Preserve your harvest: The timeless charm of Swedish salad in jars

Preserves in Canadian homes have played an important role for many generations. When the season for fresh vegetables ends and tasteless imported tomatoes and watery cucumbers dominate the stores, jars from the pantry satisfy the craving for something healthy and delicious. In my home, a simple Swedish salad has been prepared for years. Everyone loves it, so I always try to make a large supply.

Swedish salad is a proven recipe for jarred salad. Absolutely everyone likes it, and it works great as a side dish for dinner. It complements fried, roasted, and stewed meats, but I also know fans who eat it straight from the jar as a snack. The first taste tests can be conducted after a week, but it will last in the pantry until winter, unless home delicacy enthusiasts get to it first.

Swedish salad is mainly associated with winter when my grandmother would take out jars of goodies from her pantry. For dinners, the Swedish salad, which is a combination of cucumbers and carrots in a vinegar brine, was often served. Over the years, I too started preparing these jars at home using a trusted recipe.

The sweet and sour brine for cucumbers preserves them very well and makes them remain crunchy and tasty after pickling. Ground cucumbers are best for preparing the salad. When they appear at the stalls, it’s a sign that it’s time for preserving.

Preparing homemade preserves can be somewhat time-consuming, but the process is really simple. Even those who are just beginning their preserving adventure can handle Swedish salad.

Ingredients:

                
• 9 lbs of green ground cucumbers
• 1 lb of carrots
• 1 lb of onions
• 1 cup of vinegar
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 cup of oil
• 3 flat teaspoons of salt
• 2 teaspoons of ground pepper
• 2 small heads of garlic

Brine:

    
• 3.5 cups of water
• 2 cups of white sugar
• 2 cups of 10% spirit vinegar

Preparation method:

                  
1. Thoroughly wash the cucumbers and cut them into thin slices.
2. Cut the onion into feathers.
3. Peel the carrots and grate them on a coarse grater.
4. Peel the garlic cloves.
5. In a large bowl, mix the cucumbers, onions, carrots, and garlic.
6. Add sugar, oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly and set the salad aside for 2 hours to let the flavours meld.
7. Prepare the brine. Boil water with sugar, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add spirit vinegar and bring the brine to a boil again.
8. After 2 hours, transfer the salad to sterilized jars.
9. Pour the prepared brine over the salad.
10. Tightly seal the jars and pasteurize them for 15 minutes in boiling water. After removing from the water, turn the jars upside down and let them cool completely.

Swedish salad is ready to eat after approximately 7 days. It’s an excellent match for meat dishes or even burgers. Enjoy!