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… for a hangover (our secret, shh)!
Pickles are one of the most common fermented foods. Did you know that relish is nothing more than diced pickles?
So prepare a few jars of this cultured pickles recipe, and bait the pickle lovers 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
The Best Fermented Pickles Recipe
Ingredients
Cornichons
- 1 kg pickling cucumbers, young and crisp (always better than old and wilted...)
- 1,5 L cold water
- 750 ml ice cubes
4% sweet brine
- 40 g salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 L water at room temperature
Aromatics
- 2 fresh and young, frozen or lacto-fermented vine leaves *(optional, but helps with the crunchiness)
- 2 whole garlic cloves
- 1 bunch fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon whole black pepper
- 1 teaspoon caraway
- 1 teaspoon cumin
Steps
- Clean the cucumbers well and let them soak in cold water with the ice cubes for 4 to 8 hours. This step will help them stay crunchy until after fermentation.
- Prepare the brine by dissolving the salt and sugar in the water.
- Stack the pickles, whole or sliced (depending on your family traditions), in the jars.
- Divide the grape leaves (if using), the garlic cloves, dill sprigs, pepper, caraway and cumin between the two jars.
- Cover with sweet brine (with 4% salt). Close the jars and place an airlock.
- 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.
- Leave to ferment at a temperature of 18 to 25° C (64 to 77° F) for 3 days for "young pickles", 7 days for "semi-acid" 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 store them for 2 years at room temperature (We are sad for these millions of beautiful bacteria, but as tradition dictates…)
Recipe from the book “Fermentation Revolution“.
