Cucumbers in brine

Name: Cucumbers in brine
Ingredients: Cucumbers: 5 kg; 5 L water; 5 tablespoons coarse non-iodized salt; 5 L water; 5 tablespoons coarse non-iodized salt; 100 g horseradish; 1 medium carrot (150 g); 2 hot peppers; 4 sprigs fresh thyme; 30 g dill stems (optional); 4 L water; 4 tablespoons coarse non-iodized salt

Pickles - Cucumbers in brine by Gherghina H. - Recipia

Cucumbers in brine are blanched with one tablespoon of coarse salt per liter of water. I pack them into jars with horseradish, carrot, hot pepper and thyme, to keep through the winter. This year I’m trying several ways of preserving them and will decide after tasting each one; for these, I choose small, firm cucumbers. Prep: 45 minutes. Cook: 44 minutes. Rest: 6 hours. Total time: 7 hours and 29 minutes. Servings: 20. Approximately 40 kcal and 2 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

Cucumbers: 5 kg

For the first brine

5 L water
5 tablespoons coarse non-iodized salt

For the second brine

5 L water
5 tablespoons coarse non-iodized salt

For the jars

100 g horseradish
1 medium carrot (150 g)
2 hot peppers
4 sprigs fresh thyme
30 g dill stems (optional)
4 L water
4 tablespoons coarse non-iodized salt

Preparation

1. Wash the cucumbers and trim just a little off the ends. Put them in a large bowl. Boil 5 L of water with 5 tablespoons of salt for 10 minutes, until the salt dissolves, then pour the hot brine over the cucumbers and blanch them for 2 minutes. 2. Leave the cucumbers in the brine for 3 hours, then drain the liquid. Boil 5 L of water with 5 tablespoons of salt for 10 minutes. Pour the fresh brine over them, blanch them for 2 minutes and leave them for another 3 hours. 3. Peel the horseradish and carrot, then cut them into strips and rounds, respectively. Wash the hot peppers, thyme and dill, if using; slice the peppers. Boil the lids for 10 minutes and get clean jars ready. 4. Drain the cucumbers. Arrange them in the jars with the horseradish, carrot, hot peppers and thyme, tucking the vegetables in between them. 5. Boil 4 L of water with 4 tablespoons of salt for 10 minutes. Pour the warm brine into the jars and screw on the sterilized lids tightly.

Notes

Once they’ve cooled, I keep the jars in the fridge, not the pantry. You can leave out the hot pepper, and the dill is optional. Choose cucumbers that are small, firm and similar in size. I start preparing them the day before I serve them, so I’m not rushed during the two resting periods. I serve them with boiled potatoes.