All about pickling tubs

Since ancient times, people have used wooden tubs for various household purposes. Which of them are best suited for salting vegetables, is it possible to make them yourself - we will consider in this article.

Now there are many different salting dishes - enamel, glass, plastic. But wooden barrels, tubs and tubs are still best suited for these purposes. They perfectly preserve the taste and useful properties of salted vegetables and mushrooms.

They are made from various types of wood. Tubs have different properties depending on the type of wood. And therefore, different tubs are used for salting different products.

The tubs are in the shape of a cone or bucket and are closed with a wooden lid. For pickles, cedar, aspen, linden and birch tubs are best suited. Cedar barrels are suitable for all blanks. The most durable and widely used are oak tubs.

It's hard to say which tub is better. Various wooden containers are great for blanks. It is important to choose the right one for your purposes.

Oak tubs with oppression are most often used. These products are used for all types of pickles.

Oak wood also contains tannins that keep vegetables strong and crisp.

The oak tub perfectly preserves the natural aroma and taste of the products. But it must be borne in mind that vegetables salted in such a barrel change their color. Oak wood is dense and durable, tubs are well stored and used.

In cedar tubs, you can salt any vegetables, mushrooms, fish, meat, bacon, wet apples, salt watermelons. In them, the products are filled with cedar phytoncides and retain their freshness and taste for a long time. Cedar tubs tolerate high humidity well, and when dry, they do not swell or crack.

In linden tubs, you can successfully salt cabbage, mushrooms, fish, soak watermelons, apples, plums. Linden perfectly retains their natural color and taste, as it is completely neutral. And at the same time, it is a natural antiseptic and preserves food for a long time. Rodents and various pests do not like linden and do not damage barrels from it. However, during storage, they can deform and crack.

Aspen tubs do not dry out, therefore they are easy to store and durable. The bactericidal properties of aspen are widely known. Vegetables remain crisp and firm. And cabbage cooked in aspen containers will retain its original taste and color until spring.

Birch tubs are used for pickling and storing mushrooms, tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage. Blanks can be stored in them until spring.

The most unsuitable material for cooperage products is pine, because the resin it contains spoils the food.

The first wooden barrels in Russia began to be made in the 10th century. They salted vegetables, fish and meat, stored various products, and used them to store wine and water.

They make such barrels now. And until now, the technology of their manufacture has practically not changed. Making wooden containers is a laborious and complex process. There are many types of finished cooperage products on sale.But having made a barrel with your own hands, you will know for sure that it is environmentally friendly, and you will save a lot of money.

Before making a tub, you need to decide on the material that will be used. And understand what dimensions the finished product should have.

For the blanks from which the tub will be made, you need to take a chock, which is 2-3 centimeters longer than the height of the product. Then the tree must be well dried in natural conditions, so that it becomes more durable in the wind and sun. From dry wood, your product will be of better quality. And such a tree is easier to handle. Then the chock must be divided into parts to make rivets - planks from which the tub will be assembled.

Experienced coopers recommend chopping wood with an ax, as this does not disturb the structure of the tree, and your product will last longer. The lumps are split into pieces through the center. Good rivets should be 20-25 mm thick. Then the sculptures are planed with a hatchet, giving them a rectangular shape.

Two hoops are also needed for the tub. They can be made of wood or metal. But it is best to make them from stainless steel, no more than 2 mm thick. Before assembling the tub, you need to steam the rivets so that they become soft and pliable.

For assembly, rivets are inserted into the vertically located hoop, fastening them with a clamp. The number of rivets can be calculated using the formula (L * 3.14): W, where D is the lower diameter of the tub, W is the width of the lower edge of the riveting. If calculated correctly, they will fit very tightly. Then the lower hoop is stuffed.

The bottom of the tub is made from a round billet assembled in the form of a shield. When the frame is assembled, loosen the bottom hoop and insert the bottom. Then the hoop is put in place. Just like the bottom, you can make a lid.

The finished tub can be hardened. To do this, you need to burn it. The tub is placed on its side, sawdust from fruit trees is poured into it, they are set on fire without using liquids for ignition. And they roll the tub from side to side, treating its inside with smoldering sawdust.

For more information on how to make a tub, see the video.