What to do with exploding cucumbers: 2 recipes for saving cucumbers

Causes of cucumbers becoming cloudy and jars exploding

Jars of cucumbers explode very often. Sometimes the whole batch of twists explodes, and sometimes one or two of them explode. Possible reasons :

air entering when rolling up the lid;
improper preparation of the marinade;
poor preparation of cans;
improper preparation of vegetables;
For preservation you should choose only rock salt; iodized salt is not suitable;
when keeping the preserved food in a warm place, for example, if you live in an apartment and keep the twists near the battery.

All these points must be taken into account and the necessary requirements must be met . Otherwise, you may be left without cucumbers for the winter.

Air entry

If air gets into the jar during preservation, it becomes favorable for the growth of bacteria . To prevent this from happening, you need to pour the brine into the jar with cucumbers to the very top.

If preservation was carried out by sterilization , after the jar has been removed from the sterilizer, the lid cannot be removed. It needs to be screwed on right away. Therefore, jars with those lids that will be rolled up are sterilized.

If for any reason the lid needs to be changed, it must be sterilized . To do this, put it in boiling water for a couple of minutes, then take it out and immediately change it to the one that was on the can. The lids are opened and replaced with others very quickly so that air does not get into the jar. And this needs to be done while the jar is still in the sterilizer or has just been removed.

Note! If you do this later, there is a risk of air getting in and causing bacteria to grow.

also get into the jar if the seaming machine does not roll the lids well . In this case, the banks will definitely explode. We need to change the machine and reroll all the cans. But such a measure can lead to the fact that the jars will not explode, but the brine in the cucumbers will become cloudy.

To prevent this from happening, you need to change the lids, sterilize the preservation again and roll it up with a reliable machine.

Improper preparation of marinade

Marinade for cucumbers is prepared with vinegar . If you don’t put it in enough, or in the wrong way, preservation won’t work.

When pickling, you need to take into account that vinegar evaporates when boiled . Therefore, when preparing the marinade, it must be added at the very end so that it is minimally subjected to heat treatment. The best option is when vinegar is added directly to the jar.

Important! It’s bad when the proportions are not respected and little vinegar is added. In this case, the marinade becomes poorly concentrated and does not perform its functions well.

The same goes for other components . Salt and sugar must be added according to the recipe. If there are not enough of them, the cucumbers will ferment and become cloudy.

Poor preparation of jars

To prepare salted or pickled cucumbers, you need to properly prepare the container for them. They are usually pickled in glass jars. They must be sterilized before use.

There are several ways to do this:

Jars are well sterilized in the oven. Before sterilization, they are washed well with detergent, rinsed and turned over to drain the water. Then put the jars in the oven on a baking sheet and warm them well. If you need a few jars and they are placed in the oven at a time, they are left in the oven until used. If more cans are needed, they are removed and placed on a clean, ironed towel.
Sterilizing jars with hot steam is quite effective, but it takes time because you have to deal with each one separately. Select a dish on which you can place an inverted jar with its neck down. A teapot or enamel mug is best suited for this. If the container does not fit well, you can insert something into the kettle, for example, a spoon. Pour some water into the bottom and bring to a boil. Make sure that steam enters the jar and steams it well. If the jar is installed incorrectly or is steamed for a short time, there will be no positive result.
You can boil the jars in water in a large bowl. But such sterilization is less effective, because it is impossible to achieve temperatures above 100 degrees.
If the jars are poorly sterilized or sit for a long time after sterilization, at best the quality of the canned food will deteriorate. But more often they explode and become unusable.

This is interesting: Dry pickling of cucumbers: how to quickly prepare a delicious snack

Improper preparation of cucumbers

In order for pickled cucumbers to turn out tasty and the jars not to explode, you should not make mistakes when preparing vegetables:

If you pick cucumbers in rainy weather, they quickly deteriorate and do not stand well. It is better to use such cucumbers for pickling or leave them to sit for a couple of days. But at the same time, make sure that they do not spoil.
To make the cucumbers crispy, you need to soak them in water for 3 hours. If this is not done, they become soft and this can lead to the development of bacteria.
Poorly washed cucumbers are a source of bacteriological contamination. Together with dirt, E. coli, botulism pathogens and other microorganisms can settle on them.
You cannot pickle cucumbers that show signs of rotting; they guarantee an explosion of preservation. It is better to peel them and use them for salads.

By fulfilling such requirements, it is possible to achieve canning without loss.

Insufficient sterilization time

In recipes, the sterilization time is given conditionally. It happens that it was sterilized, as written in the recipe, but the cucumbers still exploded. To properly sterilize, you need to consider the following factors :

Small cucumbers are sterilized less than large ones - as are jars.
At the beginning of sterilization, it is better to set the fire to low so that it has time to warm up evenly.
Ready cucumbers should change color.
It is better to put greens and garlic in a marinade rather than in a jar if canning is done by steaming.

Compliance with these rules will allow you to obtain high-quality canned cucumbers for the winter.

What to do if jars of cucumbers exploded. Why do jars of cucumbers explode?

First of all, it is worth noting that there may be several reasons. And not all of them allow the possibility of “restoring” the product for subsequent re-preservation. To begin with, we suggest determining the factors that could lead to the darkening of the brine or the explosion of the jar.

Air entry

This reason is the most common. This is due to the fact that during the screwing process the lid could not fit tightly to the jar. This can also result from the formation of chips on the neck. Through the resulting cracks, air will enter the jar, which will start the fermentation process. And this, in turn, will lead to an explosion.

Also, an “air pocket” can form if not enough brine is poured into the container. Therefore, it is better to add it so that it spills even a little.

Also, if you come across cucumbers with empty cavities inside, then air and microorganisms may remain in them. During their life processes, bacteria release various gases that fill all available space. When the pressure inside becomes too great, any jar or other container cannot stand it.

Violation of cooking technology

The second most common factor leading to spoilage of canned food can be considered a violation of the general cooking technology. Thus, some neglect the condition that it is necessary to thoroughly wash not only the cucumbers themselves, but also the leaves of plants added to the preserve, dill umbrellas, and garlic.

Otherwise, along with contaminants on the ingredients, bacteria are introduced, which leads to an explosion of the glass container.

Additionally, to prepare cucumbers for canning, they must be pre-soaked. Such water procedures prevent air and bacteria from entering the container.

Poor preparation of cans

The quality of cleaning of the container itself in which the vegetables will be placed is of great importance. Also, do not neglect the time of sterilization of containers. Typically, for 1-liter jars, the sterilization time is set at least 5 minutes, but not more than 8, and for three-liter jars - a maximum of 15 minutes.

Otherwise, gas formation may occur inside the containers, which over time leads to clouding of the brine and subsequent rupture of the container.

Important! Lids are also sterilized, but unlike jars, this is done in boiling water.

Violation of the recipe

Cans may explode due to incorrect recipes. For example, an insufficient amount of salt, which is a preservative, or non-compliance with the proportion of sugar, citric acid and vinegar.

Therefore, it is necessary to strictly observe the proportions indicated in the recipe you have chosen, and not put everything “by eye”, so that many hours of work will not end up in the trash.

Is it possible to eat exploding cucumbers?

Exploded cucumbers can only be consumed if they have been recently closed and do not have the taste or smell of fermentation. If they have been in the pantry for a long time (about a month), you should not take the risk.

The longer the jar sits, the more actively bacteria develop in it . It is impossible to predict in advance whether the causative agent of botulism is present among the bacteria. This is one of the most dangerous diseases that can be contracted from eating rotten canned cucumbers.

Failure to comply with harvesting technology

Errors associated with violation of technology can be avoided if you strictly follow the algorithm of actions specified in the recipe. Try to use only classic recipes that have been tested by you personally or by someone you trust. If you decide to try something new, make an experimental batch (1-2 jars) and monitor it for a week. Only then trust the new technology with your entire harvest.

It is not recommended to add new seasonings to an established recipe. It is better to leave all the spices at the very bottom of the jar so that they are well disinfected with boiling water. Plastic lids are used for preservation only if the vegetables and salads covered with them will be eaten within a few days. Such preparations should be stored exclusively in the refrigerator.

Remember also that our grandmothers’ recipes contain wisdom passed down from generation to generation. Therefore, it is necessary to pour boiling water over the cucumbers until it cools completely at least once before pouring it into the pan, adding all the seasonings and finally boiling it. While the water in the jar is cooling, it must be covered with a sterilized lid. As mentioned above, before closing the jar, the lid must be sterilized again.

If you are preparing a vegetable salad, then while filling the jars with it, carefully ensure that the top of the jar neck does not get dirty with tomato sauce or any other salad component.

While rolling up the jars, press the lid tightly to the top of the neck. Screw the lid smoothly, without sudden movements, until it stops. Next, inspect the bottom of the jar: if the lid has created “wrinkles” as a result of closing, this increases the risk of the jar swelling and exploding.

Closed workpieces should be placed on a soft rag and turned over. At the same time, be sure to ensure that the contents of the jar do not leak out through the lid: if this happens, it means that you have not screwed the lid on carefully, and it must be replaced. And if we are talking about salad, then the whole process will have to be repeated, starting from sterilizing the jar.

Cover the inverted jars with a blanket. Leave them there until they cool completely - only in this case the vegetables will be completely disinfected.

Try to use only two- or three-liter jars for pickling vegetables, as they take longer to cool and thereby prolong the sterilization of vegetables. Three-liter cans have a minimal chance of exploding.

Is it possible to remake cloudy cucumbers?

If the cucumbers have become cloudy, but the lid has not yet swelled, they can still be remade . To do this, remove the lid, drain the marinade, and wash the cucumbers with clean water.

Be sure to taste them . If vinegar was used, the taste may change and then nothing can be done. But if the cucumbers taste good, they are crispy and do not sizzle, they can be closed again.

To re-cover cloudy cucumbers, you need to prepare a new marinade and pour it into a jar. In this case, the proportions should be slightly reduced, taking into account the fact that the cucumbers have already absorbed some of the ingredients.

Why are jars turned over and wrapped?

Any recipe for preparing preserves ends with wrapping the container and placing it upside down in a storage place. Cans of preserved food are turned over so that the lid with which the can is rolled up warms up. This allows you to further sterilize it.

Then wrap the cucumbers in a blanket or warm towel so that the jar cools evenly. If everything is done correctly, the next day the brine will be clean. If the recipe is broken, the liquid will become cloudy and the jar will swell slightly.

Knowing the rules and reasons for the explosion of jars of preserved food, you can prevent them, and in the future, feel free to use delicious cucumber preparations. Carefully approach the procedure for preparing the brine and sealing the jars, check the products for appearance, smell and taste, and you can protect yourself from diseases by eating only properly prepared cucumbers.

How to save exploding cucumbers

Many housewives are interested in the question: what to do if jars of cucumbers burst, is it then possible to save the preservation? Broken canned food can be used if you process the vegetables again. However , before resuscitating the spin, you need to make sure that the cucumbers have not yet begun to ferment .

Open the canned food and try the cucumbers. If they are not sour and you don’t smell fermentation, you don’t have to throw them away, but cook them again . Otherwise, you need to throw away the canned food. Eating fermented cucumbers can lead to food poisoning.

Important! To prevent the preservation from exploding again, you can close the tomatoes with cucumbers.

To re-process canned cucumbers you need:

Rinse the cucumbers in cold running water.
Place them in clean cold water for a quarter of an hour.
Drain the remaining brine and digest.
Wash the jars thoroughly and sterilize.
Fill the containers with the prepared brine, cover with a lid, and leave for 15 minutes.
When the specified time has passed, pour the brine into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Refill the jars with hot brine.
At the end, add vinegar at the rate of one teaspoon per three liters.
Roll up the jar again and place it neck down on a towel.
Wrap the preserved food in a blanket and leave to cool.

Cucumbers processed in this way taste like pickled vegetables , not pickled ones.

There is another method by which you can save exploding cucumbers. To do this you need to follow the following recipe :

Wash the cucumbers in cold water and place in a clean, sterilized container.
Pour heated water to +100°C, leave for 15 minutes.
When the required time has passed, drain the water and add half of all the ingredients indicated in the original recipe.
Bring to +100°C.
Pour brine over cucumbers.
Grind two aspirin tablets, this amount is enough for a three-liter jar, add the powder to the container.
Roll up with sterilized lids. Turn the jar upside down and cover it with a blanket.

This is interesting: Preserving cucumbers with chili ketchup for the winter in liter jars

This method will avoid spoilage of the preserved food due to the disinfecting properties of aspirin.

Tips and tricks

The following recommendations will help you avoid unpleasant surprises with pickles::

It is better to salt and pickle vegetables immediately after removing them from the garden.
For preparations, small young cucumbers with unripe seeds are used. These vegetables contain more sugars.
Before canning, store-bought vegetables are soaked in cold water for 2–3 hours.
Marinade or brine with vinegar should not be heated in open containers. The vinegar essence evaporates and its concentration in the liquid decreases.
All vegetables, seasonings and spices are thoroughly washed with running water.
At each stage of preservation, hands are washed with soap.
The proportions of salt, sugar and vinegar indicated in the recipe do not change.
It is useful to add garlic to preparations. Its bactericidal properties neutralize the action of many bacteria remaining inside.

How to prevent the problem

To preserve food preparations for the winter, you should take care in advance to prevent the explosion of cans of preserved food. To do this, you must follow the food preparation rules and recipes. Follow these recommendations when preparing cucumbers :

wash vegetables thoroughly and check them for defects;
Sterilize jars and lids in boiled water, while it is better to disinfect jars in the oven;
for twisting, use a proven seaming wrench, it should seal the container with cucumbers hermetically;
follow the technologies for preparing cucumbers, brine and marinade; add all ingredients in accordance with the recipe;
use high concentration vinegar;
Store the preserves in a dark, cool place; a cellar or pantry is suitable for this.

Why turn jars over when canning?

Even novice housewives, after placing vegetables and the necessary spices in jars, filling them with water and rolling them up, turn the vessels over. Some do this by adopting the experience of mothers and grandmothers, others read about this need in canning recipes. Many people have no idea why such an action should be performed. Turning over cans after seaming is due to the following reasons :

Checking for leaks . By placing a container of vegetables or berries upside down, you can see if liquid is leaking under the lid. This is very important because well-sealed foods will not spoil and bacteria will not penetrate into them.
Sterilize the top parts of the jar . Turning the vessel with hot liquid inside will help warm up and disinfect not only the bottom, but also the neck of the jar.

Why are banks wrapped?

In the technologies for preparing canned cucumbers it is written that after turning over, the jars need to be wrapped. There are several opinions on the question of why to do this :

Replacement of sterilization of preservation. The vessel takes longer to cool down and is treated with heat for more time. This means that a more intensive disinfection process is obtained.
The products turn out tastier. It is believed that with such simmering, the cucumbers will infuse, become better saturated with the marinade and acquire a richer and piquant taste.
Secure banks. Another explanation is that slow cooling preserves the integrity of the glass. It may crack if, after sterilization and pouring boiling water, you immediately place the vessel on a cold surface.

How to properly store workpieces

For the cans to stand well, it is not enough to roll them up correctly. Proper storage of canned food also plays an important role.

Seaming should be stored in a cool, dark place . Cellars, basements and cold storage rooms are suitable for this. In hot weather, the risk of canned food explosions increases, so you need to monitor the room temperature.

Expired vinegar (citric acid)

Housewives, as a rule, do not pay attention to this nuance. And, by the way, in vain. When preparing preparations, vinegar and citric acid are used in small quantities (volume), and then again sent to the shelf with herbs and spices until the next preparation season. Pay attention to the expiration date and storage method indicated on the bottle of vinegar and packaging of citric acid. If any of the conditions listed there are violated, then it is better to purchase a new product and not risk your harvest.

It is not recommended to use vinegar in preparations if the recipe specifies citric acid, and vice versa.

Winter preparations without vinegar - 10 best recipes
We have found for you recipes for the best preparations for the winter - cucumbers, cabbage, tomatoes, wild garlic and salads. All of the above seamings are without vinegar.

What varieties of cucumbers are suitable for canning?

To get high-quality cucumber pickles without the possible explosion of jars, you need to choose the right varieties for preservation. There are selection criteria :

Vegetable size . Choose cucumbers about 10-12 cm in size. Such fruits are convenient to place in jars; they look very appetizing.
Peel thickness . Cucumbers with thick skin come out crispier when rolled. It’s easy to identify a suitable fruit: try to pierce it with your fingernail. If this is difficult, then the skin has a suitable density.
Color of the thorns . Fruits with black thorns are suitable for pickling, marinating and creating lightly salted cucumbers. These varieties pass brine well and are very tasty. Vegetables with white spines are best left for making salads.
The color of the skin of the fruit should be dark. It indicates the appropriate variety and degree of maturity of the vegetable. Light and yellow shades are signs of overripe cucumbers, which may have cavities inside with air, which can provoke fermentation. Excessively ripe fruits have large seeds, which are not very pleasant to eat in canned form.

Among the varieties for home preparation, you can choose the following:

Rodnichok – cucumbers have a good taste and are almost never bitter;
Pickling - has a high yield, has thorns and tubercles, and has good taste;
German - the variety has high tubercles and many thorns, well suited for preparations;
Merry guys - the fruits are green with white stripes and have a good taste.

Prevention to prevent jars from exploding

Absolutely not every type of cucumber should be used for preservation. To preserve all the preservation, you must choose the right variety and follow all directions exactly. Special secrets and techniques can help.

It is advisable to choose fruits that are not bitter, medium in size, not limp and not bent in shape. The best option is only picked cucumbers with black thorns;
Thoroughly wash all vegetables and all greens to get rid of all dirt and chemicals.
To ensure that the cucumbers remain as elastic, dense and crispy, leave them in cold water for a couple of hours before preserving;
You need to take filtered water for brine; store-bought water will do;
sterilize absolutely all lids and jars;
If the lid is still swollen, you can pour salt on it to prevent an explosion. After some time it will become wet, and the lid itself will return to normal;
The necks of the containers must be without any defects. The lid must be tightly sealed, otherwise air will penetrate into the jar and bloating will occur. To check the tightness, turn the container over and leave for a while;
You shouldn’t immediately take everything into the pantry or cellar after preservation; you should wrap it in a warm blanket and leave it to pasteurize. This usually takes about one day. After this, you can take it to a permanent place;
to prevent the jars from exploding, you can add aspirin, citric acid, and spices.

Interesting!

If you put several tomatoes in a jar of cucumbers when canning, you don’t have to worry about it exploding.