The best recipes for Hungarian-style pickled cucumbers, with and without sterilization, for winter storage

A variety of recipes are used to preserve the natural vitamin content: canning tomatoes, zucchini, and mushrooms, and pickling cabbage. Hungarian cucumbers, preserved for the winter, remain firm, green, and tangy—an excellent preserve and ready-to-eat snack. They're easy to prepare if you follow the instructions provided.

Features of Hungarian cucumbers

Well-prepared green cucumbers are tangy, crunchy, and moderately sweet. These pickles are typically not made at home; they're bought at the store. The main challenge is maintaining their firmness, preventing the vinegar from softening the cucumber and preserving its natural firmness and elasticity.

To do this, you'll need to prepare a special marinade, add spices, and have a delicious appetizer ready to serve. Almost all recipes include mustard: this gives the cucumbers a tangy flavor.

The Hungarian method of preservation has undeniable advantages:

• ease of salting;
• subtle piquant aftertaste;
• the fruits remain crisp and firm;
• Storage – as for regular blanks in glass containers.

Selecting and preparing vegetables before harvesting

Before pickling, cucumbers must be sorted. Select firm, undamaged, and medium-sized cucumbers. Larger ones won't fit in the jar, and smaller ones will take a long time to process.

The choice of size depends on personal preference; sometimes small gherkins turn out better than large ones.

The cucumbers are peeled, stems removed, washed, and soaked in cold water. Any that are too dirty or rotten are discarded, as they will damage the rest of the pickled cucumbers. Another tip is to select cucumbers by size: they should be roughly uniform. This makes them easier to pack into jars.

How to properly pickle Hungarian cucumbers for the winter

Crispy, delicious pickled cucumbers are perfect for slicing into vinaigrettes and rassolniks. They can also be used as a ready-made appetizer for main courses. There are several popular methods for preserving these vegetables while preserving their flavor, aroma, and texture. This classic recipe includes carrots and seasonings. Which one to choose is up to you.

Classic cooking recipe

Sort the cucumbers by size to make them easier to place in the selected jars. Then soak them in clean, cold water.

To prepare 5 kilograms of pickled green beauties you will need:

• water – 3.5 liters
• vinegar essence 9% – 0.5 liters
• granulated sugar – 600 grams
• salt – 100 grams

Spices—cloves, ground black peppercorns, and mustard—are added to taste, but not excessively. Hungarian cucumbers should be spicy, but not scalding. The marinade is prepared by mixing sugar, salt, and vinegar. To do this, heat the water to a boil and stir until all the ingredients are completely dissolved. The spices are poured into jars of the appropriate size, thoroughly washed with the prepared baking soda, in an even layer on the bottom.

It is very important to use baking soda because synthetic detergents can remain on the glass.

The cucumbers are packed tightly, but not too tightly, into the container and covered with the hot marinade. Sterilize in boiling water for 10 minutes, then seal with a tin lid. The crisp, spicy cucumbers are ready. Another version is prepared with the addition of dill and garlic. The recipe makes one 800-milliliter jar or two 400-milliliter jars. Wash the cucumbers thoroughly, remove any remaining inflorescences, and trim off the stems. The spices (half a teaspoon of mustard seeds, 5 black allspice berries, 1 bunch of fresh dill, 1 clove of garlic) are placed in the bottom of the previously washed and sterilized jar.

Then tightly pack the cucumbers, fill with water up to the neck, add:

• sugar (2 teaspoons);
• salt (1 teaspoon);
• vinegar (50 milliliters of 9% essence).

Next, they begin sterilizing the preparation: the jars are placed in a wide-bottomed pan filled with water, having first placed a towel or napkin underneath.

Heat over low heat until boiling, then simmer for about 5 minutes. Then remove the jars, cover with lids, and carefully seal. After sealing, turn the jars upside down, wrap them in a blanket, and leave them there until cool. The entire cooking process takes 8.5 hours, and the delicious, crisp cucumbers are ready.

With carrots and onions

Vegetables are sometimes added to Hungarian cucumbers, which adds a rich, delicate, sweet and sour flavor. This is considered the ideal pickling recipe for those who don't like to spend a lot of time in the kitchen but still want to indulge in a delicacy. This pickle recipe is quick and easy to prepare.

For a liter glass jar you will need:

1. One medium sized carrot.
2. One onion.
3. Salt – 1 teaspoon.
4. Sugar – 2 tablespoons.
5. 9% vinegar – 70 milliliters.
6. Water – 0.5 liters.

You'll also need cucumbers and 5-6 hot peppercorns. Choose cucumbers of similar sizes so they look good both in the jar and on the table. This way, they'll marinate equally well.

Before cooking, wash the fruits and place them in cold water for a couple of hours. Peel the onion and cut it into rings, and peel the carrots and slice them. Then place the vegetables in clean, well-washed jars. Peppercorns are added. Finally, add the cucumbers, salt, sugar, vinegar, and cold, pre-boiled water.

Carefully cover the jars with lids and sterilize them for no more than 10 minutes in boiling water over low heat. Store the sealed pickles in a cool, dark place.

Without sterilization

Like other homemade preserves, Hungarian cucumbers can be prepared without sterilization. This will inevitably shorten the shelf life, but will allow you to prepare a delicious snack faster.

So, to implement the recipe (for a liter jar) you will need:

• fresh, firm cucumbers – 1.7 kilograms;
• 50 grams of salt;
• 2 tablespoons of 9% vinegar essence;
• 25 grams of granulated sugar;
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• 2-3 peppercorns;
• 20 grams of greens (dill).

Before pickling, cucumbers are soaked in water for a couple of hours. During this time, you can peel and prepare the herbs and spices. Jars must be thoroughly washed and sterilized. Then, add the herbs, and pour boiling water over the washed cucumbers. Let them soak for 10 minutes.

Pour the water from the jars into the saucepan in which the marinade will be simmered, and add the measured amounts of salt and sugar. Bring to a full boil, remove from heat, and add the vinegar. Carefully pour the prepared marinade over the cucumbers in the jars and carefully seal the lids.

Terms and rules for storing cucumbers

General storage guidelines for homemade pickles apply to Hungarian-style pickles. Jars should be stored in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight. A refrigerator, cellar, or basement are suitable. Chippen or cracked containers should not be used for canning. Bent or rusty lids should not be used for canning.

The average shelf life is several months, up to a year. At the first sign of cloudiness in the brine or swelling of the lids, the contents are considered hopelessly spoiled. Pickles prepared according to the Hungarian recipe make a wonderful addition to any meal, a delicious and mouth-watering appetizer.