cucumbers, water and salt. That's all it takes to get a lot of flavor out of little gherkins. Fermentation begins soon after pickling and a very unique, typical acidity develops. If you like, you can add a few extra flavors.

Pickles are not as long as cucumbers

Pickled cucumbers tend to become pickled cucumbers

Among the numerous types of cucumbers there are some that are referred to as pickling cucumbers or pickling cucumbers. These are planted specifically for pickling, they are rarely eaten raw in salads. At around 15 cm, the fruits are half the size of cucumbers and can therefore often be preserved whole. They are often even picked when they are just 10 cm long. Then they are particularly crunchy and low in seeds.

read fruits

For pickled cucumbers, only use cucumbers that are in good condition, preferably straight from the garden. Pickled cucumbers are also available for purchase in stores, but freshness is not always guaranteed. It may well be that they wait for a buyer in their container for days. Then individual cucumbers are marked by mold and small rotten spots. Cucumbers that have been damaged in this way do not belong in a mason jar. Not even if the bad spots are generously removed.

Pickled gherkins, a very special pickling method

While many types of vegetables must contain vinegar, or at least plenty of oil, pickled cucumbers require neither one nor the other. The gherkins are still sour, but in a natural way and all by themselves. A fermentation process begins soon after pickling, which leaves a sour cucumber brew after it has subsided. Apart from cucumbers, all you need is water and salt. Nevertheless, the sour taste of the gherkins is often refined with suitable ingredients.

Supplementary ingredients for salted cucumbers

The list of possible spices and herbs is long. When using them, your own taste preferences and certainly also the willingness to experiment play an important role. Here are a few ingredients that are often used:

  • dill
  • garlic
  • onion
  • horseradish
  • grape leaves
  • cherry leaves
  • bay leaves
  • chillies
  • peppercorns

A stoneware pot is ideal for large quantities

Traditionally, gherkins are pickled in large earthenware pots. If you already own such a pot or can buy it cheaply, you will appreciate the pickled cucumbers from it. It is structurally designed so that water envelops the lid. This is an advantage because the fermentation bubbles rise out of the pot but no germ-contaminated room air can get in.
But even if you don't have a stone pot, you don't have to do without pickled gherkins. Large glasses or wooden barrels are also suitable for soaking.

Recipe for salted cucumbers in a stone pot

If a suitable pot is already available, it should be fully utilized. The amount of the individual ingredients then depends on its volume. Since the cucumbers play the main role, they must be available in sufficient quantities. If the prepared salt solution is not enough to cover all the fruit, you can add more water. For the saline solution you will need:

  • cold water
  • 40 grams of salt per liter of water

You can also provide the following ingredients per kilogram of cucumbers:

  • 1 bunch of dill
  • 1 head of garlic
  • 1 onion
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tbsp peppercorns
  • 2-3 cherry leaves

preparation

  1. Rinse the stone pot with hot water.
  2. Clean the cucumbers under running water. Use a vegetable brush to remove the small cucumber spines.
  3. Prick each cucumber several times with the toothpick.
  4. Wash the herbs as well and then pat them dry with kitchen paper.
  5. Peel the onions and cut them into slices.
  6. Cut the garlic bulbs into individual cloves, then remove the skin.
  7. Layer the cucumbers in the stone casserole alternately with the other ingredients.
  8. Measure a suitable amount of water and dissolve the salt in it.
  9. Pour enough brine into the stone casserole to completely cover the cucumbers.
  10. Weight everything down with a large, and absolutely clean, stone.
  11. Put the lid on top and fill the rim with water.
  12. Leave the pot at room temperature where the contents will soon begin to ferment.
  13. After about 10 days, fermentation is complete and the cucumbers have taken on a sour taste.

tips

If the pot used does not have a loose-fitting lid, it must be covered with a kitchen towel for fermentation and only closed tightly after fermentation.

durability

After fermentation, the stone pot is allowed to sit in a cool place. The pickled gherkins can be kept well chilled for a whole year.

Conclusion for fast readers:

  • Suitable cucumber variety: Small pickling cucumbers, also known as pickling cucumbers, are ideal as pickled cucumbers
  • Quality: use freshly picked cucumbers from the garden; look out for damaged areas on supermarket goods
  • Pickling Method: Salted cucumbers do not require vinegar or oil. The natural acidity develops through fermentation
  • Additional ingredients: In addition to the obligatory salt, dill, garlic, onions, seaweed, bay leaves, etc.
  • Container: A large stone pot is ideal for pickled cucumbers. But it can also be a wooden container or glass
  • Recipe: cucumbers, depending on the size of the jar. For the salt stock: water and 40 grams of salt per liter
  • Other ingredients: Per kg of cucumbers: 1 head of garlic, 1 onion, 1 bunch of dill, 1 tablespoon of peppercorns, 2-3 cherry leaves, 1 bay leaf
  • Step 1: Clean stone pot and wash with hot water
  • Step 2: Clean the cucumbers with a vegetable brush and prick them several times with a toothpick
  • Step 3: Wash the other ingredients as well and pat dry with kitchen paper
  • Step 4: Peel and cut the onion into rings; Divide the garlic into cloves and peel
  • Step 5: Put the cucumbers in the stone pot with the other ingredients, layering them to save space
  • Step 6: Dissolve salt in water and pour over the cucumbers; weigh down with a clean stone
  • Step 7: Put the lid on the pot and fill the groove with water; leave to ferment at room temperature for about 10 days
  • Tip: Instead of a lid, the pot can also be covered with a kitchen towel during fermentation
  • Shelf life: After fermentation, the pot should be left in a cool place; the cucumbers will then keep for 1 year

The garden journal freshness ABC

How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?

The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:

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Vegetable garden