Best Cultured Pickles Recipe

If you have a secret obsession with fermented pickles, you're not alone. Crunchy and delicious, they are perfect as an appetizer, after a marathon and even for a hangover!

Pickles are one of the most common fermented foods. Do you realize that relish is nothing more than diced pickles?

So prepare a few jars and bait the pickle lover hiding among your guests. When you spot them, you'll never have to worry about being refused a helping hand from them again, since you'll always have a jar of pickles to give them.

• Preparation time: 30 minutes
• Fermentation time: from 3 days to 3 weeks

Equipment

• 2 glass jars of 1 liter
• Airtight lid (recommended)
• Glass weight, or Viscodisc (recommended)
• Airlock (optional)

Ingredients:

Pickles:

• 1kg (2.2 lbs) of pickled cucumbers, young and crisp (it's always better than old and wilted...)
• 1.5 liters (6 cups) of cold water + 750 ml (3 cups) of ice cubes

1 liter (4 cups) of 4% sweet brine:

• 40g (8 tsp) salt
• 1 tbsp of sugar
• 1 liter (4 cups) of water at room temperature

Aromatics:

• 2 fresh, young, frozen or lactofermented vine leaves (optional)
• 2 whole garlic cloves
• 1 bunch of fresh dill
• 1 tsp whole black pepper
• 1 tsp caraway
• 1 tsp cumin

Preparation

1. Clean the cucumbers well and let them soak in cold water with the ice cubes for 4 to 8 hours. This step will keep them crunchy until after fermentation.
2. Prepare the brine by dissolving the salt and sugar in the water.
3. Stack the pickles, whole or sliced ​​(depending on your family traditions), in the jars.
4. Divide the grape leaves (if desired), the garlic cloves, dill sprigs, pepper, caraway and cumin between the two jars.
5. Cover with sweet brine (with 4% salt). Close the jars and place an airlock.
6. Otherwise, completely close the lid, but release the pressure once a day for the first 3 days: slightly unscrew the adjustment ring for a few seconds, then close tightly.
7. Leave to ferment at a temperature of 18 to 25° C (64 to 77° F) for 3 days for "new cucumbers", 7 days for "semi-acids" and 3 weeks for "classic pickles".

Consume with your hands (never with a fork!) casually before a meal.

Store in the refrigerator for 6 months, or: boil the jars for 15 minutes to be able to store the cucumbers for 2 years at room temperature (We are sad for these millions of beautiful bacteria, but as tradition dictates...)

This recipe is from the book Fermentation Revolution.

Get Started! 

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• All Our Fermented Vegetables Recipe 
• Everything You Need For Lactofermentation
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