The best recipes for pickled cucumbers with basil for the winter, including storage conditions and shelf life.

Cucumbers are a popular vegetable used for winter preserves. When canning, home cooks choose standard spices, herbs, and seasonings. The same recipe gets boring over time, and you want to try something new. Is it possible to preserve pickled cucumbers with basil for the winter?

What does basil give to cucumbers?

Basil is a plant used in salads, light dishes, and as a garnish. It has a rich aroma and piquant flavor. When preserved, basil infuses vegetables with even more flavor. It also infuses them with bitter notes, giving them a distinctive flavor.

Basil doesn't require any additional seasoning. If you neglect this, the aroma can be overpowering, and the dish won't acquire the distinctive aroma and flavor that basil imparts. To truly appreciate it, don't add too many sprigs to the jar. Just a few leaves will do the trick.

How to choose and prepare basic ingredients

When choosing preserves, start with cucumbers. Some prefer medium or large-sized ones. They can be cut into any shape desired. Smaller cucumbers look beautiful in jars. They're easy to seal and enjoy, as gherkins are considered much tastier than regular ones.

First, pay attention to the cucumbers' appearance. They should be fresh, as evidenced by the firmness of the cucumbers. The thin skin should not be wrinkled. The pimples should be dark green, and the cucumbers themselves should show no signs of spoilage. Selected cucumbers are placed in ice water while the containers for canning are prepared.

Ice water is the secret to making cucumbers crispier.

Jars can have varying capacities, ranging from 500 ml to 3 liters. The number of jars required is calculated based on the raw materials. Glass jars can be simply rinsed with bleach and water, and the lids can be rinsed as well. Depending on the recipe, the jars may or may not be sterilized.

As for basil, use only the leaves of the aromatic herb. If the stems aren't too coarse, you can add a whole sprig to the jar. Choose the spice to your taste—green or purple. Green has a mild flavor, while purple has a sharper, more lingering aroma. After washing, pat the herbs dry to remove any remaining moisture.

How to pickle cucumbers and basil for the winter

There are many recipes, the technique used to prepare cucumbers influences their flavor. Some cooks prefer the classics, while others like to experiment. Depending on the spices used, you can achieve the desired spiciness. Adding berries will give the cucumbers not only a fragrant flavor but also a slightly sweet taste.

Classic recipe

To prepare pickled cucumbers you will need the following ingredients:

• cucumbers;
• fresh or dried basil;
• dill;
• peppercorns;
• garlic;
• bay leaves;
• water;
• sugar;
• salt;
• vinegar.

Cooking steps:

• First, prepare the vegetables and herbs by washing and drying everything.
• Similar actions are carried out with containers for preservation.
• The jars are then sterilized using any method. Each jar is held over steam for 3-4 minutes.
• Once the containers are prepared, the ingredients are ready to be added.
• Spices and herbs are placed on the bottom of the container.

• At the end, the jars are filled with cucumbers.
• Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Pour the liquid into the jars containing the cucumbers, cover with lids, and let sit for 20 minutes.
• When the time has elapsed, the water is drained, as it will no longer be needed.
• After the procedure, move on to preparing the marinade. For 1 liter of water, you will need 2 tablespoons of salt and 1 tablespoon of sugar.

• Once the liquid boils, pour it over the jars of cucumbers. As in the previous step, cover them with lids and let them sit for half an hour.
• After this, the marinade is drained and boiled again.
• The resulting brine is poured into jars, adding 1 teaspoon of vinegar to each.

Then they move on to sealing. If they're regular jars, use a key; otherwise, use screw-on lids. After sealing, the containers are checked for leaks. To do this, lay each one on its side so the liquid reaches the very top of the container.

If no water leaks from under the lids, the procedure has been done properly.

With yoshta

The pickling recipe is similar to the classic one, with a few nuances. Besides basil, jostaberries are an additional ingredient. The berry is a cross between a gooseberry and a currant. The berries can be sprinkled at the bottom or spread over the cucumbers at the very top of the jar. This will add incredible flavor to the dish, as the recipe combines vegetables, spices, herbs, and berries.

Without sterilization

The canning process using this recipe is very simple. It eliminates the need for repeated transfers of marinade from jars to a saucepan and back again. Many people, after trying this method of preparing cucumbers, refuse to sterilize. It's so simple that even beginners can handle it.

How is it done? After adding the spices and herbs, the jars are filled with cucumbers. Then, the marinade is prepared by mixing the ingredients with cold water. Once the jars are filled with brine, they are covered with lids and placed in a larger saucepan or other container.

Fill the pan with water until the level reaches the top of the jars. Set the heat to medium. Once the water reaches a boil, set the timer for 1 hour.

After this, each jar is removed from the water and sealed. Then, they are turned upside down, covered with a blanket, and left to cool completely.

With coriander

Cilantro pairs especially well with basil. This spice also has another name: coriander. When preparing winter preserves, it's common to use the seeds, not the greens. While they may seem like parts of the same plant, they have radically different flavors.

The piquancy of cucumbers depends on the amount of spices used. Preserved cucumbers are served as a stand-alone dish or used as a salad ingredient.

With mint

This aromatic herb is used in pickling cucumbers to add freshness. Just a few sprigs of the herb are enough for a jar of pickles. Mint also tends to color the water. Upon opening the jar, the brine is a light green color.

How and how long are the blanks stored?

One of the main advantages of canning is the long-term storage of vegetables. If the cellar or basement doesn't experience sudden temperature fluctuations, the preserved vegetables will last for years. Housewives often use this method. Even after a year of storage, the vegetables retain their flavor and remain crisp.

It's possible to extend the shelf life of cucumbers. To do this, you need to emphasize the strength of the marinade. However, it's important to remember that this technique affects the cucumbers' flavor. Most people enjoy this, as it adds even more flavor to the vegetables.