Barrel Cucumber Pickling
Description
A simple way to prepare them in advance. Few people still pickle cucumbers in barrels these days. If you were lucky enough to get an oak barrel, it would be a shame not to make salted cucumbers in it. To make barrel cucumbers, you will need an oak barrel. If you decide to use a different one (not wooden, for example), be sure to use oak leaves—they give the cucumbers a wonderful aroma. So, here is the recipe: 1. Select fresh, firm cucumbers no more than 12–13 cm long. Wash them thoroughly. 2. Rinse the barrel with boiling water. You can also rub it with garlic. Place one third of all the herbs and spices you prepared on the bottom of the barrel—dill, parsley, celery, and garlic. You can add more oak leaves as well. 3. Then arrange the cucumbers in even layers. 4. Prepare the brine—dissolve salt in clean drinking water. Pour the brine over the cucumbers. 5. You can add mustard powder or washed raw beets—they help prevent mold on the cucumbers and in the barrel itself. 6. Cover the cucumbers with cheesecloth, then close the barrel and place a weight on top. 7. First keep the cucumbers at 20°C for 24 hours. Then move them to a cellar or simply a cold place at about 1°C. Barrel-salted cucumbers will be ready in a month. Check from time to time to make sure mold does not appear. Serve the finished cucumbers with your favorite drinks and dishes.