Recipes for making pickled cucumbers with celery for the winter, choosing vegetables, and shelf life

If you start preparing cucumbers with pickled celery, you can enjoy the taste of this amazing preparation in just 3-4 days. Thanks to the quick pickling process, these recipes remain popular. After all, this snack is enjoyed year-round, and it couldn't be easier to prepare.

Tips for pickling cucumbers and celery for the winter

Spices are essential for pickling. Horseradish, dill, garlic, currant, cherry, and oak leaves are commonly used. Also, depending on the recipe, some celery, parsley, basil, mint, hot pepper, marjoram, oregano, tarragon, bay leaf, and other seasonings are needed.

These ingredients impart a unique flavor and share vitamins with the cucumbers. However, the spices should only be prepared shortly before pickling; otherwise, they will wilt, losing their essential oils, beneficial properties, and nutrients. The pickling process doesn't favor a lot of herbs or garlic, as it reduces the crispiness of the vegetables.

For preparation, use pure table salt, not iodized. Cucumbers are usually pickled on the same day they are harvested. However, if pickling is not possible, it can be delayed for at most one more day.

The vegetables are washed and soaked in water for about 4 hours. To preserve their juicy color, it is recommended to pour boiling water over them and then place them in a container to soak.

The cucumbers are laid out very tightly, and the brine is poured so that it covers the vegetables by 3 cm.

How to choose and prepare vegetables?

Vegetables should be chosen wisely. Better to buy pickling varieties of cucumbersThey have a thin skin and contain an optimal amount of sugars.

Cucumbers must be sorted by size. Small ones pickle faster, larger ones more slowly. Therefore, it is recommended to place cucumbers of approximately the same size in the jar, no more than 12 cm.

Avoid choosing overripe cucumbers for pickling. It's better to choose underripe ones. Their skins are a rich green color with no yellowing. The cucumbers themselves should feel firm and firm to the touch.

It is also recommended not to use vegetables that have a bitter taste, as canning will not eliminate this drawback.

Recipes for making cucumbers and celery at home

In fact, every experienced home cook can share several "special" methods for pickling cucumbers. Below are the most popular and easy recipes.

The quick way

Pickled cucumbers with celery boast incredible flavor. To enjoy them quickly, you'll need the following ingredients:

1. 2 kg of cucumbers;
2. 2 stalks of celery;
3. 2 heads of garlic;
4. 8 peppercorns;
5. 8 bay leaves;
6. 8 cherry leaves;
7. salt;
8. sugar.

Small cucumbers are selected, washed thoroughly, and the ends trimmed. Next, the cucumbers are placed in an enamel bowl, covered with cold water, sealed, and pressed down with a weight. The soaking process continues for about 12 hours. Then the water is drained and its volume is measured.

Boil the same amount of water on the stove, add salt and sugar, bay leaf, and pepper. Bring the brine to a boil again.

The celery is washed and cut into pieces. The cucumbers, garlic, and green onions are tightly packed into the container, but first two cherry leaves are placed at the bottom.

The mixture is poured with a cooled marinade solution (40 degrees Celsius). The jars are sealed and left in a warm place for 3 days.

If the pickled product is planned to be stored for a long time, then after the specified time the brine is drained, boiled again and poured into the jars again.

Cold salting method

Ingredients:

• 1 kg of cucumbers;
• 1 liter of water;
• 100 g of salt;
• 6 stalks of celery;
• 4 bay leaves;
• 4 cloves of garlic;
• 6 peppercorns.

According to this recipe, the pickling process takes about 2.5 weeks:

1. Fruits of the same size are washed, then soaked for 2 hours.
2. Celery stalks are peeled and cut into large pieces.
3. Place bay leaves, peppercorns, and garlic cloves in a sterilized container. Then add celery and cucumbers.
4. The contents are poured with a cool marinade (water and salt), the container itself is closed with a lid. The mixture is left to ferment for 72 hours at room temperature.
5. The brine is then drained, and clean water is added to the jar. The preserves are sealed and left to age for about two weeks. For the winter months, they are stored in a cool place.

With sweet pepper

The ingredients in this recipe are not listed in exact proportions; each housewife should distribute them according to her own preference:

• cucumbers;
• celery;
• horseradish leaves, root;
• dill;
• sweet pepper;
• mustard seeds;
• garlic;
• water;
• salt.

For every 3 liters of water, it's recommended to add 100 grams of salt. Washed cucumbers should be soaked in water for about 3 hours. The brine should also be allowed to settle to remove any sediment that won't be used in pickling.

The pepper and celery stalks are chopped, and the garlic cloves are finely chopped.

Vegetables and seasonings are placed in a pickling vessel, cool brine is poured into it, and the top is covered with a piece of cheesecloth. Pickling takes 3 to 5 days. The higher the room temperature, the faster the fermentation.

After the specified time has elapsed, drain the marinade and boil it for five minutes. Then immediately pour it back into the jar, which is immediately sealed.

With garlic

For a 1.5 liter container you will need:

• 1 kg of cucumbers;
• 1 liter of water;
• 100 g of salt;
• 6 celery stalks;
• 4 bay leaves;
• 4 cloves of garlic;
• 6 peppercorns.

The cucumbers are washed and soaked for 2 hours. The celery is cut into large pieces. The spices and chopped stalks with the vegetables are placed in a jar. Cool brine (water and salt) is poured in, the jar is sealed, and placed on a tray. The mixture is left to ferment for 3 days. This process results in a white coating appearing on the bottom.

The marinade is poured out of the jar and replaced with clean, unsalted water. The jar is then sealed and left at room temperature for two weeks. It is then moved to a cooler place for long-term storage.

Lightly salted cucumbers with celery

According to this recipe, the preparation can be tried on the third day.

Ingredients:

• 2 kg small cucumbers;
• leaf celery - 1 bunch;
• 16 garlic cloves;
• 8 peppercorns;
• 8 bay leaves;
• 8 cherry leaves;
• salt;
• sugar.

The vegetables are peeled, the ends trimmed, and then placed in a saucepan. Water is added, and a weight is placed on top of the lid.

After 12 hours, drain the water and measure its quantity. Pour the same amount of water into a separate container for the brine. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and sugar per 1 liter. Add a bay leaf and peppercorns to the solution, then bring it to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat and let it cool.

Place a handful of celery, two crushed garlic cloves, and a cherry leaf in each jar. Add the cucumbers next. Drizzle a little more seasoning on top.

The containers are sealed and left indoors for three days. Then the lightly salted cucumbers are ready to eat.

If you can't eat it all at once, drain the marinade from the jar, bring it to a boil, and then pour it back in. After this, the mixture can be stored in the refrigerator.

Further storage of canned food

During pickling, lactic acid accumulates. This substance, combined with salt, is an excellent preservative. However, it's important to understand that the acid content in jars is low, so high temperatures spoil the cucumbers, leaving them soft and tasteless.

It's best to choose cool places for storage. The optimal temperature is considered to be +1°C. Pickles will keep for years in basements and cellars.