How to properly prepare pickled cucumbers and carrots for the winter

Cucumbers often coexist with carrots in the garden, but you rarely see them together in a jar. Adding carrots and even their tops will diversify the range of winter preparations, making them filling and healthy.

We have collected information for you on how to select and prepare vegetables for pickling, what ingredients are compatible with and what they are not. Also here you will find proven recipes and tips for preparing and storing salads.

Features of pickling cucumbers with carrots

Cucumbers taste great with carrots. Both orange root vegetables and green tops are used for preparations.

Let's consider the key points of marinating these vegetables together:

• cucumbers choose pickling varieties with a size of no more than 13 cm;
• take ripe carrots and clean them well;
• It is best to add to the marinade vinegar table, not malic, and not citric acid;
• the sterilization process is extremely important - carrots cannot always be perfectly cleaned; sterilization will prevent the growth of bacteria that cause spoilage of the product and bloating of the lids;
• be careful with the choice of greens - dill sprigs will do, but dill umbrellas can spoil the taste, like celery and basil;
• for marinating choose small containers (1-2 liters).

Selection and preparation of ingredients

So, let's start with cucumbers:

1. Choose medium-sized cucumbers (10-12 cm). The skin should be elastic, firm, without signs of rotting (soft darkened spots).Dried and yellowed areas are a sign that the vegetable is not suitable for pickling. It is better if the cucumber is pimply, but smooth ones are also suitable. Do not use too “thick” and large fruits for winter harvesting.
2. Rinse the cucumbers under running cold water.
3. Fill a basin or other deep container with ice water and immerse the cucumbers in it. The soaking process lasts from 3 to 10 hours. Periodically it is necessary to refresh the water or add ice cubes.
4. After soaking, rinse the cucumbers thoroughly. If it is too prickly, use a brush, but not a knife.
5. Cut off both ends of the cucumber if you are pickling whole vegetables. If you are making a salad, then cut the cucumbers into circles or plates.

Now about carrots:

1. Separate the carrots from the tops, but do not rush to throw away the green tail.
2. Clean the carrots from dirt.
3. Grate clean carrots on a coarse grater or chop them as you wish. Carrots are marinated in circles, cubes, and strips.
4. Rinse the tops well and dry. Chop, but not too finely. Its use is at your discretion.

Step-by-step cooking instructions

The process of pickling cucumbers with carrots is simple and does not differ from preparations without it. Below are specific examples.

Recipe and proportion options

Cucumbers come whole or chopped, but we always cut carrots. We recommend trying both suggested recipes.

Option #1

Ingredients:

• 500 g cucumbers;
• 500 g carrots;
• carrot tops;
• 2 sprigs of dill;
• black peppercorns (you choose the quantity yourself);
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• 1 small onion (optional);
• 1 tbsp. l. salt;
• 2 tbsp. l. Sahara;
• 2 tbsp. l. vinegar (9%).

Cooking method:

1. Soak the cucumbers, peel them and cut off the ends.
2. Rinse the carrots well, peel them (or wash them thoroughly to remove any dirt), and separate them from the tops.
3. Grate the carrots on a coarse grater.
4. Cut the onion into half rings.
5. Coarsely chop the carrot tops.
6. Sterilize the jars.
7. Place chopped dill, garlic cloves and chopped tops on the bottom.
8. Fill the jar one third full with cucumbers.
9. Place a layer of grated carrots.
10. Add a layer of onion rings (thinly) on top.
11. Repeat layers two more times. The final layer is onion.
12. Boil the water.
13. Pour boiling water into the jars and leave for 15 minutes.
14. Pour the water back into the boiling container.
15. Add salt, sugar and peppercorns.
16. Boil it. Cook for three minutes.
17. Pour in the vinegar and remove from the stove.
18. Fill the jars with boiling marinade.
19. Cover each jar with a lid and sterilize for 12 minutes.
20. Screw on the caps.
21. Turn the containers upside down and wrap them for 40 hours.

Option No. 2

What you will need:

• 600 g cucumbers;
• 0.5 kg carrots;
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• 1 bell pepper (optional);
• sprig of dill;
• Bay leaf;
• peppercorns to taste;
• 2.5 tbsp. l. heaped sugar;
• 1 tbsp. l. salt without a slide;
• 2 tbsp. l. vinegar (9%).

Cooking method:

1. Keep the cucumbers in ice water for 3-4 hours.
2. Rinse the vegetables.
3. Slice the cucumbers into slices - not too thin.
4. Separate the carrot tops and set them aside; they will not be used in this recipe.
5. Grate the carrots on a coarse grater.
6. Cut the bell pepper into strips.
7. Chop the dill.
8. Mix chopped dill with carrots. Add chopped garlic here. Stir.
9. Sterilize the jars.
10. Place some of the mixture of garlic, dill and carrots on the bottom.
11. Next, fill the jar halfway with cucumbers.
12. Spread out the rest of the mixture.
13. Add bell pepper to the container.
14. Fill the rest of the jar with the remaining cucumbers.
15. Dissolve salt and sugar in water. Add bay leaf and peppercorns. Put it on fire.
16. As soon as the water boils, pour the vinegar into the jar.
17. Immediately fill the containers with boiling marinade.
18. Cover with lids.
19. Sterilize for 15 minutes.
20. Screw on the lids.

Advice. If you like juicy dishes, then before adding vinegar, pour 1 tbsp into the jar. l. vegetable oil. You can also use scented oil.

How to roll up cans correctly

The main thing is sterilization and the correct recipe.

1. Don't forget to sterilize your jars. Do this in any usual way: in the oven, over a saucepan, over a kettle. Remember that the jars must be clean. Do not use dishwashing detergents, use a soda solution.
2. The pouring of marinade into the jar should be gradual. Do not pour all the boiling water at once and suddenly. Fill first by a third, after 5-6 seconds - to half and after a few seconds - to the very top. This way the risk of cans cracking will be minimal.
3. Vinegar is poured either into the boiling marinade or into a jar 2-3 seconds before boiling water. Do not add vinegar in advance.
4. It is advisable to boil the lids or pour boiling water over them.
5. After adding the marinade, screw the lids on immediately, do not wait until the marinade begins to cool.

Storage conditions and periods

For the first two days, give the jars the opportunity to cool slowly on their own. To do this, after twisting, the jars are turned over onto the lid and wrapped in dense material that retains heat. So the jars sit at room temperature for two or three days. After which they must be transferred to a cool and dark place for storage.

If you did everything correctly, the cucumbers will last a long time, but it’s still better to eat them before the new harvesting season.

Useful tips

And a few more important nuances:

• carrots do not go well with mustard beans; you should not add this ingredient;
• Parsley will add a spicy taste, but it is better to avoid basil;
• do not use citric acid or apple cider vinegar;
• It will help to diversify recipes adding tomatoes, but in this case a liter jar will not work - you need a larger volume;
• if you add bell pepper, let it be red or yellow - green does not taste well with carrots;
• This preparation is served both as a salad and as an addition to potato dishes.

Let's sum it up

Cucumbers and carrots can be pickled in different ways. The main thing: sterilized jars and well-washed vegetables. Combine vegetables with onions, peppers, dill and parsley. Avoid proximity to cabbage, basil and grain mustard.

Bon appetit and new discoveries in the kitchen!