How to Make Pickles
When Aaron and I went on vacation to Maine in early August, we ate our fair share of sweets. There was a little independent bakery in town that’s famous with locals for their extra doughy, chewy bagels, and we quickly learned after visiting a little before 9am on a Monday that they were no joke—the bagels were completely sold out. Instead, we stocked up on an assortment of muffins, cookies, and a slice of over-the-top, rich dark chocolate mint cake, and vowed to come back earlier the next day for bagels. And we did. And the day after that. And the day after that. It was total sugar/carb overload.
When we returned from Maine, I drank my weight in green juice and ate all the kale (and my body thanked me big time). I also had the most intense cravings for pickles. I bought a couple of large containers of the real pickles from Whole Foods in the refrigerated section and I kid you not—I ate pickles for breakfast, pickles for lunch, pickles for snacks, and I may have eaten them for dinner had I not been cooking for Aaron too. The thought of sweets made me nauseated and there was nothing better than those crunchy, salty, garlicky pickles. This is slightly embarrassing, but I even used pickle juice as salad dressing. I KNOW.
Seeing as how my new pickle obsession was adding a solid $10+ dollars to our weekly grocery bill and I was worried the folks at Whole Foods would start to label me “that pickle girl”, I knew I had to start making my own at home. Also, my blog is called Pickles & Honey and I didn’t have a pickle recipe?! (FYI for newer readers: Pickles is my parents’ dog and Honey is one of my dogs.)
Making homemade fermented pickles is not unlike making kombucha, though you don’t have to handle or look at a scoby, so there’s that. The process is unbelievably simple, takes just three steps, and will likely produce the best pickles of your life because you get to control the seasonings, saltiness, and how long you let them ferment. And instead of becoming “that pickle girl”, maybe you become “that cucumber girl.” Even so, it’ll be worth it.
How to Make Pickles
How to Make Pickles
Serves: 8 pickles
Prep Time: 3 days
These are real-deal, fermented pickles that are rich in healthy probiotics and so satisfying both to make and consume. They're beyond simple and require just 3 easy steps.
Cuisine: Gluten Free, Vegan Servings: 8 pickles
Prep Time: 3 days
These are real-deal, fermented pickles that are rich in healthy probiotics and so satisfying both to make and consume. They're beyond simple and require just 3 easy steps.
Instructions
- Prepare your jar of cucumbers. Add the water to a bowl or spare jar and stir in the sea salt until it's mostly dissolved. Set it aside while you prepare the cucumbers.
- Add the garlic, dill, and bay leaves to the large jar, followed by the cucumbers. You want to pack the cucumbers in tightly so they stay in place. I find it's helpful to do a layer vertically, and then a couple horizontally wedged over top.
- Pour in the salt water until you completely cover the cucumbers by several inches (you do not want the cucumbers peeking out at the top!). Make sure there is a one inch space between the top of the jar and the lid. Put the lid on the jar.
- Allow the cucumbers to ferment. Place the jar in a room temperature (slightly cooler or warmer is okay) dark cupboard for 3 days, then taste. If they taste good, transfer the pickles to your fridge to be enjoyed. If they need more time, place them back in your cupboard for another 1-2 days, making sure the cucumbers are once again completely submerged in the salt water.
Notes [2]
Warmer temperatures will yield a faster fermentation, whereas cooler temperatures may mean that the pickles will take a few extra days before they’re ready, but they tend to retain their crunch better. I like mine best around the 3-4 day mark, but it’s totally up to you!
Bonus: you can follow the same process to pickle other vegetables!
Copyright © 2023 Amanda Maguire for Pickles & Honey
