20 minutes
A simple and traditional recipe for creating tangy and tart cucumber pickles through natural lacto-fermentation.
Small And Firm Cucumbers, Fresh
0 lb
Brine (Water And Salt Mixture), Mixed
quarts
Garlic Cloves (optional), Peeled
each
1. Prepare the Cucumbers
Immerse the fresh cucumbers in the prepared brine, ensuring the mixture is salty enough to taste like the sea.
2. Fermentation Process
Place the cucumbers in open vats under the sun to encourage natural lacto-fermentation. The cucumbers will transform into pickles as they ferment, indicated by a change to a dull green color and slight translucency.
3. Adding Flavor
If desired, add peeled garlic cloves to the brine at the beginning of the fermentation process for additional flavor infusion.
4. Finalize and Serve
Once the cucumbers have reached the desired level of sourness, remove them from the brine. They are now ready to be served and enjoyed, or stored in the refrigerator for later consumption.
Choose firm, fresh, blemish-free Kirby cucumbers for their thicker skin and crunchy texture. Smaller cucumbers are also preferable.
Ensure crunchy pickles by soaking cucumbers in an ice-water bath and adding grape leaves or a pinch of tea leaves to the jar for their tannins.
Allow pickles to marinate at least 24 hours, or a week for better flavor melding, especially for fermented pickles.
A balanced brine typically starts with a 1:1 ratio of water to vinegar, and about one tablespoon each of sugar and salt per cup of liquid. Adjust to taste and use high-quality vinegar.
Experiment with spices like mustard seeds, coriander, garlic, and peppercorns. Toasting spices can boost flavor complexity.
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