TOP 8 ways to effectively remove bitterness from cucumbers before pickling
How to effectively remove bitterness from cucumbers before salting is useful for every housewife. The fruits become bitter in taste due to climatic features, use of low-quality seeds for sowing, and lack of moisture. Cucumber produces cucurbitacin, this component is located in the peel. You can remove an unpleasant aftertaste, for this, you should read the information below.
Causes of bitterness
Many people believe that bitter cucumber should not be eaten, it will be harmful. This judgment is incorrect, since such a vegetable rather has a choleretic and anti-inflammatory effect.
Typical causes of the bitter taste of cucumbers.
- Lack of potassium, nitrogen in the earth.
- Lack of regular irrigation.
- Growing cucumbers in shaded areas or in a greenhouse.
- Long droughts, heavy rains.
The bitterness of cucumbers is also affected by a sharp decrease or increase in temperature indicators.
Can I roll bitter cucumbers for the winter?
Cucumbers with a bitter taste can be pickled; they are preliminarily carried out to eliminate the unpleasant taste. When using spices, heat treatment before canning, bitterness is eliminated.
Effective ways
Below are some of the most effective techniques for eliminating the bitter taste in cucumbers. It is important to strictly follow the listed algorithms in order to get the desired result.
With salt
Using salt will help remove the bitter taste from cucumbers quickly and easily. This technique is suitable for those who plan to prepare a fresh, vitamin salad or consume cucumbers in their natural form. Sprinkle the cut cucumbers with sodium, wait half an hour. They have to let the juice go, cucurbitacin will come out with it. After that, rinse the cucumbers under cool water, dry. This way you can get rid of the bitterness, and the vegetables will not be salty.
Soaking in salted water
You can eliminate the bitterness from cucumbers before salting by soaking them in salted water. It is enough to hold it for 40 minutes. Place vegetables in a container, cover with cool water, salt with 1 tbsp. for 2 liters of liquid. Cucumbers will give juice, bitterness will go away with it. These vegetables are not used for making fresh dishes. They are only suitable for pickling or preserving.
Rubbing the cut
To remove the bitter taste from a fresh vegetable, you need to grate its cut. The cucumbers are washed, cut off the "bottom", peeled. In one hand, you should take a whole vegetable, in the other - its back.Quickly make rubbing movements of the "ass" against the cut. Foam should appear, along with which bitter substances come out. After 1 minute, you can taste the cucumber. The technique is in demand in restaurants and canteens.
Combining methods
A completely unacceptable taste will go away if you use several methods at once. You can combine the technique of rubbing the cut and salting to eat fresh vegetables. If you want to remove the bitter taste from cucumbers before preserving, they practice soaking in salt water and heat treatment.
Preservation using heat treatment
When the cucumbers are already prepared for conservation, and they turned out to be bitter, you should resort to the method below.
- Rinse vegetables, place in a bowl of cold water, leave for 12 hours. If we are talking about morning filling, change the water every 3 hours.
- In the morning, remove the skin from the cucumbers if they are still bitter. When the taste suits you, you can skip cleaning.
Before closing the vegetables, put a couple of pieces of horseradish or dry mustard on top of the jars. Marinating removes the bitter aftertaste, because during heat treatment, cucurbitacin is destroyed.
How to prevent bitterness in cucumbers in the garden
When cucumbers grow in the garden, certain manipulations must be performed so that they do not become bitter. The measures are not complicated, they do not take much time.
Water the bushes regularly
For irrigation, use only warm water. Since the crop is watered in the evening, it heats up on its own. To check the degree of moisture in the soil, dig up the soil in the garden bed. It should be at least 15 cm wet.
Apply fertilizer to the soil
Cucumbers prefer nitrogen, potassium nitrate. The lack of these minerals can be judged by the state of the plants. When there is a deficiency, the leaves change color, curl. It is better not to use humus with manure.
Seed selection
Seeds should be bought from nurseries, pay attention to the "sweet" varieties. In most modern varieties, a special gene is present. It is he who prevents the accumulation of cucurbitacin.
What varieties are not bitter
Cucurbitacin levels differ in different types of cucumber. The most bitter varieties have a characteristic cucumber flavor. Hybrids contain minimal cucurbitacin, also self-pollinated greenhouse varieties.
It is advisable to buy varieties with an F1 mark. These include the types Gerasim, Garland, Doka, Egoza, Mumu, Round dance, Bully, Liliput. Sometimes on the packs, manufacturers immediately note the information that the variety is without bitterness. When non-hybrid varieties are used for sowing, it is important to provide them with irrigation with warm water, abundant fertilizers.
What to cook from bitter cucumbers
Bitter cucumbers can be salted, prepared for snacks, added to dishes that need to be cooked like a stew.
Delicious "Tenderness" bitter cucumber appetizer. You will need the following products:
- 4 kg of cucumbers;
- 5 cups tomato paste, sugar, water;
- 5 cloves of garlic;
- 100 g 6% vinegar;
- a glass of sunflower oil;
- 3 tbsp salt;
- tbsp black pepper;
- 1 tsp dried paprika.
Wash the cucumbers, divide into 2 parts. Transfer the vegetables to a large container, cover with chopped garlic, paprika, sugar, salt and pepper. Season the mass with sunflower oil, tomato paste, send to simmer over low heat for half an hour. Add water and vinegar, cover, boil for another 15 minutes. Divide the vegetable mass into jars, pour over the marinade, sterilize. Tighten the lids for hot preservation, place upside down.
