Thanks to an abundance of rain, my pickling cucumbers are growing and producing like crazy, providing us with bowls of cucumbers each day. Thankfully, I LOVE making lactofermented pickles, creating new recipes with each batch. This type of pickle is enjoyed fresh – no canning required – so the process is incredibly quick and easy, and the end result is crisp, delicious, and good for you!
Here are a few tips to get you started:
- Start with the freshest cucumbers for best results. I have a few favorites varieties: National Pickling and Delikatesse being the top two. Since pickling cukes are best when they are small, I check my plants every day.
- Pre-mix a large batch of brine to make pickle making effortless. The brine is a salty solution that discourages nasty bacteria, while encouraging the beneficial bacteria of the lacto-fermentation process. To make a brine, dissolve 3 TBSP salt in a quart of water, or for a larger batch, dissolve 3/4 cup salt in one gallon of water.
- Read this post for tips on successful home fermentation.
- Have fun! Get the brine proportions correct, and then experiment with adding different spices to give each batch of pickles a distinct flavor.
My three favorite lactofermented pickle recipes:
Garlic-Ginger Pickles
5-6 pickling cucumbers, sliced into spears or rounds
3 cloves of garlic, smashed
½ -1 tsp of fresh, chopped ginger root
½ tsp coriander seed
1 clove
Spicy Pickles
5-6 pickling cucumbers, sliced into spears or rounds
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1/4 – 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp cumin seed
1 clove garlic
Classic Dill Pickles
1 tsp dill seeds OR 1-2 heads of dill
1/4 tsp black peppercorns
1/4 tsp horseradish root (minced, or cut into a small piece and smashed)
1 horseradish or grape leaf
To make pickles:
- Place sliced cucumbers in a wide mouth quart-sized mason jar
- Place spices in the jar, and add enough brine to completely cover the cucumbers and spices
- Loosely cover with a mason jar lid or cloth. Do not tighten the lid
- Place on the counter in a spot where you can check on the pickles each day
- Once a day, check on your pickles, making sure that the cucumbers remain submerged under liquid. I like to tighten my mason jar lid and invert the pickles a few times
- After 2-3 days, do a taste test. I like to remove my pickles from the counter when they are still very crisp, but it’s a matter of personal preference!
- Store pickles in the refrigerator, and enjoy!
Three Lactofermented Pickle Recipes
Delicious pickles are quick and easy to make at home, with no canning required. These three lacto-fermented pickle recipes will get you started!
Ingredients
- Garlic-Ginger Pickles:
- 5-6 pickling cucumbers, sliced into spears or rounds
- 3 cloves of garlic, smashed
- ½ -1 tsp of fresh, chopped ginger root
- ½ tsp coriander seed
- 1 clove
- Spicy Pickles:
- 5-6 pickling cucumbers, sliced into spears or rounds
- 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp cumin seed
- 1 clove garlic
- Classic Dill Pickles:
- 1 tsp dill seeds OR 1-2 heads of dill
- 1/4 tsp black peppercorns
- 1/4 tsp horseradish root (minced, or cut into a small piece and smashed)
- 1 horseradish or grape leaf
Instructions
- Place sliced cucumbers in a wide mouth quart-sized mason jar.
- Place spices in the jar, and add enough brine to completely cover the cucumbers and spices.
- Loosely cover with a mason jar lid or cloth. Do not tighten the lid.
- Place on the counter in a spot where you can check on the pickles each day.
- Once a day, check on your pickles, making sure that the cucumbers remain submerged under liquid. I like to tighten my mason jar lid and invert the pickles a few times.
- After 2-3 days, do a taste test. I like to remove my pickles from the counter when they are still very crisp, but it’s a matter of personal preference!
- Store pickles in the refrigerator, and enjoy!
Notes
- Start with the freshest cucumbers for best results. I have a few favorites varieties: National Pickling and Delikatesse being the top two. Since pickling cukes are best when they are small, I check my plants every day.
- Pre-mix a large batch of brine to make pickle making effortless. The brine is a salty solution that discourages nasty bacteria, while encouraging the beneficial bacteria of the lacto-fermentation process. To make a brine, dissolve 3 TBSP salt in a quart of water, or for a larger batch, dissolve 3/4 cup salt in one gallon of water.
- Read this post for tips on successful home fermentation.
- Have fun! Get the brine proportions correct, and then experiment with adding different spices to give each batch of pickles a distinct flavor.
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I add a bay leaf or two to a quart jar of fermented pickles to help them stay crunchy.
Oh yes, I do that as well! Adds a nice taste as well!
For the brine you mentioned 3tbsp salt to 4c water. Is this table salt or sea salt? Sea salt is much less overwhelming. Thank you.
I typically use sea salt for my ferments.
Do you do anything in particular to the jars before you begin, Teri?
No, nothing special. They should be clean, but they don’t need to be sterile because you’re not sealing or canning these pickles.
Thank you!
Thanks, Teri!
Fermented pickles aren’t something I’ve tried yet, but I have read they can be mushy. Other than choosing super fresh cucumbers, do you have advice on getting pickles that aren’t mushy?
Yes, that is why I take them off the counter early. They still need to do a bit more fermenting in the fridge, but they do it very, very slowly, and remain much more crisp. And check the brine proportions too. I’ve also heard that adding a grape leaf, or horseradish leaf can help with crispness.
Adding alum, (found with the spices at the grocery store), is purported to help prevent mushy pickles. But most importantly, trim 1/8 to 1/4 inch off the blossom end of the cucumber before fermenting. There is an enzyme in that end that contributes to pickle softening during fermentation.
Great! Thanks for the tips!
How long will these keep in the fridge? Is there any point in running these through the water bath canner? (I’ve never done fermented pickles 🙂 )
Hi Correne,
I make them in very small batches – one quart or one pint – so keeping them in the fridge is usually not an issue – they get eaten before they would ever go bad! As for water bath canning, I would not do that, personally, as heating to a high temperature would negate the health benefits of the lactic acid fermentation.
If you do want to make pickles for water bath canning, I’d stick with a well established, vinegar-based recipe.