How to pickle cucumbers? Neither horseradish nor grape. I now know the secret of my mother-in-law’s recipe

Pickled cucumbers are a great addition to dinner, sandwiches or salads. They taste the best when prepared at home, but this is not always possible. How to pickle cucumbers to make them firm and delicious? Add leaves from a fruit tree to them, and you will never do it any other way.

What to use for pickling cucumbers to make them firm? One ingredient significantly affects their quality

Pickling is a process that helps preserve food for longer. Thanks to this, we can enjoy the taste of vegetables even for many months. Take advantage of the season for field cucumbers and prepare preserves for the winter. Before you start picking cucumbers, be sure to get some cherry leaves. They are the secret ingredient in my mother-in-law’s pickles. Not only will they enhance their flavor, but they will also help with better preservation. Ingredients you will need:

• 5 kg of field cucumbers,
• 5 liters of water,
• 5 tablespoons of rock salt (non-iodized),
• 10 cloves of garlic,
• 3 chopped roots and 5 horseradish leaves,
• 10 cherry leaves,
• 5 sprigs of dill with canopies,
• pepper in balls.

TIP! Make the marinade a little earlier so it can cool down. Boil water in a pot, dissolve salt in it and set aside.

wash thoroughly, clean and dry on paper towels. Prepare 10 sterilized, one-liter jars. Put a cherry leaf, half a horseradish leaf, some dill, a few pieces of horseradish root, 2-3 peppercorns and a garlic clove in each. Then tightly arrange the cucumbers in them and pour over, covering the vegetables. Close the jars and leave for a few days on the kitchen counter. After that time, take them to a dark, cool place, e.g. a basement.

The easiest recipe for pickled cucumbers photo: Roman Jocher / Agencja Wyborcza.pl

What to do with pickled cucumber water? Definitely use it in the kitchen

Many people pour out the pickled cucumber brine and do not take advantage of the benefits it contains. This is a big mistake, because the water from pickles contains many valuable vitamins and minerals, and also has a great effect on digestive processes and metabolism. If you can’t drink it straight from the jar, use it as a base for soup. It will successfully enhance the taste of żurek, cabbage soup or cucumber soup. You can also use it to sour tofu, make homemade bread or marinate meat. The real hit, however, is the use of pickle juice to prepare whiskey-based drinks.. Combined with lemon and sugar syrup, it creates an interesting flavor that you can get to know in renowned bars. If you’d like, please vote in our poll below.