I’ve always been a tinkerer. I like knowing how things work and are made. This is certainly true in the kitchen, as well. I would not say I master each technique, but the know-how is useful across the board in growing your kitchen skill toolbox.
The path to fermentation can begin, and does for many, with cucumbers. Pickling cucumbers is far less intimidating than fermenting them, so they provide an easy entry into the art. The fermentation bible, if you’re ready to jump in, is Sandor Ellix Katz’s, “The Art of Fermentation.” Can’t recommend this book enough. Another great source is my friend Danny Berke’s, “Insane in the Brine: The Official Cookbook.” Really easy to follow! Danny is the man. Gotta get him to create some content for this site!
Who doesn’t love a pickle? No one I know. In fact, people who hate pickles should be forced onto some island to live out the rest of their miserable days together rather than mixing into proper society.
In any case, one of the easiest and most popular recipes to learn is the “quick pickle.” You can generally apply this recipe to most any vegetables with great results, as well as play around with the ingredients.
For this recipe, I kept it classic and simple. I like to use Persian cucumbers for this recipe as they are so crunchy and stay firm. They are easier than ever to find in most any produce section. I like to buy them at ALDI where they are really cheap. Just make sure to use them right away before they begin to soften.
Gather your ingredients. You won’t need long for this recipe. The entire process takes under 30 minutes, and that’s with the waiting. Do not cut corners on using fresh ingredients as the taste will suffer. Real dill. Real garlic. Real taste.
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 cups distilled white vinegar
- 2 ½ cup cold distilled water
- 3 tbsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
- 3 tbsp coriander seeds
- 3 tbsp black peppercorns
- 4 bay leaves
- 2lbs. Persian cucumbers, sliced into ½-inch rounds
- 4 green onions chopped, both green and white sections
- 6-8 garlic cloves sliced
- 6-8 sprigs fresh dill
- (Optional for heat) Jalapeno peppers
- 32 oz. Ball jar or any division of that size. I used my emptied Uncle Edik’s Pickles 16 oz. jars, washed clean.
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Wash cucumbers well.
- Cut ends off of cucumbers. You can throw them in if you want. I choose not to. I like uniformity.
- Place the cucumbers on a bed of ice for 20 minutes. This will help them retain their crunch.
- Make your brine by adding vinegar, cold distilled water, salt, mustard seed, coriander, peppercorn, and bay leaves into a sauce pot.
- Bring to boil then simmer for about 10 minutes.
- While simmering, fill your jar(s) with the cucumbers, dill, garlic, onion (and optional jalapeno).
- When brine has cooled somewhat, pour over (or ladle out) over cucumbers.
- Close with lid and shake it up to mix spices well.
- Refrigerate at least overnight but giving it more time, such as a week, will produce even better results. They will last in your refrigerator for several months.
NOTES:
I really like this recipe as it is certain to be a crowd-pleaser (with the exception of the aforementioned pickle-hating lepers). This amount of vinegar to water ratio will give you really tangy pickles. If these are a bit too tangy, you can add another half cup water next time. You can also choose to add sugar if you like sweet, just include up to a quarter cup of sugar max into the brine. It’s preferable to use wide mouth jars. If your brine does not fully cover your cukes, you can always just make some more brine.
As always, we love feedback or questions. Please share!
Kosher Food and Drink 
Leave a comment