Emma Miller
Sometimes pickles in a jar become soft – it means that the pickling technology is broken. Lovers of home canning sometimes make mistakes that cause the pickles to spoil. One of the most common mistakes with canned cucumbers – is when the vegetables become soft and wrinkled, losing their crunch. It is safe to eat such canning, but not very tasty. Let’s understand why cucumbers soften and how not to make such a mistake.
Why do cucumbers shrivel up in a jar
If cucumbers shriveled after pickling, it means that the preparation process of the preparation was violated. The reasons may be the following:
- Picked the cucumbers from the bush too late and they overripe;
- Failure to soak cucumbers in cold water;
- Too much salt or garlic;
- cucumbers used for canning are long and smooth;
- The water in the brine is very soft.
How to close cucumbers so that they are always crispy
- For salting, use young, freshly picked cucumbers from the bed. Stale fruit is better not to close for the winter.
- Leave cucumbers in cold water overnight before pickling so that they retain their moisture.
- Select small and prickly cucumbers without yellow spots.
- Pierce both ends of the cucumbers with a fork.
- Experienced housewives advise adding a spoonful of vodka to each jar in the marinade. Then the fruit will stay crispy.
- Add horseradish and currant leaves to the jars – then the cucumbers will be firm.
How long do pickles last
Pickled cucumbers in a sterilized jar are stored for no more than 2 years. After that period, they quickly shrivel up and become unfit for food. If the marinade became cloudy or the lid bloated – then such cucumbers are better not to eat at all.
