times with cold water.
4. In 10 minutes. send for sterilization.
5. Place cloves and garlic at the bottom of dry jars.
6. Fill the jar with gherkins.
7. Boil the water.
8. Pour boiling water into jars and cover with lids. Cool for 10–12 minutes.
9. Drain the water back into the pan, add salt and sugar.
10. Just before boiling, add Provençal herbs.
11. Boil for 2-3 minutes.
12. Meanwhile, pour vegetable oil into jars.
13. Add apple cider vinegar to the marinade, mix well and turn off the stove.
14. Pour the marinade into jars to the very top and cover them with lids.
15. Sterilize for 10 minutes.
16. Roll up, turn over and wrap for 48 hours.

Vegetable oil gives cucumbers shine and a more appetizing appearance. Pour it into the jar, not into the marinade. If desired, you can omit the oil from the recipe.

Terms and conditions of storage

Depending on the recipe, the cucumbers are stored in the room for the first 24–72 hours. Rolled cans must be turned upside down and lowered to the floor. Next, you should wrap the jars with something warm and dense, for example, a blanket or a thick and large towel. The jars should cool gradually. It is better to put them in a part of the room where there is no sunlight.

After 24–72 hours, the containers with the workpieces are removed to a cool and dark place. A closet in a cold hallway, a cellar, or a pantry are ideal for this. In such conditions, cucumbers are stored for a long time - up to 3 years. But you should not store them longer than 12 months. The taste is not at all the same, the vegetables become empty and have a sour taste.

An open jar should not be stored for longer than 7 days. If a film has formed in the marinade, it means that the cucumbers are no longer suitable for consumption.

Important nuance! If suddenly you drank almost all the marinade, and some of the cucumbers remained in a dry jar, you won’t be able to eat them the very next day.

Advice from experienced housewives

Read the advice of experienced housewives:

1. Do not add citric acid or lemon slices to preparations that contain apple cider vinegar.
2. There are recipes with the addition of alcohol (vodka). It is better to leave this ingredient for preparations with ordinary table vinegar.
3. When you sterilize the finished product, it is better to pour the vinegar into the marinade, otherwise - directly into the jar.
4. If you want crispy fruits, do not pour boiling water over your vegetables. Cool the marinade for 1-2 minutes.
5. Soak gherkins not as long as larger cucumbers. For little ones, 2 hours is enough.
6. If you're making a double- or triple-fill recipe, don't chop the greens too finely. It is possible that after draining the water, the greens will have to be added to the jars.
7. If you cook with bell peppers, it is better to choose red ones. Try to avoid green, as it doesn’t taste well with cucumbers.

Read also:

How to pickle cucumbers in a bucket for the winter in a cold way.

How to pickle cucumbers and gherkins deliciously, quickly and easily: 7 best recipes.

How to quickly and tasty cook lightly salted cucumbers.

Let's sum it up

You can and should marinate cucumbers with apple cider vinegar. It extends shelf life, is safe for the stomach and has no taste. It is better to pick cucumbers in the evening, no larger than 13 cm in size, with a healthy and even color.

Cucumbers are combined with apple cider vinegar, parsley, dill, onions, horseradish and various types of peppers, except green bell peppers. The preparations are stored in the cellar for more than 2 years, but it is advisable to eat them within 12 months. Opened jars of cucumbers should be stored only in the marinade and for no more than 7 days.