For many, salted watermelons are a real exotic, although on the tables of our ancestors it was quite a popular snack.
Watermelons salted in oak barrels with apples, honey, cabbage and mustard.
Many recipes may seem too bold, but do not be afraid to experiment to surprise your guests during a festive meal.
How to salt watermelons in a barrel - the basic principles of cooking
Salting watermelons in barrels is a quick, easy and convenient way to preserve the summer berry for a long time, known for a long time. Previously, watermelons were salted only in oak barrels, but today they use plastic and ceramic dishes.
Before putting the ingredients in the barrel, it is thoroughly washed, so that there is no dirt or dust, as this can cause damage and rot. Then the barrel is scalded twice with boiling water, dried and covered with a clean rag.
For salting choose slightly immature, medium-sized fruits without damage. Watermelons are carefully washed and pierced in several places with a wooden stick so that the punctures are arranged symmetrically. They are placed in barrels and poured with brine so that it completely covers the fruit.
The brine recipe depends on the way salting watermelons. Universal brine is prepared at the rate of half a kilogram of sugar and 200 salts for every ten liters of water. Watermelons in such a brine have a pleasant sweet-sour taste. If you want watermelons to be salty, the amount of salt is increased to 800 g, while sugar is not added. The pickle can be prepared on the basis of watermelon pulp.
So that the fruits do not emerge, they are covered with a wooden circle, and a heavy stone is put on it, which is pre-washed and scalded with boiling water. Top cover the barrel with a clean cloth so that it does not get dust and debris.
Watermelons are salted for three weeks. Take out the prepared fruit clean cutlery to prevent fermentation. Watermelons in a barrel for the winter are salted entirely, or cut it into chunks.
Recipe 1. How to salt the watermelons in a barrel
Ingredients
- medium-sized watermelons;
- cold water - ten liters;
- white sugar - 1200 g;
- rock salt - 400 g.
Method of preparation
1. First, prepare the barrel. It is desirable that it was wooden, but if there is none, plastic or ceramic will do. Capacity carefully wash and twice pour over boiling water.
2. We wash the watermelons and make several symmetrical punctures with a wooden needle. This is done in order to better brine penetrated into the berries.
3. We put the prepared watermelons into the tank.
4. Pour sugar and rock salt into the water. Stir until dissolved.
5. The resulting brine pour watermelons. The liquid must completely cover the fruit. We cover the berries with gauze, put a wooden circle on top and place a bucket of water or a heavy stone on it.
6. After three days we transfer the barrel to the cellar and leave it for another three weeks so that the watermelons are completely salted. Ready fruits take out clean cutlery and cut into slices. Served as a dessert, side dish or snack.
Recipe 2. Pickling watermelons in a barrel of apples
Ingredients
- ten medium-sized ripe watermelons;
- filtered water - ten liters;
- apples - six kilograms;
- rock salt - 750 g;
- leaves of cherry and currant - by ten leaves;
- rye straw.
Method of preparation
1. Wash the barrel from dust and dirt. Wash the inside with boiling water twice and dry.
2. Watermelon mine, pierce symmetrically in several places. We wash the apples under the tap. Rinse straw and pour boiling water. We fold the prepared berries into a barrel, stradling them with straw and filling the voids between them with apples. Put the leaves of currants and cherries.
3. Cooking brine. Dissolve in ten liters of water rock salt. Fill the contents of the barrel with brine and cover with a clean cloth. Put a wooden circle on top and place a bucket of water on it. Put the barrel in storage in a dark cool place. Watermelons will be ready in two to three weeks.
Recipe 3. Pickling watermelons in a barrel of garlic
Ingredients
- four kilograms of watermelons;
- over a bunch of dill and parsley;
- hot peppers pod;
- 5 g black peppercorns;
- Head of garlic.
Brine
- three liters of filtered water;
- to 9 tbsp. rock salt and white sugar.
Method of preparation
1. For salting watermelon pieces we will use small ceramic kegs. We take ripe watermelons with a thin crust. Thoroughly wash them and cut into large longitudinal slices.
2. Wash my barrel, pour boiling water and dry. Greens and pod hot pepper rinsed. One third of green is laid on the bottom of the tank. Top put hot pepper and a few peeled garlic cloves.
3. Tightly lay a layer of watermelon slices, taking into account the shape of the container. Top we put the twigs of green and a few cloves of garlic. We continue to lay the watermelon slices, shifting them with herbs and garlic, until the barrel is filled to the top.
4. Pour sugar and rock salt into the water, drop black peas and set on fire. Boil, brine for about five minutes, and cool it to room temperature. Fill the watermelons with the brine so that the pieces are completely immersed in it. We cover the barrel with a plate and set the load on top.
5. Keeping watermelons warm for a day, then put in a refrigerator for a couple of days. We store salty watermelons in the cellar.
Recipe 4. How to pickle watermelons in a barrel with mustard
Ingredients
- thin-skinned medium-sized watermelons - 20 fruits;
- filtered water - ten liters;
- table salt - 800 g;
- sugar - 400 g;
- mustard powder - half a bag.
Method of preparation
1. Prepare a wooden barrel with a volume of 100 liters. If you do not have a wooden container, you can use a plastic barrel for food. We wash the barrel thoroughly, pour boiling water a couple of times and dry it.
2. Watermelons make sure that they do not have cracks, rot stains or dents. Fruits should be medium sized. Wash the watermelons under the tap and cut the stem. We pierce the berries with a wooden knitting needle in several places so that the punctures are arranged symmetrically. 3. Preparing saline solution. To do this, take ten liters of filtered water and dissolve rock salt in it. Then add sugar and mustard powder. Stir until sugar dissolves.
4. Carefully lay out the watermelons in a barrel and pour salt solution so that its level is 10 cm above the berries.
5. Close the barrel with a lid and leave for three weeks in a cool place. From time to time, remove the cover. If there is a sign of mold, add fresh brine.
Recipe 5. How to pickle watermelons in a barrel in own juice
Ingredients
- ten kilograms of small watermelons;
- 60 g of coarse salt;
- five kilograms of watermelon pulp.
Method of preparation
1. Wash five kilograms of watermelons, cut them into pieces and separate the flesh from the rind. Put the pulp into the container of the blender and perebeyte to the state of mashed potatoes. Pour the salt into the resulting mass and mix until it is completely dissolved.
2. Wash the barrel well, pour boiling water a couple of times and dry it. Put the first layer of whole watermelons and cover it with salted pulp puree. Put the watermelons in this way until the container is full. The top layer should be mashed pulp.
3. Cover the barrel with a clean linen cloth and place in a cold dark place for a week. Check from time to time if mold appears, remove it. Top up the salt solution if necessary. Store the finished product for six months in the cellar.
Recipe 6. Watermelons in a barrel for the winter with apples in the sand
Ingredients
- six small ripe watermelons, weighing up to 2 kg;
- 15 leaves of currant and cherry;
- ten kilograms of large apples;
- ten kilograms of washed sand;
- 750 g of coarse salt;
- ten liters of purified water.
Method of preparation
1. For salting take strong, ripe berries without damage and signs of rot. The number of watermelons may be more or less, depending on the size of the berries. However, it is important that their weight does not exceed two kilograms. All fruits are well washed. 2. Ripe apples without visible defects also mine.
3. The barrel for salting is well washed and doused with boiling water a couple of times. We put the watermelons in a barrel, shifting them with leaves of currants and cherries. Fill the free space with apples.
4. Pour the washed sand gradually into the filled container so that it completely fills the remaining voids. The amount of sand specified in the recipe is conditional, it can be more or less, depending on the volume of the selected container. The top layer of sand should be five centimeters thick.
5. Place a container of water on the fire and bring to a boil. Add salt and boil, stirring until the crystals dissolve completely. Pour the contents of the barrel with the cooled brine so that its level is ten centimeters higher than the sand.
6. Gradually, the sand will settle and thicken. Therefore, pour it, and also add brine.
Watermelons in a barrel for the winter - tips and tricks
- Ripe watermelons with dense flesh and necessarily thin rind are suitable for salting.
- The size of the watermelon should not exceed 30 centimeters.
- Berries should be free from damage or signs of rot. One such fruit can spoil the whole barrel.
- For salting, it is better to take late varieties of watermelons, which reach their maturity in September.
