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How to make pickles

Pickling or preserving cucumbers or other vegetables in a vinegar brine. Basic method plus add-ins.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Resting time before eating your first pickle 7 days
Total Time 7 days 20 minutes
Course How-to, Kitchen staple
Servings 3 jars
Calories 219 kcal

Equipment

  • 32oz. jar x3
  • large soup pot

Ingredients
  

  • 2 medium size cucumbers (cut lenghtwise or in slices)
  • sea salt (to rub on cucumber) (optional, only if you are opting to drain liquid from cucumbers overnight)
  • BASE BRINE:
  • 1 lt water (=34 oz.)
  • 1 lt plain white vinegar (=34 oz.)(or sub white wine or apple cider vinegar)
  • 100 gr sugar (=3.55 ounces or ½ cup)
  • 10 gr sea salt (=1¾ tsp)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 10 pepper corns (crushed or coarsely ground)
  • ADD-INS (1)
  • 1 jalapeño cut lengtwise
  • 5 gr coriander seeds (= more or less ⅛ cup)
  • 5 gr mustard seeds (= more or less ⅛ cup)
  • 3 cm fresh ginger (=1 inch)(sliced)
  • 1 tsp ground curcuma
  • ADD-INS (2)
  • 5 gr dill seeds (= more or less ⅛ cup)
  • 5 gr fennel seeds (= more or less ⅛ cup)
  • ½ tsp curcuma

Instructions
 

  • Rub cucumber with salt and put in a strainer. Place strainer on top a bowl to catch the liquid and refrigerate overnight. This will make the cucumbers be able to absorb the brine liquid better. You can skip this step though.
  • To sterilize your jars, fill a large soup pot ¾ with water. Bring it to boil. Place a towel on the bottom of the pot. Add the empty jars and lids to the boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Drain the jars and let them air dry.
  • Make the brine by boiling water, vinegar, sugar, salt, black pepper corns and bay leaves.
  • In the meantime, toast the seeds (if you opt to go for add-ins (either option 1 or 2). Skip this step if you are going for the basic method.
  • Add the add-ins if any, to the jar. Add the cucumber sticks or slices. Pack them well. Now add the hot brine to it. Close the jar with the lid and shake well (I even put them upside down for a minute), open the jar to see if you the cucumbers are still covered with brine. If not add more until totally covered.
  • Let the jars cool off completely before refrigerating them. I usually wait at least a week before I start using the pickles. You can keep them in the refrigerator for 6-8 weeks.

Notes

Nutritional information:
the information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.
Keyword pickling, preserving