The ratio of citric acid and vinegar for canning, how to prepare and dilute

There are two main ingredients commonly used in cooking: citric acid and vinegar. Many home cooks often add them when preparing vegetable snacks. However, before doing so, it's recommended to thoroughly familiarize yourself with the correct ratio of citric acid to vinegar for preserving.

What is used to prepare winter preserves?

There are two components that are most often added when creating winter vegetable preserves:

• Citric acid. This is a synthetic component produced chemically. It is very beneficial because, when used correctly, it promotes digestion, weight loss, and cleanses the body of toxins and harmful substances. This is why housewives often use it when preparing various dishes from fresh or pickled vegetables.
• Vinegar. This is a natural product containing vitamins and other beneficial substances. Synthetic vinegar also exists, but it should not be used for canning.

Interchangeable ingredients

Many housewives use table vinegar for preserving vegetables. However, it can be replaced with apple cider vinegar. It's important to note that apple cider vinegar is only sold in a 5% strength form. Therefore, you'll need to add twice as much liquid to the pickled snacks. Some use grape vinegar, but it's more suitable for marinating fish or meat products.

Which is better: vinegar or citric acid?

Many people planning to can vegetables are wondering which is best. Vinegar is considered the most important ingredient for canning, as it not only imparts a tart flavor to dishes but also inhibits the growth of microflora in the containers.

However, if it is not possible to add essence, citric acid is used instead.

To make it work as well as vinegar, you'll need to add a lot of powder to the jar. However, don't use too much, as it can negatively affect the flavor of the dish.

How to dilute vinegar essence for canning

To ensure the right concentration, the essence must be diluted correctly:

• 9%. To create the mixture, you will need to mix seven parts of regular water with one part of the essence.
• 5%. In this case, you need to dilute thirteen parts of cold water with one part of the essence.
• 3%. This weakly concentrated solution is prepared from twenty parts water and a tablespoon of essence.

How to prepare and dilute a canning solution for 1 liter

There are three ways to dilute the solution.

With dry citric acid powder

To dilute the powder, add a spoonful of the ingredient to a liter of water. If you want to make a less concentrated solution, add half as much. The resulting liquid can be added to tomato or cucumber brine.

With vinegar

When diluting, strictly adhere to the proportions. Therefore, add no more than ten tablespoons of the mixture to a liter of water. Stir the mixture thoroughly, after which it can be added to the vegetable brine.

With essence

The essence is not as concentrated, so you'll need to add more. To do this, mix a liter of water with 150-200 milliliters of the mixture. Let the prepared solution steep for about half an hour before using.

Conclusion

Citric acid and vinegar are often used in canning. Before using them, it's important to understand the specifics of preparing the solution and the proper quantities of each ingredient.