Mexican-style cucumbers

Preparation time: 2 hours Salt aging time: 4 hours Jar pasteurization time: 15 minutes Number of servings: 4 jars of 800 ml In 100 g of cucumbers: Energy value 70 kcal Carbohydrates 14 g - Including sugars 11 g Protein 1 g Fat 1 g Diet: gluten-free, low-fat, vegetarian.

• 2 kg of small field cucumbers - or a little more
• 2 cobs of sweet corn
• 70 g of salt - rock or regular
• 8 large cloves of garlic
• 2 teaspoons of chili - I used flakes
• 400 ml of spirit vinegar 10% - 1 and 3/5 cups
• 300 ml of water - 1 and 1/5 cups
• 300 g sugar - about 1 cup
• 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 4 allspice grains
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns

Mexican-style cucumbers

I used four 800 ml jars. Before preparing the cucumbers, I recommend reading the entire recipe first so you can properly prepare all the ingredients and jars and decide what to do and when.

Prepare two kilograms (or slightly more) of young, fresh field cucumbers. Cucumbers picked the same day are best. Both ends should be firm, and the cucumbers should be firm and free from discoloration or damage. Avoid oversized cucumbers, which are large and usually darker. These larger cucumbers already have large seeds and simply won't be as tasty or attractive as young ones.

Wash the cucumbers thoroughly under cold, running water, then trim off both ends (just a tiny bit). Then, cut each cucumber into pieces about 2-3 cm in size. Place the perfectly cleaned, healthy, and chopped cucumbers in a pot or large bowl. Add about 70 grams of salt (I used heavier/wet rock salt, but regular salt will work too).

Gently mix the cucumbers with the salt. Cover the pot or bowl with a lid (leave a small gap) and set aside in a cool place for four hours. Check the cucumbers occasionally to stir them. This will soften them and release water faster. Four hours is the minimum time for the cucumbers to release water and develop a slightly salty flavor. If you can leave them overnight in a cool, dry place, they can also sit there for eight hours. After this time, drain the salty water; you won't need it anymore. However, don't strain the cucumbers completely. They should still be salty and moist.

Place two sweetcorn cobs in a wide pot of boiling water (no salt needed). Ideally, the pot should be large enough for the cobs to rotate freely in the boiling water. If they are tight, turn them over with a fork. Cook for 10 minutes (large corns up to 15 minutes) until tender. Once cooled slightly, place the cob upright with the thick end facing a board. With a sharp knife, cut the corn itself from the hard cob, from top to bottom.

In a bowl with cucumbers, place two cobs of corn and two teaspoons of chili powder. I used chili flakes, but you can also use powdered chili powder (you can also buy powdered hot peppers called cayenne pepper). Mix thoroughly.

Prepare four 800 ml jars or jars of other sizes. Their total capacity should be approximately 3200 ml. The jars should be perfectly clean, preferably sterilized with boiling water. The same applies to the lids. Use only undamaged jars and lids.

Fill the jars with the cucumber, corn, and chili mixture. Finally, press the cucumbers into the empty spaces. Try to fill the jars evenly with cucumbers, and finally, add two peeled garlic cloves to each jar. Remember to leave about 2-3 cm of space at the top of the jars.

Tip: If you like spicy cucumbers and have fresh chili peppers, you can add a piece to each jar.

Separately, prepare the Mexican-style pickle brine. Pour 300 ml of water and 400 ml of 10% spirit vinegar into a pot. Add 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil, such as refined rapeseed. Add 300 grams of sugar. Add 4 allspice berries, 2 bay leaves (I used fresh ones from my garden), and a teaspoon of black peppercorns. Heat over medium heat and stir until all the sugar dissolves. Bring the brine to a boil, then immediately turn off the heat.

Tip: The amount of brine is approximate. This is what I needed to fill the jars this time. You may end up with too much, or you may need to add a little more brine while maintaining the proportions of the ingredients.

Stir the brine and immediately pour it (while hot) into the jars with the cucumbers. Try to use approximately the same amount of spices in each jar. Pour enough brine to completely cover the cucumbers and corn, but leave 1 cm of space around the rim. Don't rush to seal the jars, as there may be a lot of air bubbles between the cucumber pieces. To remove them, I recommend gently rocking the jars. Only then can the jars be sealed tightly and begin the sterilization process immediately.

Before the Mexican cucumbers can be stored in the cellar, they must be pasteurized. Place a kitchen towel or a new cheesecloth napkin on the bottom of a wide pot. Arrange the jars side by side, but not touching each other. Pour water up to a maximum of 3/5 of the jars' height. Turn the burner to medium and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and pasteurize the jars for about 15 minutes.

Tip 1: It's very possible that several or more of the jars won't seal immediately after pasteurization. Let them cool (without inverting them) and wait. Usually, the jars won't "burp" within a few hours, or the next day. If you find a stubborn jar, put it back in the fridge and enjoy it after a week.

Tip 2: You can also pasteurize jars in the oven. Place the tightly sealed jars in a cold oven and only then preheat the oven to 110 degrees Celsius. Do not set the temperature higher than this to avoid damaging the rubber seals in the lids. Pasteurize the jars 15 minutes after the oven reaches the required temperature.

Store the jars in a cool, dark place. A cellar with a temperature no higher than 15 degrees Celsius is best, but a well-ventilated, shaded, and dry place with a temperature up to 19 degrees Celsius will also work. Mexican pickles can be eaten within two days of making, but they won't reach their peak spiciness and flavor until at least two weeks later. They're great not only for sandwiches, but also for burgers, hot dogs, and kabobs. They pair well with meats and all grilled dishes, or as part of a salad.

Enjoy your meal.