Go Back

Fermented Pickles

Print Recipe
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3-4 cucumbers sliced or whole if they are ground or mini; enough to fill your jar(s)
  • boiled water enough to cover the cucumbers in the jar
  • 1 tbsp Himalayan salt amount can be adjusted but it does need to be salty !
  • 2-4 garlic cloves sliced / can add more for extra garlicky flavor
  • horseradish root a slice
  • few fresh dill branches
  • 1 tsp of each dill seeds, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves or an apple leaf, grape leaf or oakleaf

Method
 

  1. Make the brine: boil water and dissolve salt in it.
  2. Put some garlic, horseradish, dill, bay leaves at the bottom of the jar.
  3. Add cucumbers to the jar, press it down.
  4. Add remaining ingredients.
  5. Pour the brine over the top and make sure everything is submerged in it.
  6. Gently shake the jar side to side to get any air bubbles out.
  7. Screw on jar's lid and leave it in a room temperature to ferment.
  8. Half sour pickles take about a week. Full sour pickles will take 14-21 days.

Notes

  • Ground cucumbers are used often. I usually have a hard time finding them. So any work. Pictured: bigger jar I used long, small jar I used mini cucumbers. 
  • You can use whole cucumbers if they are ground (even preferred) or mini instead of cutting them.
  • Bay, apple, grape or oak leaves are a source of tannic acid which helps pickles stay crisp. 
  • Amount or kinds of spices and herbs can be adjusted. But garlic, bay leaves, dill seeds (or fresh dill) are a must. 
  • I like to use hot brine, but cooled off brine works too.