Fermented Pickles vs. Canned Pickles
Of all the requests I have received, the most popular is how to make crispy pickles. When you can pickles, they can become soft and mushy. This is due to the heat used from canning. It could also be because you left your blossom end on your cucumbers, some say. Still, even with our blossom ends removed, heating our jars for canning didn’t leave us with crunchy enough pickles.
Some say using grape leaves help, but you can’t exactly find those easily in most areas. Ball has a product called “Pickle Crisp” that you can add to your jars and many have had great success with canning pickles using this product, but we just decided to go a whole other route that doesn’t even require vinegar.
Benefits of Fermented Pickles
How to Make Fermented Pickles
This recipe can yield whatever amount of pickles you want to make. This is also EXTREMELY versatile and you can tweak this recipe to add your favorite spices. For instance, my husband’s favorite variation is to add sliced jalapenos and onions for spicy dill pickles. And yes, those onions and jalapenos will also get that yummy pickle taste.
Whatever is in your fermentation jar will have their flavors meddle, intertwine, and turn out as a pickled delicious creation of your choice!
- Pickling Cucumbers sliced. speared or whole (blossom ends removed)
- Distilled Water
- Canning/Pickling Salt or any salt that is not iodized and does not contain anti-caking agents
- Fresh Dill
Fill a glass jar with cucumbers and dill
Mix the brine (ratio of 2 cups distilled water with 1 TBL salt, dissolved) and fill jar until cucumbers are completely submerged.
Use a weight to keep cucumbers and dill completely submerged under brine. Put an airlock lid (filled halfway with distilled water) on jar. Place jar on something with a lip (liquid can overflow during fermentation process).
Place jar in a cool place out of sunlight for 2 to 4 weeks, or until gasses stop escaping and desired taste is reached.
Put pickles in an airtight jar and store in fridge. These will keep for several months. Possibly years, but ours never last that long.
Leave a Reply