Why do pickled zucchini darken in a jar: three mistakes you shouldn't make

Pickled zucchini in a jar is a very crispy and tasty appetizer that can be served on its own or with a side dish. Most often, they are covered with spices or garlic. In this case, it often happens that over time, the zucchini begins to darken and lose its elasticity.

The FoodOboz editorial team has gathered information and will tell you why pickled zucchini darkens in a jar and how to avoid it.

Among the popular reasons for the darkening of zucchini are the following:

marinade - it affects the color of the zucchini if you have added too many spices and vinegar to it;

seasonings - this refers to the use of hot spices and soy sauce;

storage conditions - they will affect the color of the zucchini if you store the preparation in a place accessible to sunlight.

The FoodOboz editorial team also shares with you a recipe for canned zucchini that will make them very crispy, firm and juicy.

Ingredients:

• zucchini - 3 kg
• garlic - 3 heads
• vinegar - 100 g
• sunflower oil - 100 g
• sugar - 100 g
• salt - 2 tbsp
• ground black pepper - 1 tsp.
• bay leaf - 4-5 pcs.
• allspice - 10 pcs.
• herbs

Method of preparation:

1. First, wash the zucchini, cut off the tail and peel the flesh from the seeds. Cut the vegetables into cubes of the same size (approximately 1.5 cm*1.5 cm) and put them in a deep bowl.

2. Chop the garlic and herbs, add to the zucchini along with the oil, vinegar and spices. Mix everything well and leave for 2-3 hours to let the zucchini juice out.

3. After the allotted time has passed, put the zucchini with the juice in jars and sterilize them (to do this, place the jars in a wide, deep saucepan, fill it with water up to the neck of the jars and put it on fire). The sterilization time for a 0.5 liter jar is 15 minutes, for a 0.25 liter jar - 6-7 minutes.

4. After sterilization, put the lids on the jars. Immediately turn them upside down and leave them in this form until they cool completely.