Grandma's foolproof sweet and sour brine for pickled mushrooms

Although annoyingly elusive to fork prongs, pickled mushrooms remain one of the most popular snacks, not just during the fall and winter seasons. The forest taste sealed in jars makes social gatherings more enjoyable and adds character to small appetizers or larger dishes. Besides the quality of the mushrooms, the brine is also crucial. The best is the tried-and-true grandma's recipe that everyone enjoys. Make sure to write down this recipe.

Sweet and sour brine is an old and reliable way to pickle mushrooms. The spice blend is classic, and preparing the brine takes just a few moments. More time will be devoted to the mushrooms, which require thorough cleaning, rinsing (remember that mushrooms absorb water like a sponge, so don't soak them long in cold water), and then parboiling. Parboiling will make the mushrooms more digestible and remove some bitterness. Cook the mushrooms without a lid and keep an eye on them, as they tend to boil over.

The following brine proportions are sufficient for 5.5-6.5 pounds of forest mushrooms. Of course, the mushrooms for pickling must be fresh, undamaged, and preferably small (e.g., saffron milk caps, chanterelles, porcini, or bay boletes). You will also need jars—clean and sterilized. Eight pieces of twist-off jars of 8.5 ounces should be enough.

Ingredients:

              
• 5 cups of water
• 1 cup of spirit vinegar (10%)
• 1 level tablespoon of salt
• 6 level tablespoons of sugar
• 2 teaspoons of mustard seeds
• 2 teaspoons of peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon of allspice berries
• 1 teaspoon of cloves

Preparation:

1. Mix the ingredients for the marinade and bring to a boil.
2. Quickly wash the cleaned mushrooms under running water, then parboil in salted water for 10-15 minutes.
3. Slice the onion into rings and pour hot water over them.
4. Transfer the hot mushrooms to the sterilized jars (up to 2/3 of the jar height), add the onion, and pour the boiling marinade with spices over them—enough to cover the mushrooms.
5. Seal the jars and place them upside down until completely cooled, then store them in a dark and cool place.
6. The jars can be pasteurized for 20 minutes in boiling water. Jars with hot brine should be pasteurized starting from warm water.
7. After pasteurization, place the jars upside down for 24 hours to cool, then store them in a dark and cool place.