Why do cucumbers grow cloudy in jars: what to do if they are swollen, reasons, how to save seamings

Preparing homemade preserves requires certain skills and dexterity, not to mention adherence to the recipe. Therefore, the disappointment of any hostess, at least once faced with a similar problem, is great. You can find out why cucumbers in jars become cloudy and what can be done if this happens by reading our material.

Causes of cloudy cucumbers in jars

There can be several explanations for such a strange behavior of pickled or pickled vegetables, and each one is fraught with a separate reason.It happens that the solution, along with the cucumbers, just turns white and nothing else happens. It is believed that nothing happens by itself, which means that we must look for the root causes of such strange phenomena.

They are most often the following:

Cucumbers were not washed well enough, they were left with small particles of garbage, soil, which, being in a confined space, led to fermentation. This also includes contamination that got along with spices for preservation.
The problem with the jars is that they are dirty or have been washed with synthetic detergents (usually a chemically neutral and harmless baking soda is recommended).
Instead of ordinary table s alt, sea or iodized s alt was used - they contain components that cause gradual turbidity of the brine.
Poor sterilization of jars, lids, not only empty, but also at the final stage, when processing is performed before seaming.
Low-quality caps, chips or cracks in the neck - all this leads to air getting inside and inevitable fermentation.

Besides the above, there are reasons that have nothing to do with the conservation process. These are cucumbers that contain a high amount of chemicals (nitrates), are too old or varieties not intended for long-term storage.

Important. Experience in the household means more than the smartest advice. If you don’t know how to solve the problem of why the lids are swollen, or you are not sure of a successful outcome - it’s better to throw away the damaged preservation and try to do everything right.

He alth is more expensive than experiments in the kitchen, especially with dubious results.

Are cloudy brine cucumbers edible?

This question cannot be answered with certainty, as there is always a tiny chance that a jar of pickled or pickled cucumbers lovingly prepared for long-term storage has accidentally been contaminated with botulinum bacilli.

At the very least, those who use the "played" product face indigestion, and even serious poisoning. Therefore, a simple method of recognizing the severity of the problem is usually applied, so that one can then decide whether the game is worth the candle.

Example 1. When catastrophic changes in brine or marinade color are discovered within 2-3 days of seaming, it is sometimes advisable to try to rectify the situation. As practice shows, the solution becomes cloudy if lactic acid fermentation takes place in it (which in itself is not so scary), but it is not possible to stabilize the process due to the lack (complete absence) of an important component - vinegar.

If, moreover, the lid is not swollen, then we can safely recommend a simple solution: the jar must be opened and the brine poured out of it.

Further there are 2 ways - use the "old" brine or prepare a fresh one.In any case, cucumbers, without removing them from the container, are rinsed with boiling water, left for 5 minutes, then transferred to the solution. The new (remaining) brine is brought to a boil, vegetables are poured in a jar, vinegar is added according to the dosage, after which it is sterilized and rolled up.

Example 2. If the solution becomes cloudy without deforming the lid, such cucumbers, in most cases, are quite edible. One has only to transfer the jars with them to the refrigerator and watch for 7-10 days. Most often, after a specified time, the entire sediment will be at the bottom, and the contents will again become transparent. Sometimes these "improperly pickled" cucumbers are successfully used for pickles or vinaigrettes, where their flavor won't harm the other ingredients.

Example 3. Both signs of fermentation are present - a cloudy brine and a swollen lid. In this case, eating cucumbers is categorically not recommended, since there is a great danger of pathogenic bacteria penetrating the brine.You can, of course, take a risk, but the result will be unpredictable. And at stake is the human life of the hostess and her loved ones.

How to revive a cloudy preservation

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to a problem, sometimes it's easier to cook something over than fix it. Simply put, throw away damaged products, then carefully follow the technology. To begin with, time is important: the earlier signs of fermentation are detected, the better. Then they notice if the shape of the lids has changed (whether swelling has appeared).

If not, then the chances of success increase: you can try to pour the solution, rinse or sterilize the cucumbers, and then fill them with fresh solution. Most often, this works: pour boiling water over vegetables right in the jar, stand for several minutes, pour out the liquid, then fill the container with a freshly prepared solution.

Be sure to add vinegar, then preserve as usual: sterilization, seaming, keeping upside down for 24 hours. So you can redo the unsuccessful s alting.

You should be prepared for the fact that the taste of such cucumbers will be slightly different from the classic one, so experienced housewives use "spoiled" jars to make soups or stew vegetables.

Manipulations with fermented cucumbers should be undertaken if there are no signs of rapid development of bacteria (lid swelling). In any case, there is a small chance of food poisoning from improperly processed canned food.

Ways to prevent the appearance of "suspicious" sediment

They are not so many, but they are. Firstly, it is a thorough processing of vegetables before preservation: removal of tails, damaged areas, cleaning of dirt (many experienced housewives soak cucumbers for several hours before pickling, then rinse thoroughly again).

Secondly, these are clean jars washed with soda without traces of food, debris, detergents, as well as new (not reusable!) seaming lids without damage, deformation, with rubber bands in good condition.This category also includes the absence of visible and tangible damage on the neck of the glass container, cracks, chips, casting defects.

Thirdly, scrupulous adherence to the recipe: if the compiler recommended boiling the solution for 10 minutes and adding vinegar, then this is what you need to do. Use only proven recipes that are guaranteed not to cause food poisoning or worse.

Fourthly, pickling, as a way of preservation, is more effective than just pickling cucumbers: if the technology is strictly followed, even an inexperienced housewife is more likely to avoid mistakes in this case.

And fifthly, do not save on your he alth: use only fresh vegetables, quality ingredients, follow the advice from trusted sources. Then nothing threatens you, and among the stocks for the winter there will always be crispy, tasty, strong pickles.