Put mustard cucumbers in the stone pot

Stone pot for cucumbers

A stone pot has many advantages, which is why it has been used for pickling cucumbers for decades. To this day, many people continue to hold on to this tradition. In terms of sustainability, it is currently also being discovered by the younger generation. These are the advantages at a glance:

• it is made of natural material
• can be used again for years
• offers a large capacity
• comes in handy when inserting

Lovers of mustard pickles would also swear that they simply taste better from a stone pot - whatever that may be.

Wash out and rinse with hot water

Even a large stone pot must be cleaned well before use. This works best with hot water and a few spoons of soda. This solution is put into the stone pot and left to stand for the time being. When the water has cooled down a bit, the inside can be cleaned with a brush. Then the stone pot is rinsed with plenty of water.

Pickling cucumbers or cucumbers?

Most pickled cucumber recipes call for small pickled cucumbers. Mustard cucumbers, however, are made from cucumber. Unlike for a salad, the specimens for mustard cucumbers are allowed to mature on the plant for a long time. If they're thick and yellow, they'll be especially delicious when paired with mustard. Autumn is the time of the ripe cucumbers and therefore the best time to pickle them as mustard cucumbers for the winter.

Only the pulp is required

Cucumbers are peeled and pitted, because only the remaining pulp goes into the stone pot. If the cucumbers are hardly or only have soft kernels, as is often the case with green specimens, they are allowed to stay on. The pulp is cut into pieces before pickling, but they do not necessarily have to be bite-sized.

The flavor givers of the cucumber

Mustard seeds are the main ingredient, which is why they are always found in large numbers in the vinegar stock of mustard pickles. In addition, other herbs and spices complement the mustard taste harmoniously. These are in particular onions, garlic and horseradish, fresh dill and bay leaves, peppercorns and chilli. But these are by no means all possible ingredients. You can also experiment with other flavors.

Recipe for mustard pickles in a stone pot

For a stone pot with a capacity of 5 liters you need the following ingredients:

• 3 thick, medium-sized yellow cucumbers
• 10 tablespoons of sugar
• 3 tbsp salt
• 100 g mustard seeds
• 375 ml vinegar (10%)
• 2 large onions
• 1 bunch of dill
• 1/2 stick horseradish

If you have a different size stone pot, you can adjust the amounts in the recipe accordingly.

preparation

1. Cut the peeled and pitted cucumbers into smaller pieces.
2. Remove the skin from the onions and cut them into rings.
3. Peel the horseradish and grate it finely on a kitchen grater.
4. Wash the dill clean, but it doesn't need to be cut.
5. Put the cucumber, onion, horseradish and dill alternately in the stone pot.
6. Mix the vinegar with the remaining ingredients. Stir the solution several times until the salt and sugar have completely dissolved.
7. Pour this spice stock into the stone pot with the cucumbers.
8. The contents are only partially covered by this liquid at the beginning. Don't worry, more juice will leak out of the cucumbers over time.
9. Fill the rim of the stone pot with a little water and place the lid on it. So the stone pot is hermetically sealed.
10. Put the pot in a cool place for about 4 days.
11. During this time, stir the contents daily so that all the cucumber pieces come into contact with the spice stock.

durability

Mustard cucumbers in a stone pot can be kept for several weeks.

Conclusion for quick readers:

• Advantages of stone pot: made of natural material; usable for decades; large capacity; practical to use
• Tip: Use a stone pot with a rim for water to make it airtight later
• Cleaning: pour hot water and soda; let stand briefly; Brush out the pot and then rinse thoroughly
• Suitable cucumbers: Ripe, yellow cucumbers are ideal; Pickling cucumbers are not used for mustard pickles
• Pulp: Only the pulp of the cucumbers is used; The shell and seeds are removed
• Flavor: In addition to mustard seeds, onions, garlic, horseradish, dill, peppercorns, etc. A.
• Recipe for 5 l stone pot: 3 thick yellow cucumbers; 10 tbsp sugar; 3 tbsp salt; 375 ml of vinegar
• Recipe for 5 l stone pot: 2 large onions; 1 bunch of dill; ½ stick of horseradish
• Step 1: peel and core the cucumber and cut into pieces; Peel the onions and cut them into rings
• Step 2: peel the horseradish and rub on the grater; Wash the dill
• Step 3: Layer the cucumber, onion, dill and horseradish in the stone pot
• Step 4: Mix the remaining ingredients until the salt and sugar have dissolved; pour into the pot
• Step 5: Fill the edge of the pot with water and put the lid on; Pot approx. Leave to cool for 4 days
• Step 6: During this time, stir the contents daily and mix the cucumber and spice stock
• Shelf life: Mustard cucumbers in the stone pot can be kept for several weeks