Fermented Pickles
Want to make your own crunchy, tangy pickles at home? Look no further! This simple recipe for fermented pickles will have you snacking on them all year long. Give it a try now!
Ingredients
- 1 pound unwaxed pickling cucumbers (Kirby is a popular pickling cucumber)
- 4 cups filtered water
- 1 ½ tablespoons pickling salt
- 2 cloves garlic (per jar)
- 1 large bunch fresh dill (3 to 4 large stems of dill per jar)
- 1 tablespoon pickling spice (per jar)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (for spicy dill pickles add to each jar)
Instructions
Prep
- Choose fresh, firm unblemished cucumbers.
- Wash the cucumbers thoroughly to remove any dirt or debris.
- Cut off the blossom end of each cucumber, as it can cause the pickles to become soft.
- Slice the cucumbers into rounds or wedges or leave them whole.
Fermenting Pickles
- Push 3 or 4 large sprigs of fresh dill down into the bottom of each wide mouth quart size jar. Add the garlic cloves, pickling spices and red pepper flakes if using.
- Prepare the brine in a large spouted measuring cup or bowl by mixing the pickling salt and cool filtered water until the salt completely dissolves.
- Pack the cucumber wedges, slices or whole cucumbers into each quart mason jar. If using whole or cucumber wedges make sure they stay below the neck of the jar so there is room for the fermentation weight.
- Pour the brine into the jar up to the the neck of the jar. Do not overfill the jar with brine.
- Place a fermenting weight on top to hold the cucumbers under the fermenting brine. The cucumbers must be submerged in the brine at all times during the fermentation process.
- Place a fermentation lid on top of each jar or cover the top of the jar with a piece of cheesecloth if you do not have a fermenting lid. It is important to use a venting lid when fermenting so the natural gasses that build up in the jar can be released.
- Place the jar in a cool, dark area out of direct sunlight and let it sit at room temperature while the fermentation process begins.
- Check on the jars daily and skim off any scum that forms on the surface. After 3 days up to two weeks your pickles will be ready!
Recipe Expert Tips
- The temperature in your home is important when fermenting vegetables.
- A slow ferment at 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit will yield the best results.
- Factors such as the type of vegetable, the specific strain of bacteria, the temperature, and your personal taste preferences can all influence the time it takes.
- Fermenting is a learn skill and the more you do it the better you will learn the process and find your preferred flavor of fermented pickles.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 3kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 0.1gFat: 0.05gSaturated Fat: 0.01gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.01gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.003gSodium: 351mgPotassium: 24mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 24IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 0.1mg
Tried this recipe?Share a picture on Instagram and tag @flouronmyface2