The best ways to pickle cucumbers for the winter with lemon

Winter preparations - a great way to diversify the menu and stock up on vitamins during cold weather and colds. Such dishes are full of 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, pickled cucumbers with the addition of lemon stand out. The appetizer turns out delicious, with a piquant sourness and bright aroma. Let's take a closer look at the most popular recipes for pickling cucumbers for the winter with lemon.

What does lemon give when pickling cucumbers?

Lemon extends the shelf life of preparations, adds cucumbers pleasant sourness, so these pickles go harmoniously with meat and fish dishes, vegetable side dishes and salads.

Lemon is low in calories, so the preparations fit perfectly into the diet and proper nutrition. In addition, the bright ingredient makes the preparations more appetizing; lemon pieces look attractive in any jars.

Interesting! Lemon pulp contains malic acid, pectin, dietary fiber, essential oils, vitamin C and many other useful elements. Consuming the product in moderate quantities improves brain function and has a positive effect on the state of the nervous and cardiovascular systems. A snack made from cucumbers with lemon is recognized as an excellent prevention of colds and respiratory diseases.

Best Recipes

Making pickled cucumbers is a simple process. Even a novice cook can handle pickling; the main thing is to stick 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 preparation. Add mint, basil, coriander or parsley to taste. The classic recipe does not use vinegar, which makes the dish even healthier. Such preparations are stored for a long time and do not lose their beneficial qualities.

List of ingredients:

• 600 g cucumbers;
• 1 lemon;
• 3 cloves garlic;
• 2 bay leaves;
• 1 liter of water;
• 150 g sugar;
• 40 g salt;
• 20 g citric acid;
• 3 mustard seeds;
• 4 allspice peas;
• 1 bunch of parsley or other herbs.

How to cook:

1. Rinse the cucumbers and soak in cold water for 5 hours. Cut off the ends.
2. Wash and dry the lemons. Cut into medium slices.
3. Sterilize jars. Place a bay leaf, herbs and spices on the bottom of each. Tamp the cucumbers on top.
4. Boil water, pour into a jar, leave for 25 minutes. Afterwards, pour the water back into the pan, add citric acid, sugar and salt. Leave on low heat for 10 minutes.
5. Pour the marinade into jars and seal with clean lids. Leave until completely cool.
6. Store in the refrigerator or pantry.

"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 preparation you will need:

• 0.5 kg of cucumbers;
• 1/2 lemon;
• 500 ml water;
• 2 bay leaves;
• 1 bunch of dill;
• 1 horseradish leaf;
• 80 g sugar;
• 60 g salt;
• 10 g citric acid.

Cooking technology:

1. Rinse cucumbers and lemons thoroughly under running water.
2. Place a horseradish leaf, dill, and bay leaves on the bottom of a clean jar.
3. Place cucumbers and lemon slices on top.
4. Prepare the marinade: add sugar, salt and citric acid to the water. Boil for 1 minute.
5. Pour hot marinade over vegetables and spices.
6. Cover the workpieces with sterilized lids, place in a pan and sterilize for 10 minutes.
7. Cover with lids and turn upside down until completely cool.

With basil

Basil diversifies the usual taste of the product and enriches the dish with beneficial properties. The spice has a bitter taste and strong aroma.

To prepare an original basil appetizer, 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 coarse rock salt;
• 50 g sugar;
• 10 ml vinegar essence 70%.

How to cook:

1. Rinse glass jars thoroughly with water and soda, wipe with dry and clean towels.
2. Soak the cucumbers in cold water for two hours and place in a container.
3. Place basil, parsley and bay leaf between the cucumbers.
4. Pour boiling water over the ingredients and leave for 10 minutes. Pour the water back into the pan and repeat the procedure.
5. Dissolve salt and sugar in the marinade, add vinegar essence.
6. Pour the marinade into the jars up to the neck, add black peppercorns.
7. Roll up, wrap in a blanket and turn upside down until completely cool.

Interesting! Some cooks use apple or grape cider vinegar instead of vinegar essence. A small amount of this liquid stimulates the removal 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 snack is ideal for boiled and fried potatoes; it is often taken with you on picnics and placed on the holiday table.

List of ingredients:

• 1 kg of cucumbers;
• 1 lemon;
• 60 g salt;
• 80 g sugar;
• 1 liter of water;
• 6 cloves of garlic;
• 3 bay leaves;
• 6 peas of cloves;
• 30 g coriander seeds;
• 30 g cumin seeds;
• 15 ml vinegar;
• 4 sprigs of fresh parsley;
• 5 sprigs fresh dill.

How to cook:

1. Wash the cucumbers and dry. Cut off the ends and pierce with a fork in several places. This is necessary so that the fruits are evenly saturated with brine.
2. Prepare jars, place cucumbers, coriander, cumin, parsley and dill in each.
3. Pour water into a saucepan, add salt and sugar, vinegar. Boil the marinade and pour into a jar.
4. Add bay leaf and roll up the lid. Cool and put in the refrigerator.
5. The product is ready for use after 8 hours.

Cucumber jam with lemon

This amazing appetizer will pleasantly surprise any gourmet. The preparation does not require any special knowledge or skills.

You will need:

• 1 kg of cucumbers;
• 2 lemons;
• 1 bunch of mint;
• 600 g sugar;
• 1 packet of vanilla.

Cooking method:

1. Wash and dry all ingredients. Cut the cucumbers into small pieces and place in a thick pan. Grind the mint and add to the cucumbers.
2. Scald the lemon with boiling water and remove the zest using a fine grater. Mix lemon and cucumbers, squeeze out the remaining lemon juice.
3. Mix everything thoroughly, add vanillin. Cover the pan with a lid and leave for 3 hours so that everything is soaked in lemon juice.
4. After the time has passed, pour water into the pan, put on fire and cook until boiling, stirring occasionally.
5. Sterilize jars and lids and spread out the jam. Roll up and wrap in a blanket until cool. Store in a cool place.

Tips and tricks from experienced housewives

Particular attention is paid to the choice of vegetables. Small cucumbers 10-15 cm long are ideal for preparations. Choose whole fruits of the same size so that pickling occurs evenly. It is not advisable to use cucumbers with cracks or scratches. It is also a good idea to pierce them with a fork or thin knife in several places.

As for lemons, housewives recommend using medium-sized fruits with thin skin. It is believed that these fruits are the juiciest and most vitamin-rich.

In addition, experienced chefs advise listening to the following recommendations:

1. Choose bright green cucumbers. Only young vegetables have this color. Fruits with a yellowish tint are not suitable.
2. Use varieties with tubercles; jars with them are less likely to explode.
3. For crunch, in addition to traditional spices, use cherry or blackcurrant leaves. To add elasticity to the cucumbers, add oak leaves to the jars.
4. To make cucumbers with lemon more spicy and piquant, add capsicum, mustard or horseradish.
5. Wash all vegetables and herbs thoroughly before cooking. Use only clean kitchen utensils.
6. Check jars for chips, cracks and rust. To wash jars, do not use regular dishwashing detergents; it is better to use baking soda or laundry soap.

Conclusion

Pickled cucumbers with lemon serve as a tasty addition to first and second courses. Only fresh ingredients are used for pickling. They are thoroughly washed, and 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 filtered water.If all rules are followed, snacks can be successfully stored until next winter. A great place for storage is a pantry, cellar or basement.