7 Best Sugar-Free Pickled Cucumber Recipes for Winter

Pickled cucumbers are a traditional winter snack. There are many recipes for this dish, adding various ingredients and spices. Delicious pickled cucumbers are made without sugar.

The specifics of pickling cucumbers without sugar

Pickling cucumbers without added sugar is quick and easy. The process is no different from traditional pickling recipes. Sugar-free pickles are just as delicious.

It is not recommended to add a lot of garlic to the preparation. Garlic softens the cucumbers, which results in a less flavorful pickle. To keep the cucumbers crisp, oak, currant, and cherry leaves are added to the brine. To prevent the brine from becoming cloudy, fresh horseradish leaves are added.

Marinades are typically prepared with table vinegar. However, you can substitute it with apple cider vinegar, grape vinegar, or citric acid. A marinade without vinegar will have a milder flavor and more aroma.

Selection and preparation of vegetables and containers

For pickling cucumbers, it's best to use small, young cucumbers. They're crispier and tastier. Before pickling, thoroughly wash the cucumbers to remove any dirt and soak them in water for several hours. This ensures the cucumbers remain fresh and crisp.

Before placing the cucumbers in jars, trim the stems and arrange them vertically.

It is advisable to lay out the vegetables so that they are not pressed tightly against each other.

Spices are placed at the bottom of the jars—garlic, mustard seeds, cloves, fresh dill, or dill umbels with seeds. Currant leaves, cherry leaves, horseradish leaves, and oak leaves are also added.

Another important point is sterilizing the jars. To save time, you can sterilize the jars in the oven. Wash and dry them first. Once dry, place them in an oven preheated to 180 degrees Celsius. Sterilization time is 15 minutes.

If you can't use an oven, you can use a kettle. Pour some water into the kettle. Bring to a boil and place the jar upside down. Sterilize for 15 minutes.

Delicious and simple recipes for pickled cucumbers for the winter

How to pickle delicious cucumbers for the winterthat the whole family will love.

Traditional preparation

List of necessary products:

• young cucumbers;
• fresh dill with umbrellas;
• horseradish and currant leaves;
• oak leaves;
• garlic cloves;
• mustard seeds;
• water;
• vinegar;
• salt.

How to pickle cucumbers:

1. Place currant leaves, horseradish and oak leaves in containers.
2. Then add garlic cloves, dill and mustard.
3. Fill the container with cucumbers.
4. Pour cold water over the mixture for 6 hours.
5. Every 2 hours the water needs to be changed to new one.
6. When 6 hours have passed, pour boiling water over the mixture for 15 minutes, then drain.
7. Pour again for 15 minutes, and then pour the liquid into a saucepan.
8. Add salt to the cucumber liquid and place on the fire.
9. When the liquid boils, add vinegar and immediately pour the marinade over the cucumbers.

Recipe with the addition of currant berries and leaves

An unusual pickle can be prepared with currant berries and leaves.

What products will you need:

• small young cucumbers;
• fresh currant leaves;
• fresh currants;
• a few cloves of garlic;
• cold boiled water;
• salt;
• vinegar.

How to pickle vegetables for winter:

1. Place currant leaves, garlic and currant berries on the bottom of the prepared jars and fill them with cucumbers.
2. Soak the mixture in ice water for 8 hours. Change the water every two hours.
3. Then pour boiling water over the preserves and leave for 20 minutes.
4. Fill the jars again with boiling water, drain the liquid in the same way after 20 minutes.
5. After this, pour it into a saucepan, add salt and put it on the fire.
6. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Finally, add the vinegar.
7. Pour the marinade into the jars.

Cucumbers in mustard marinade

List of necessary products:

• cucumbers;
• garlic cloves;
• mustard seeds;
• dry mustard powder;
• vegetable oil;
• table vinegar;
• salt.

Salting process:

1. Cut the fruit into strips. Place them in a large saucepan.
2. Finely chop the garlic. Add it to the fruit, add mustard seeds, vegetable oil, and mustard powder.
3. Add salt, cover with a lid and shake the container well.
4. Leave the mixture for 5 hours to allow the fruit to release its juices. You can increase the time if there isn't enough juice released.
5. Then transfer the fruits with the marinade into jars and roll up the lids.

A fragrant preparation with vinegar and tomato ketchup

List of products:

• cucumbers;
• ketchup;
• garlic;
• dill with umbrellas;
• hot chili;
• salt;
• cold boiled water;
• table vinegar.

Cooking process:

1. Pour water over the cucumbers and leave them for about 3 hours.
2. Place dill, chopped garlic and pepper on the bottom of the jars.
3. Then fill the jars with cucumbers.
4. Pour boiling water over the mixture and leave the water for 15 minutes under closed lids.
5. Drain the liquid, add ketchup, salt and vinegar.
6. Place the container on the fire. Stirring, bring to a boil.
7. Pour the marinade over the fruits.

Five-Minute Recipe: Preparing Unsweetened Cucumbers Without Sterilization

You can make delicious lightly salted cucumbers without sugar.

What products will you need:

• cucumbers (must be small in size);
• garlic cloves;
• dill;
• fine salt;
• vinegar;
• oil.

How to preserve:

1. Cut the fruit into strips, finely chop the garlic and parsley.
2. Mix vinegar, vegetable oil and salt.
3. Place the fruits with garlic and dill in a bag and pour in the vinegar-oil mixture.
4. The fruits can be eaten in 15-20 minutes.

Pickled gherkins

List of necessary products:

• gherkins;
• garlic heads;
• black pepper;
• bay leaf;
• horseradish and oak leaves;
• currant leaves;
• fine table salt;
• filtered water;
• table vinegar 9%.

How to pickle:

1. Place currant, horseradish and oak leaves, pepper and garlic into prepared containers.
2. Then fill with gherkins.
3. Bring water to a boil, add salt, vinegar and bay leaf.
4. Separately, bring clean water to a boil. Pour the clean boiling water over the mixture for 15 minutes.
5. Then drain the liquid and pour the marinade over the preserves. Now the jars are ready to seal.

Assorted tomatoes

What products will you need:

• cucumbers;
• small tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes);
• garlic heads;
• horseradish and currant leaves;
• bay leaf;
• salt;
• vinegar 9%.

How to pickle vegetables for the winter:

1. Fill the jars with horseradish and currant leaves, add garlic.
2. Then lay out the vegetables in layers.
3. Pour boiling water over the mixture and leave for 20 minutes.
4. Drain the water and repeat again.
5. Pour the remaining water into the pan, add salt, black pepper, and bay leaf. Once boiling, pour in the vinegar.
6. Pour boiling marinade over the preparation.

Storage conditions and periods for canned goods

The optimal conditions for storing canned goods are a dark, cool room with a low temperature. The air temperature should be between 3 and 7 degrees Celsius. It is recommended to store canned goods in a cellar or basement. Jars can also be placed in the refrigerator.

The shelf life of sterilized products is almost 2 years.

Unsterilized preserves have a shorter shelf life. It's best to consume the pickled vegetables as soon as possible.