Last update: 06-07-2022 Home & Garden

How To Make Pickles? 4 Proven Pickled Cucumber Recipes

Sour pickles, also known as cornichons are a delicacy appreciated across the whole world. They are perfect not only as an addition to dinner - dill pickles also taste well in a sandwich or on canapes. The best time to make homemade pickles is summer. This is when cucumbers are fresh and easily accessible. Cucumber preserves are not too difficult to make. All you need is a proven pickled cucumber recipe. This way, you can make your own traditional homemade dill pickles and enjoy their taste throughout the whole year.

Homemade pickles - the secret lies in the recipe!

Dill pickles, cornichons, gherkins - regardless of the name, sour pickles always taste delicious, especially if they were made from your mum’s or grandma’s pickled cucumber recipe. Their preparation is not a very complicated process. Thanks to the plenty of various methods, one can get dill pickles of different tastes.

Homemade cornichons prepared in glass jars are considered a delicacy by many. The specific, sour taste of fermented pickles might be unacceptable for some, unlike more popular, store-bought pickles made with vinegar.

Pickled cucumber recipe - traditional homemade pickles in 4 easy steps

Traditional dill pickles are very easy to make. Just follow the pickle cucumber recipe presented below, and you will get the perfect taste. You need to buy:

• pickling cucumbers,
• garlic,
• dill,
• fresh horseradish root,
• rock salt.

If you have all the ingredients, follow the four easy steps. Everyone can make their own homemade pickles without any problems.

1. Wash and dry the cucumbers. Then, put them vertically in one-liter jars. Add 3 cloves of garlic, a piece of fresh horseradish and dill with the stem into each jar.
2. In the next step you need to prepare pickle brine. Boil water in an adequate amount to the number of jars. Pour salt to the jars in 1:1 proportion.
3. Pour the boiled water into the jars and close them immediately. It is important that the brine covers the cucumbers completely.
4. Cover the jars with a blanket and leave them for 12 hours in a dark and dry spot, which will allow them to bottle.

Pay attention to the lids - they cannot be rusty or bent. Lids in a poor shape might disturb the process of bottling and the homemade pickles will not be good.

How to make pickles? Half sour pickles recipe

Many people also love so called half sour pickles. Their preparation looks similar to the previous pickled cucumber recipe, but it differs in a few small, yet significant details.

What you need to make perfect half sour pickles:

• pickling cucumbers,
• garlic,
• cherry leaves,
• horseradish leaves,
• fresh horseradish root,
• dill.

1. Wash the cucumbers and cut off their endings.
2. Put the cucumbers in the jar - pack them tightly, alternating with dill, garlic and the other ingredients.
3. Boil water, add salt in 1:1 proportion and leave it to cool down.
4. After the pickle brine has cooled down a little, pour it to the jars and press the pickles with a saucer. Leave it for about two days.

Half sour pickles with chilli and honey recipe

If you are looking for a more adventurous pickled cucumber recipe and curious tastes, half sour pickles with chilli and honey might interest you. The list of ingredients:

• fresh pickling cucumbers,
• a chilli pepper,
• honey,
• horseradish root,
• dill,
• garlic,
• horseradish leaves.

This pickled cucumber recipe is quite different from the other variations.

1. First, wash the cucumbers, cut the endings off and chop them into thick slices.
2. Put the cucumber slices and the other ingredients in a jar. The amount of chilli pepper you add will affect the spiciness of the half sour pickles.
3. Add a spoon of honey to the jar and pour saltwater brine (boiled water with salt in 1:1 proportion).
4. Seal the jar and put it in a warm spot for a minimum of 12 hours.

Pickled cucumber recipe with cherry or currant leaves

Another variety of cornichons are dill pickles with cherry and currant. What you need is:

• pickling cucumbers,
• garlic,
• dill,
• horseradish root,
• bay leaf,
• mustard seeds,
• cherry leaves,
• currant leaves.

1. Put garlic, dill, horseradish, bay leaf, mustard seeds, cherry leaves and currant leaves at the bottom of the jar.
2. Put the cucumbers in - pack them vertically and relatively tightly.
3. Add boiling pickle brine (water with salt in 1:1 proportion).
4. Seal the jars and leave them in a cool place for three weeks.

Homemade pickles are very easy to make, and anyone can try it. Thanks to a great number of varieties, one can pick the best pickled cucumber recipe for themselves. Some people like traditional dill pickles, while others prefer half sour pickles or unusual cornichons with curious ingredients.

If you like kitchen experiments, check what kind of Christmas food i popular around the world. You could also learn a perfect wine recipe so you can make this beverage at home.

What are the benefits of dill pickles?

Dill pickles, just like other pickled vegetables, bear many precious benefits that positively affect human organism. First, they strengthen the immune system. By eating them regularly, you can lower the risk of various infections. They improve digestion, which means they aid metabolism. It’s a result of high fiber content.

What’s more, pickled cucumbers are low in calories. They make you feel full pretty quickly. They are a perfect meal addition for people on a diet. Dill pickles also help to reduce bad cholesterol levels.

Can you eat pickled cucumbers every day?

To get the full range of benefits from dill pickles, make sure to eat them daily - e.g., one per day. Thanks to this, you aid your organism’s production of beneficial gut bacteria. This naturally improves the body’s performance, making you less vulnerable to prolonged stress and low mood levels.

📍 Do pickles bear any health benefits?

Pickled cucumbers are considered a natural prebiotic which aids human organism. Dill pickles are also beneficial to the immune system. It's important especially in winter, when one is particularly vulnerable to various infections.

📍 How to make pickled cucumbers?

A good recipe is the essential element of making pickled cucumbers. Typically, you need water, salt and particular spices to infuse pickles with an intense taste. It's important to submerge the cucumbers entirely underwater - fill the jar to the brim, which prevents spoiling.

📍 How long do you pickle cucumbers?

Whether your cucumbers are ready, depends on what taste you prefer. If you want low-salt cucumbers (of a mild flavor), a week of pickling is enough. If you prefer a more intense sour taste, leave the cucumbers in jars for about a month. What's important, if prepared correctly, cornichons can be eaten within 2-3 years.

📍 Why did my pickles turn out bad?

There are a few possible reasons for bad pickles. Poor quality vegetables is one of them. The freshness is another aspect - cucumbers have to be prepared right after harvesting, up to 24 hours. Otherwise, they might spoil before you even start preparing them. A poor recipe is another possibility.