If you dream of crunchy, flavorful cucumbers from a jar, then don't look for special varieties. The secret to perfect crispiness is not the cucumbers or the spices. It's all about one small detail, which is added to each jar by those who know a lot about preparations.
You will need a tablespoon of rye flour per three-liter jar. It triggers light lactic acid fermentation, which prevents the cucumbers from becoming soft, makes them incredibly crispy and gives the brine a rich, slightly sour taste.
How to cook:
- Choose small cucumbers with black thorns, as they are the densest.
- Rinse them well in cold water and leave them in ice water for a couple of hours.
Place at the bottom of each sterilized jar:
- 2–3 cloves of garlic,
- a sprig of dill with umbrellas,
- horseradish leaf,
- bay leaf, black peppercorns, cherry or currant leaves.
Place the cucumbers tightly vertically. Don't tamp, but don't leave gaps between them either.
Brine:
- For 1 liter of water, take 2 tbsp. l. salt and 1 tbsp. l. Sahara.
- Bring to a boil and remove from heat.
- Add 1 tbsp to each three-liter jar. l. rye flour, and then carefully pour boiling brine to the very top.
- Roll up with sterile lids, turn the jars upside down and wrap in a thick blanket. Leave it like this for 24 hours.
After a day, turn the jars over, let them cool to room temperature and put them in a cool place.
After 5–7 days you can open the first jar. The cucumbers will be firm, crispy, with a slight sourness and the aroma of dill and horseradish.
Bon appetit!
