Bring the deli to your kitchen! Learn the basics of using fermentation to preserve your garden vegetables this season, starting with the classic cucumber half-sour dill pickle. Recipe below.
Facilitated and edited by Mara Gittleman (GreenThumb)
Music by Aaron Gittleman
Ingredients:
– 4 cups filtered water
– ¼ cup kosher salt
– Pickle spices – your choice! I used fresh dill, fresh garlic, 3 bay leaves, a leaf of horseradish, a pinch of whole cloves, and ½ tsb each of coriander seed, black peppercorns, yellow mustard seeds
– 2.5-3 pounds of Kirby cucumbers or other small cucumbers, whole
Instructions:
1. Dissolve the salt in the water in a bowl, pot, or clean jar 2. Add pickle spices and herbs to a clean jar (32oz is a good size) 3. Press cucumbers into jar so they pack tightly but still leave space at the top 4. Top off with your brine, leaving 1″ space at the top 5. Top with a gas-releasing lid or a regular jar lid 6. Each day check on the progress by taking a little taste. Refrigerate when they’re the right amount of sour for you. Replace the air-lock lid with a regular jar lid if you were using one.
Recipe adapted from @gefilteria
11 Comments
I've watched a few pickling videos, your video is good. Do you make or cook other dishes? PS: never start with your favorite best dish. But I would like to see more, so for the first time in years of watching videos, I will hit your notification bell.
Best pickles ever… came from Jewish Deli's in Cleveland Hts. when I was growing up.
I've had some bottled that were close… but never as good. 🙂
use cheese cloth and a rubber band to cover the mouth of the bottle.
You inspired me. Gonna make my own. Perfect pandemic project.
A question — I just made these and ended up with 4 quart jars of pickles, packed with strained fermentation liquid. I put them in the refrigerator. They have been there several days now. It occurred to me that I might want to try seeing how they taste with more fermentation. Can I take several jars out of the refrigerator and let them ferment more? Or is fermentation over since they had been in the refrigerator? Thanks!
4:46 Show us the cat!!!
Bay leaves are key to keep them crisp👍
Thank you for posting this. It's very easy, ( compared to canning tomato's) & delicious.
Once you get them to where you want them, do you pour off the brine or just refrigerate them in the jar as they are?
Awesome
Hi, Mara! I love this recipe and your video! I've used it successfully in the past but I just made my latest batch and after one day I notice the bay leaves are developing dark-ish spots, though I don't see anything floating on the surface of the brine (so far). Is that mold? Should I toss? I think this is my fault — one of the pickles isn't completely submerged… Thanks!