Not a lot of work: that’s why cucumbers must be soaked before pickling
An amazing thing: in most recipes there is not a word about the need to soak cucumbers before pickling. For a long time I did not know about this trick. That's why they turned out successful for me one year, and completely inedible another year - soft, shriveled, with a bitter taste. Recently a colleague talked about the need for soaking and my eyes were opened. This is the root of evil and the reason for all “unsuccessful” recipes!
Why soak cucumbers before pickling?
Has it ever happened to you that pickles according to a very good recipe turned out to be tasteless? It doesn’t matter whether it was tested by you personally, or whether it was recommended by good acquaintances, relatives, or friends. I think yes. I always blamed myself for not knowing how to choose good cucumbers. It seemed to me that it was due to poor quality, large size, the wrong phase of the moon, and even my lazy mood when salting. It turned out that you just need to soak the cucumbers!
That's why they do it.
To make pickles crunchy
Few people like soft cucumbers. Pickled cucumbers are good when they crunch on your teeth and don’t turn into an incomprehensible mess in your mouth. To preserve this natural property, the fruits are soaked in water. They are saturated with moisture and restore elasticity. Air comes out of the voids. As a result, after pickling, cucumbers always crisp loudly.
To remove chemicals
It is known that all vegetables grown for sale are, in one way or another, fertilized and treated against all sorts of diseases and pests. In theory, chemicals will degrade over time. But some harmful elements may remain. Soaking allows you to wash out all the chemicals from cucumbers and bring them closer in quality to homemade ones.
To get rid of bitterness
They say that bitter cucumbers are even healthier than sweet ones. The substance that gives them their bitterness has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects. I don't know how true this is. I can't stand the bitter taste. It turned out that you can easily get rid of it. You just need to soak the cucumbers in cold water. After salting, there will be no trace of bitterness left.
For better cleansing
Pimpled fruits are best suited for pickling. The longer, sharper and smaller the pimples, the tastier the cucumbers. And the more difficult it is to wash them from adhering dirt and dust. It is not recommended to wash cucumbers with a brush so as not to damage the delicate skin. There is only one option left - soaking. After being in water for some time, the fruits are well cleaned of dirt. I simply wipe them with a cloth and immediately put them in jars for pickling.
Which cucumbers need to be soaked and which ones don’t?
There is no need to soak cucumbers only in one case - you have just picked them from the garden and plan to pickle them in the next 1-2 hours.
All other fruits need to be soaked:
- purchased at a market, wholesale warehouse, store or supermarket;
- plucked from a bush more than 2 hours ago;
- withered;
- with voids inside;
- covered with a layer of dust that is difficult to wash off.
Advice. If you are in doubt whether to soak cucumbers before pickling or not, always choose the first option! Soaking will not harm the fruit at all. It is especially important to do this if the cucumbers were purchased at the market.
The seller can say anything. Like, I picked them with my own hands half an hour ago in the garden, I vouch for the quality, I pickle them myself. Better to be on the safe side.
Now I always soak cucumbers before pickling. I keep them in cold water for at least 2-3 hours. Cucumbers are transformed - they become nourished, shiny, elastic, very tasty and crispy after pickling. Soaking works even when the fruits are slightly wilted. But you also need to be able to soak them. There are certain rules, which I will discuss separately.