Step-by-step recipes for pickling cucumbers and cabbage in jars for the winter and storage conditions for the preserves

Cucumbers and cabbage are the most common vegetables home cooks prepare for the winter. Pickled or salted, these vegetables offer excellent flavor, juiciness, and a pleasant crunch. Many gourmets prefer jarred cucumber and cabbage salads for the winter. But they don't always know how to properly prepare the salad mix.

The specifics of preparing cucumbers and cabbage for the winter

Choosing a cucumber and cabbage salad mix for the winter can be difficult, as it doesn't always turn out exactly as you'd like. The type of pickled vegetable plays a major role here. Pickled vegetables produce the best flavor. They have a slightly sweet taste and a pleasant aroma thanks to the spicy additions to the marinade. Young cucumbers and juicy cabbage together make a wonderful addition to any dish, making them a great side dish for meat. Simply pickled vegetables, without the addition of aromatic herbs and spices, will be bland and won't appeal to winter vegetable salad lovers.

The special thing about canning this mixture is that you can cook the vegetables together, and making a marinade for them is easy and simple.

Selecting the main ingredients

The main component of the winter salad mix will be white cabbage. The head of cabbage should be firm, juicy, crisp, and free of bruises and rot. Young cucumbers, 5-7 centimeters long, with soft green skin and slightly pimpled skin, are suitable for pickling.

If you don't have these fruits, you can use larger ones, but then you'll have to cut them into thin slices or sticks. It's best to use equal quantities of both vegetables for canning—1.5 kilograms each.

Additional ingredients you will need:

• onions 500 grams;
• head of garlic;
• celery or parsley leaves;
• green onion feathers.

For the marinade, you'll need bay leaves, 2 tablespoons of salt, and half the amount of sugar. You'll need 4 tablespoons of 9% vinegar and 0.5 cups of vegetable oil. You can add some spices of your choice.

How to pickle cucumbers and cabbage at home

A winter cucumber and cabbage salad can be prepared with or without sterilization. After cooking, the product should be sealed with metal lids. Prepare the dishes and kitchen utensils in advance. Everything must be perfectly clean and sterile.

Preparing cabbage, cucumbers, onions, and garlic

Start by slicing the cabbage. Remove the outer leaves and shred into thin strips. Wash the cucumbers, trimming off the ends on both sides. It's best to slice the vegetables into 2-3 mm thick slices.

Peeled onions are washed and chopped into small cubes. Peeled and washed garlic cloves are placed under a press. They should be crushed into a paste.

Mixing the salad

Now it's time to combine the ingredients. Choose a deep bowl or basin. Add the shredded cabbage, cucumber slices, onion, and garlic mixture. You can also add finely chopped green onions, celery leaves, or parsley. Drizzle the mixture with vegetable oil. Be sure to add salt and sugar. Season with vinegar. Mix the salad thoroughly with a wooden spoon and let it sit for 2 hours.

Preparing cabbage with cucumbers

While the vegetable mixture is steeping, sterilize the jars and prepare the lids for sealing. Place the salad in the jars and pack them down firmly, ensuring the liquid is on top of the vegetables. Cover the jars with lids and place them in a saucepan for pasteurization. The process lasts up to 20 minutes in boiling water. At the end of the process, carefully remove the jars containing the salad mixture. Finish the canning process by sealing the jars and wrapping them until they cool completely.

How to submit the workpiece

Like all pickled products, cabbage and cucumbers in jars are placed in a cool place away from sunlight. Serve the salad as a side dish or as a separate dish. It's a healthy pairing with meat and fish.

Features of preparing salad without sterilization

If you don’t want to deal with sterilization, you can marinate vegetables like this:

1. Cucumbers are cut into halves or strips.
2. The cabbage is cut into large pieces.
3. Place some dill, a few peppercorns, and garlic cloves on the bottom.
4. Fill the jar with vegetables and add boiling water.
5. After 10-15 minutes, drain into a saucepan and prepare the marinade, adding salt and sugar.
6. After removing from heat, add table vinegar.
7. After pouring boiling marinade over the vegetables, immediately cover with lids.

Wrapping and cooling the jars containing the pickled product is essential. Sliced ​​bell peppers, carrots, or tomatoes are often added to salads.

Best before date

Vegetable salads should be eaten throughout the winter. They shouldn't be stored for long periods of time, more than 1-2 years. If a jar is opened, it should be consumed immediately. Even if refrigerated, open salads can be stored for no more than 2 days.

Therefore, before choosing the right jars for your cucumber and cabbage salad, consider whether your family will be able to eat it all at once. It's best to choose 700-gram or 1-liter jars.

Storage tips

Storing homemade preserves must be done properly. The temperature in the room where you store your salads for the winter should be kept between 15 and 5 degrees Celsius. It shouldn't rise any higher, as temperatures below freezing will spoil the preserves. Humidity should also be kept between 65 and 70%, as excessively humid air will cause rust on the lids.

Long-term storage is dangerous. Not only will vegetables in salads begin to change color, but they will also taste poor. It is better to prepare as many jars of cucumbers and cabbage as the family can eat over the winter. If you're trying a recipe for the first time, make 1-2 servings. You might find that your family doesn't appreciate the new dish, and your efforts will be in vain.