If you’ve never pickled at home before, this is a great place to start. Cucumbers, water, and salt are all you need, plus the magic of time. After a few days on the counter, you’ll be rewarded with a probiotic rich snack. Once you get the hang of it, you can experiment with flavorings such as garlic, dill, peppercorns or fennel seed.
Basic Pickles
If you’ve never pickled at home before, this is a great place to start. Cucumbers, water, and salt are all you need, plus the magic of time. After a few days on the counter, you’ll be rewarded with a probiotic rich snack. Once you get the hang of it, you can experiment with flavorings such as garlic, dill, peppercorns or fennel seed.
Ingredients
- 6 small cucumbers, sometimes called pickling cucumbers, about 6 or 8depending on their size
- 2 tablespoons sea salt
- 2-4 cups water
- a 1 quart mason jar
Instructions
- Wash the cucumbers and trim the stem end. Place them snugly in a clean mason jar, fitting them in as tightly as you can. You want them packed in tightly so they don’t come loose and float to the top.
- Mix the salt in 2 cups of water. Pour the water over the cucumbers, and add more plain water so that the liquid comes to the top of the jar. Place a lid on the jar and put it aside on your counter for 3-5 days. Check it every once in a while to make sure the cucumbers haven’t gotten loose and are not sticking above the liquid.
- When the pickles are done, you will see small bubbles in the jar when you move it slightly back and forth. After 3-5 days, refrigerate the jar until they are consumed, or up to a month.
Notes
When pickling at home, it’s important to use your senses. If the food ever smells “off” or you see visible signs of mold, toss it out.
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