From Pro Home Cooks #

Garlic Dill Pickles (Quick Method) #

Ingredients:

• 450-900 g cucumbers, washed
• 4-5 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/4 cup sliced onions
• Handful of dill or dill flowers
• White distilled vinegar (see instructions)
• Water (see instructions)
• 20 ml (4 teaspoons) sea salt
• 20 ml (4 teaspoons) sugar

Instructions:
Cut the washed cucumbers as desired (I usually keep them whole)
Pack cucumbers, garlic, onions, and dill into a clean 950 ml mason jar
Fill jar halfway with vinegar, then top with water
Pour liquid into a pot, add salt and sugar, simmer until dissolved
Pour hot brine over cucumbers, seal and label
Refrigerate once cooled, let brine for at least one day

Bread & Butter Pickles #

Ingredients:
450-900 g cucumbers, washed
60 ml sliced onion
240 ml sugar
240 ml white distilled vinegar
120 ml water
5 ml (1 teaspoon) salt
15 ml (1 tablespoon) whole black peppercorns
5 ml (1 teaspoon) coriander

Instructions:
Slice cucumbers into coins
Pack sliced cucumbers and onions into a 950 ml mason jar
Bring sugar, vinegar, water, salt, peppercorns, and coriander to a boil
Let cool for a minute, then pour hot brine over cucumbers
Seal, label, and refrigerate once cooled
Let brine for at least one day

Half-Sour Pickles (Fermented) #

Ingredients:
450-900 g cucumbers, washed
Water (calculated amount)
Salt (4% of water weight)

Instructions:
Pack whole cucumbers into clean mason jar
Weigh jar with cucumbers, tare scale to zero
Fill with water to top, note water weight in grams
Multiply water weight by 0.04 for salt amount needed
Add calculated salt, seal and shake to dissolve
Ferment 1-2 days at room temperature, then refrigerate

Full Sour Pickles (Fermented) #

Ingredients:
450 g cucumbers, washed
Water (calculated amount)
Salt (5% of water weight)

Instructions:
Cut cucumbers in half, pack into mason jar
Weigh jar with cucumbers, tare scale
Fill with water, note weight in grams
Multiply water weight by 0.05 for salt amount
Add salt, seal and shake to dissolve
Ferment 3-5 days at room temperature (longer = more sour), then refrigerate

Kimchi Pickles (5-Day Ferment) - Not tested yet #

Ingredients:
450-900 g cucumbers, washed
1 small knob ginger
1/4 piece onion
2-3 cloves garlic
1 slice Asian pear
60 ml gochugaru flakes
15 ml (1 tablespoon) soy sauce
5 ml (1 teaspoon) salt
15 ml (1 tablespoon) water

Instructions:
Slice cucumbers into coins
Blend ginger, onion, garlic, pear, gochugaru, soy sauce, salt, and water into paste
Toss cucumber slices with paste until well coated
Pack into mason jar with fermentation weight to keep below liquid line
Seal and ferment 3-4 days at room temperature
Refrigerate when fermentation is complete

Jarred Pickles (Long-Term Storage) - Not tested yet #

Perfect for when you have a massive cucumber harvest to preserve.

Ingredients:
3.6 kg cucumbers, any variety
12 cloves garlic
1 onion
720 ml distilled white vinegar
720 ml water
60 ml salt
120 ml sugar
Handful coriander
Handful black peppercorns

Instructions:
Wash and dry four 950 ml jars and lids thoroughly
Quarter cucumbers lengthwise, pack into jars with 3 garlic cloves and 60 ml onion per jar
Whisk vinegar, water, salt, sugar, coriander, and peppercorns until dissolved
Distribute liquid evenly among jars
Process in 85°C water bath for 30-40 minutes using canning tongs
Cool on towel - jars will “pop” when properly sealed
Store in cool, dark place for long-term storage

Other #

Smashed Asian Chili Cucumber Salad #

Ingredients:
15 ml (1 tablespoon) peeled sesame seeds
2 large cucumbers or 1 regular cucumber (about 450g)
15 ml (1 tablespoon) sesame oil
5 ml (1 teaspoon) gochujang (chili paste)
15 ml (1 tablespoon) Japanese soy sauce
10 ml (2 teaspoons) apple cider vinegar
5 ml (1 teaspoon) chili flakes
Salt to taste

Instructions:
Toast sesame seeds in a small pan until golden (no oil needed)
Place cucumbers on cutting board and smash with a mortar or jar until they crack and the core is slightly crushed
Cut cucumbers lengthwise into quarters, then slice into centimeter-wide pieces
Combine cucumber pieces in a bowl with sesame oil, gochujang, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, toasted sesame seeds, and chili flakes
Taste and add a pinch of salt if desired
Optional: mix with fresh cilantro before serving

Recipe adapted from Landley’s Kök

Classic 1-2-3 Pickled Cucumbers #

The simplest and most classic pickling method - perfect for any type of cucumber.

Ingredients:
1 part white vinegar
2 parts sugar
3 parts water
Cucumbers, sliced

Instructions:
Combine vinegar, sugar, and water in a pot
Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar completely dissolves
Let the brine cool completely
Place sliced cucumbers in a glass jar
Pour cooled brine over cucumber slices
Allow to cool before storing in refrigerator or pantry
Pickles will keep for a long time when properly stored

Recipe adapted from Wexthuset