I am a big fan of pickled veggies and pickled cucumbers are something I always have in my fridge. They are a great snack and also an amazing addition to many dishes especially falafel recipes. Using pickle recipes with pickling spices not only gives you great tasting cucumbers, you can actually preserve them for much longer. And depending on the time of year, you can swap fresh salads with salads made from pickled vegetables.
For this pickled gherkin recipe, you can actually use any cucumber – gherkins or cornichons or baby cucumbers. I would recommend staying away from the thin-skinned very long varieties – these are not great for pickling. Of course, each variety has slightly different taste and you can still give this recipe a try with any cucumber.
Cucumbers are always readily available at farmer markets and supermarkets and are usually very affordable. Plus, they are so fresh and crunchy. As I am a big supporter of organic produce, I get organic cucumbers as often as possible. When they are organic, you don’t have to worry about bad toxins and pesticides. You can also enjoy them unpeeled and fully benefit from their rich nutrient content.
Pickled cucumbers contain lots of vitamin K which supports bone health. They also have high amounts of probiotics to support overall digestive health. Furthermore, pickles replenish electrolytes and help us stay hydrated.
What vinegar to choose for pickling cucumbers
I am using here distilled white vinegar. It is super versatile (I use it in a lot of recipes) and it also doesn’t break the bank. Deciding what vinegar to use is more of a personal choice depending on taste. You can use red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar (ACV) but then the colour of the pickles will be affected differently, especially with red wine vinegar. Apple cider vinegar also gives a hint of sweetness, and it’s usually more expensive.
Pickling brine
I already discussed at length the question about heating up the brine over at my post Pink Pickled Turnips. There are a few methods for preparing the brine, and I’ve tried them all. My recommendation would be to experiment and see what you like best. For me, the brine for these pickles doesn’t need to be heated up. Whichever method you choose, most importantly, make sure that the salt dissolves well in the water before you pickle your veggies.
Dill or tarragon
Dill has a grassy aroma and a bit of licorice flavour, similar to anise. Tarragon has a similar licorice bittersweet flavour. Often, the two herbs can be used interchangeably. They are my two favourite herbs to add. In the recipe below, I show the dill version but when using the tarragon, the method would be identical.
What is needed to making cucumber pickles
Cucumbers Vinegar water Salt Coriander seeds (optional) dill or tarragon (optional) garlic (optional)
The Method
First, make sure to sterilise all tools and jars you are using. Pour boiling water on top of the jar or add them to the oven for 10 minutes at 160ºC (no plastic or rubber parts). Let the hot jars dry well. You can use pint jars/quart jars with a wide mouth so it is easier to arrange the cucumbers inside. Make the brine by mixing the water and salt in a large pot or jug.
Make sure the salt is well dissolved. Then, add to the cup the vinegar and stir. Next, wash the cucumbers and dill very well.
Fill the jar with the cucumbers. Stack as many as you can in there.
Then chop the dill and garlic.
Add the coriander seeds to the jar with the cucumbers. Then add the chopped garlic and dill.
Finally, fill the jar with the brine. Make sure all the cucumbers are submerged. You can place a small plate or another jar’s cover over the cucumbers to keep them submerged.
Leave about 1/2 inch headspace below the cover of the jar. Tightly close the jar and place in the fridge and that’s how easy it is to make pickled cucumbers.
Let them pickle for at least 48 hours (the flavour intensifies best after one week). They’re normally served cold.
These are best served with homemade falafel wraps. Also, you can also serve these with warm and comforting meals like this Lebanese Spicy Potatoes Batata Harra or this Easy Vegan Tofu Scramble Recipe. If you have any questions, leave a comment below. Also, I love seeing your recreations so feel free to tag me on Instagram @AlphaFoodie.
