How to make crispy and tangy pickles? It’s time to pickle cucumbers

Well, that’s it. Cucumber season is slowly reaching its peak. Many of us associate it with vacation and total relaxation. But if we want to have our own pickled cucumbers in the winter, we have to get started on pickling them. We’ve done just that, and we’re very happy to share both our recipe and the process itself with you. You’ll be able to see the process and results of our homemade pickled cucumbers in our photos, both in the article and in the photo gallery.

Tip: How to make pickled sausages at home? Its easy.

Choosing the right cucumbers is key

That’s right. It’s absolutely essential to know exactly what you’re buying. Many cucumbers from supermarkets are more like rubber than the ideal base for pickling. The cucumbers must be as firm as possible. That’s the only way to tell they were picked from the field right after harvest. Then, once pickled, they’ll be perfectly crunchy—which is, of course, what we want. We also need to buy carrots and onions. Ideally, everything should be organic. If you have them from your garden, that’s all you need. We only had some of the cucumbers from our garden.

Photo: Radek Stepan

Photo: Radek Stepan

What do we need to pickle cucumbers?

We’ll start, of course, with the equipment and then move on to the ingredients. As for equipment, we’ll need:

– a large pot,

– jars with screw-on lids,

– a thermometer for measuring water temperature.

There are also quite a few ingredients. We’ll need:

– 3 kg of pickling cucumbers,

– 8 medium-sized carrots,

– 10 small onions,

– dill.

For the brine, we’ll need:

– 2 liters of water,

– 0.6 liters of vinegar,

– 220 grams of sugar,

– 80 grams of salt

– bay leaves, about 6,

– 10 allspice berries,

– 5 black peppercorns,

– a tablespoon of mustard seeds.

Let’s get started: How to prepare the cucumbers

The process of pickling cucumbers at home is not difficult at all. First, prepare the brine. Simply mix all the ingredients together and bring the mixture to a boil. Meanwhile, fill the jars with cucumbers, carrots, and onions. Then pour the brine into all the jars and seal them.

Photo: Radek Stepan

Photo: Radek Stepan

Preserving cucumbers

Nothing complicated. Partially fill a pot with water and heat it to 80 degrees Celsius. Then place the jars in the water and let them sit for about 10 minutes. Afterward, remove them and turn them upside down. Let them cool this way, and the next day they’re ready for the pantry. The cucumbers are perfectly crisp and free of any chemicals.

Sources: Author, original recipe

Photo and photogallery: Radek Stepan