Kosher Pickles, The Right Way
- Total Time
- 1 to 2 days
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- ⅓cup kosher salt
- 2pounds Kirby cucumbers, washed (scrub if spiny) and halved or quartered lengthwise
- At least 5 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1large bunch fresh dill, preferably with flowers, or 2 tablespoons dried dill and 1 teaspoon dill seeds, or 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
Nutritional analysis per serving (30 servings)
6 calories; 0 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 0 grams protein; 72 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Combine the salt and 1 cup boiling water in a large bowl; stir to dissolve the salt. Add a handful of ice cubes to cool the mixture, then all the remaining ingredients.
- Step 2
Add cold water to cover. Use a plate slightly smaller than the diameter of the bowl and a small weight to keep the cucumbers immersed. Set aside at room temperature.
- Step 3
Begin sampling the cucumbers after 4 hours if you quartered them. It will probably take 12 to 24 hours or even 48 hours for them to taste pickled enough to suit your taste.
- Step 4
When they are ready, refrigerate them, still in the brine. The pickles will continue to ferment as they sit, more quickly at room temperature and more slowly in the refrigerator. They will keep well for up to a week.
Private Notes
Comments
I was wary of the recipe when I read all of the notes about being salty. I followed Bittman's directions carefully and found no problem, though. I think perhaps the folk having issues with the salt levels were not diluting enough. Per the recipe, I added "water to cover", which was a good 4-5 cups. That worked fine. Suggestion: if you're not sure about the salt content, taste the brine. If it's too salty, just add more water.
The amount of salt should be specified in weight, as the two common varieties of Kosher salt yield different results when measured by volume. This might account for all the "Too salty!" complaints. Here's some information from the Cooks Illustrated website that may help:
1 teaspoon table salt = 1 1/2 teaspoons Morton kosher salt = 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
I learned the hard way that it's essential to trim the blossom ends off the cakes. I trimmed them the first couple of times just because I felt like it, and the pickles were great. I subsequently got lazy and merely cut them in half. Each time, they spoiled. A little research turned up the fact that the blossom end contains an enzyme that can ruin your pickles. I wonder how the pro picklers avoid this.
Way too much salt and not enough dill and garlic. Had to throw them out…
https://www.feastingathome.com/fermented-pickles/ 3% salt water brine is considered “safe”: 7 grams of salt per 1 cup of water. Or, 1 heaping teaspoon salt (1 1/4 teaspoon salt ) per 1 cup of water, for a shorter period ( 3-5 days). Crunchy, lightly fermented pickles! 3.5% Ratio= 9 grams of salt per 1 cup of water, 4.5% brine =10.8 grams of salt per 1 cup of water. For a 4.5% brine, half-sour pickles take 5-7 days, full sour pickles 14-21 days.
These were way too salty initially. Aftertaste is good. I’m going to use them in potato salad etc and see how they do after some time. Beautiful green color in the jars.
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