I had some large cucumbers left over this year—I just didn't know what to do with them! So, after some thought, I remembered that a few years ago I canned cucumbers as a salad. In the winter, I opened them and served them! These are the little cucumbers I had left (and here they are in a 5-liter bucket):
I cut them into rings and poured them straight into a large saucepan:
Meanwhile, I sterilized the liter jars (don't be alarmed by the walls, I always can in the summer kitchen to keep the house cool):
I peeled the garlic and minced it. I added salt and sugar, a bay leaf, allspice peas, and some finely chopped hot pepper.
Regarding the salt and sugar ratio, I make salads "by eye," so the principle is this: add some, taste after 5 minutes to see if I added too little. As for garlic, use about 300 g of peeled cloves for every 3 kg of cucumbers, or a 1:10 ratio. Mix thoroughly and let sit for at least 3 hours.
By the way, there are plenty of recipes online for similar salads with onions. I strongly advise against it – it produces a specific, very unpleasant aftertaste. At least, my family (and friends) didn't eat it. We had to throw out all six jars. That was a couple of years ago.
During this time, the cucumbers, under the influence of salt and sugar, will release a fair amount of juice. Place on the fire:
Once boiling, simmer for 15 minutes, no more, adding a tiny bit of vinegar or citric acid. For the same 3 kg of cucumbers, I use about 100 ml (don't use more – it will be too sour, since the cucumbers are already sliced and reduced in volume), and divide into jars. This is the salad you get:
