TOP 10 recipes for quickly preparing lightly salted crispy cucumbers using cold and hot methods in a saucepan

Lightly salted cucumbers are a favorite yet incredibly simple appetizer, perfect for both holidays and everyday meals. We'll explore different pickling methods, using hot, cold, and even mineral water, and discuss how to make crispy and spicy lightly salted cucumbers in a saucepan.

Subtleties of cooking

Making this appetizer is generally quite simple, but there are some subtleties to lightly pickling cucumbers in a saucepan that are worth knowing to ensure the cucumbers turn out delicious, flavorful, and crisp. Knowing a few simple tips will make pickling a breeze.

Choosing cucumbers

It's important to remember that not all cucumbers are suitable for pickling using the methods described below, i.e., in a saucepan. We'll discuss the issue of choosing the right cucumbers in more detail below, as it's crucial. Here, we'll emphasize that it's best to choose small cucumbers of uniform size.

Choosing water

A common mistake is using plain tap water. It's important to remember that water is a crucial component in pickling, and its quality determines the final result. Spring or well water is the best option. If such water is unavailable, it's best to substitute store-bought bottled or filtered water.

You can improve the taste of water by placing a silver object (such as a spoon) in it for a few hours.

Selecting containers

Only enamel containers are suitable for pickling cucumbers. The enamel must be in good condition, free of cracks and chips. If you don't have such a container or can't find one, pickle cucumbers in a glass jar or ceramic container.

Choosing salt

The choice of salt also greatly affects the final result—the taste of the resulting snack. Only coarse rock salt is suitable for pickling; fine salt, sea salt, or, especially, iodized salt, are completely unsuitable, as they significantly impair the flavor and aroma of vegetables and make them mushy.

Soaking cucumbers

The key to firm and crisp cucumbers is to soak them before pickling. Place them in cold water for 2-4 hours, as warm or hot water will soften them.

Selecting and preparing vegetables before cooking

As mentioned above, lightly salted cucumbers are brined fairly quickly, so only small vegetables will have time to be salted in a short period of time. However, selecting and preparing vegetables before cooking doesn't end there. Cucumbers selected for pickling should meet the following requirements:

• small or medium size;
• quite hard;
• thin-skinned;
• with small pimples;
• green (not yellow);
• without bitterness (it is recommended to taste before pickling).

Ideally, vegetables should be chosen of the same size to ensure uniform salting.

How to cook cucumbers in a saucepan

Experienced home cooks know a variety of ways to pickle cucumbers. We'll provide an overview of the most successful methods for properly preparing lightly salted cucumbers in a saucepan.

Classic recipe

To make crispy cucumbers, many choose the tried and true classic recipe for a 2-liter jar in hot brine.

What we cook it from:

• medium cucumbers - as many as will fit in the jar;
• flowering dill - 1 bunch and 1-2 umbrellas;
• garlic - 3 cloves;
• salt - 2 tablespoons;
• water (boiling water).

How to cook:

1. We wash the jar thoroughly.
2. Wash and chop the dill and garlic, and place in a container.
3. Next, lay out the cucumbers. Then add the dill flowers.
4. Sprinkle the prepared vegetables with salt.
5. Fill the container with freshly boiled water.
6. We close it with a nylon lid.
7. Turn the jar over several times to distribute the salt.
8. Let the jar cool at room temperature. Once it's cool, transfer it to the refrigerator.

Five-minute recipe

Another very successful recipe is a favorite among many home cooks. This quick recipe allows you to pickle cucumbers in a large saucepan in just 5 minutes.

What we cook it from:

• medium cucumbers - 2 kilograms;
• garlic - 5 cloves;
• allspice peas - 1 tablespoon;
• chili pepper - 1-2 pieces;
• dill, parsley - 1 bunch each;
• cherry and currant leaves - 5-6 pieces each;
• salt - 2-3 tablespoons;
• sugar - 1 tablespoon;
• water - 2 liters.

How to cook:

• Prepare the allspice for adding. If desired, crush some of the peppercorns—this will add extra heat and spice to the cucumbers.
• We wash the parsley and cut off the long stems.
• We clean the garlic.
• Wash the chili pepper and cut into rings. For a milder spiciness, use 1 chili pepper; for a spicier cucumber, use 2.

• Wash the cucumbers thoroughly and cut off their ends.
• Wash the dill, reserving the long stems for pickling. Wash the cherry and currant leaves.
• Place the spices and herbs on top of them at the bottom of the container.
• Place water in another container on the stove for brine, add salt, sugar and allspice, and bring to a boil.
• Meanwhile, evenly distribute the cucumbers in the pickling container.
• Pour the prepared hot brine over the vegetables and leave for a day or a little less.

In cold water

Salting in cold water is rightfully considered one of the fastest methods.

What we cook it from:

• cucumbers - 1 kilogram;
• dill - several sprigs with flowers;
• garlic - 6-8 cloves;
• salt - 2 tablespoons;
• cold water - ½ liter.

How to cook:

1. Trim the cucumbers at the edges and, if necessary, cut them in half, into quarters or into slices.
2. Pour very cold water into the pickling container, add salt and dissolve it thoroughly.
3. Place the dill, then the cucumbers, and on top of them the garlic, cut into pieces.
4. Apply pressure to the brine. To do this, cover the vegetables with a flat plate or an upside-down lid and place a pot of water or an object of comparable weight (such as a stone) on top. This will allow all the vegetables to be submerged in the brine.
5. Place the pickled mixture in the refrigerator or cellar for 24 hours.

Without vinegar

Many people are interested in how to pickle cucumbers without adding vinegar. In addition to the methods already described, we'll give you another one.

Ingredients: The list of ingredients is identical to the previous recipe, except add 1 more tablespoon of sugar and ½ liter of water. If desired, you can add celery, bay leaf, cherry leaves, or currant leaves.

How to cook:

1. Soak cucumbers for 2 hours.
2. Peel the garlic and cut into large pieces.
3. Wash the greens.
4. We make a brine: dissolve salt and sugar in boiling water.
5. Place some of the greens on the bottom of the container, then add vegetables, more greens, and garlic on top. Pour in the brine.
6. Place a weight on top, as in the previous recipe.
7. We leave the salting for half a day.

With mineral water

Another pickling option is using mineral (carbonated) water. This cold and quick method, using mineral water, produces cucumbers that are not only spicy but also very crunchy.

Ingredients: The ingredients are identical to the previous recipe, except we use sparkling mineral water. If desired, you can add one dessert spoon of coriander seeds, which you'll need to crush in a mortar.

How to cook:

1. Place half of the herbs and garlic on the bottom of the container.
2. Place the cucumbers on top of the greens and cover with the remaining greens and garlic.
3. We make a brine with the addition of coriander, salt and sugar.
4. Pour the brine over the cucumbers, cover with a lid and leave for 2 hours.
5. Place in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours.

Hot method

In this case, the cucumbers are covered with a hot marinade. The hot-seasoned recipe is as simple to prepare as all the others listed.

What we prepare it from: the composition of ingredients is similar to the previous ones without sugar, but we also add a bay leaf (3) and one red hot pepper.

How to cook:

1. We choose a pickling container in which vegetables can be placed vertically.
2. Place half of the herbs and spices on the bottom, then place the cucumbers and the remaining spices on top.
3. Prepare a brine from boiling water and salt.
4. Pour the hot brine over the cucumbers and cover with a lid. Then, as in the previous methods, cool and transfer to the refrigerator.

With garlic and herbs

This is one way to pickle cucumbers in a plastic bag. This recipe, with garlic and herbs, is convenient because it doesn't require a traditional brine.

What we cook it from:

• cucumbers - 1 kilogram;
• dill - a bunch with flowers (umbrellas);
• garlic - 3-4 cloves;
• salt - 1 tablespoon;
• sugar - ½ tablespoon.

How to cook:

1. If necessary, cut the cucumbers and place them in packaging bags.
2. Finely chop the herbs. Chop the garlic into large pieces. Add to the cucumbers.
3. Add salt and sugar, shake the bag thoroughly to evenly distribute the salt and spices.
4. Release the air and tie the bag shut. Place it in a container to prevent leaks.
5. Leave for 3-4 hours.

With dry mustard

Another good recipe includes mustard powder. Preparing lightly pickled cucumbers with dry mustard is just as easy as the other methods listed.

What we cook it from:

• cucumbers - 2 kilograms;
• dill with flowers (umbrellas) - a couple of large sprigs;
• mustard powder - 1 tablespoon, maybe with a small heap;
• garlic - 5-7 cloves;
• cherry and currant leaves - 2-3 pieces each;
• chili pepper - 1 piece.

Directions: Prepare the spices, cucumbers, and brine as with all other hot brine recipes. Dissolve the mustard in the brine and simmer the mixture for 5-10 minutes. Pour the mixture over the vegetables and spices in the container, cool for 2 hours, and then refrigerate for 8-10 hours.

Sliced ​​lightly salted cucumbers

If you happen to not have any small cucumbers on hand, or simply want to pickle some sliced, lightly salted cucumbers, it's done the same way as any other recipe.

The difference is that sliced ​​cucumbers absorb the brine faster and are ready sooner, so you should test their readiness for pickling.

You can cut them into halves, quarters, slices, or circles, depending on how large the vegetables are.

Storage Features

To ensure freshly salted cucumbers remain lightly salted, let's consider the storage requirements for this snack:

1. To prevent further pickling and to prevent lightly salted cucumbers from turning into heavily salted ones, they should be stored in the refrigerator or cellar.
2. Cucumbers last longer and become salted more slowly if prepared in cold brine.
3. If you want to store cucumbers for a long time, you should use only whole vegetables.
4. For long-term storage, it is better to choose medium and large cucumbers.
5. When pickling without brine (in a bag), they should be stored in the coldest part of the refrigerator from the very beginning of preparation.
6. It is best to prepare and store cucumbers in small portions.