Make your own zesty fermented cucumbers (homemade pickles) in just a few easy steps. A quick and easy way to get more fermented foods into your diet.
This recipe is an oldie but goodie. I originally posted it in January of 2013 and am sharing it again with updated photos.
So we all know that fermented foods are good for us. And homemade pickles are the BEST. Making them at home ensures that you are actually getting the beneficial probiotics of fermented foods. Store-bought pickles are usually brined in vinegar and pasteurized, killing any beneficial organisms.
I keep this recipe pretty simple. My family prefers plain old pickles, but you could add anything that sounds good, like garlic, hot peppers, or other spices.
These fermented cucumbers will turn out crunchy and zesty. And they will keep for weeks in the fridge. Who doesn’t love a good pickle? There really is something satisfying about making your own healing foods.
A 1999 study published in the LANCET, the world’s leading general medical journal, found a decrease in asthma, skin problems, and auto-immune disorders in Swedish children from the consumption of lacto-fermented foods.
Lacto-fermented means that the starches and sugars in vegetables and fruits are converted into lactic acid by the many species of lactic-acid-producing bacteria present on the surface of all living things. The “lacto” portion of the term refers to a specific species of bacteria, namely Lactobacillus.
Lactic acid is a natural preservative that inhibits putrefying bacteria. All you have to do is to add SALT. Bacteria that could be harmful to us can’t tolerate much salt, but there are healthy bacteria that can. Lacto-fermentation wipes out the bad guys , then lets the good guys get to work . The product is a living food, full of enzymes and probiotics.
Benefits of fermented foods:
- Fermented foods improve digestion.
- Fermented foods restore the proper balance of bacteria in the gut.
- Fermenting foods actually increase the vitamin content of the food.
- Eating fermented foods helps us absorb nutrients more efficiently.
- Fermenting foods helps preserve our food for longer periods of time.
- Fermenting foods is inexpensive.
What equipment do I use for fermentation?
For shorter fermentations like this one, I like to use air-tight lids that fit wide mouth mason jars . They are super easy to use and work great.
You’ll want to add a weight on top of your fermenting foods so they stay below the brine. I use glass fermentation weights made specifically for that purpose. I know some folks get creative and use rocks or other clean/sterile items.
How much salt do I need for this recipe?
Cucumbers prefer a 3.5% brine in order to ferment properly, which is about two tablespoon of salt in one quart of water. If you are a fermentation nerd like me, a 3.5% brine is exactly 33 grams of salt in a quart of water. I use a food scale like THIS to measure my salt. But don’t worry, if you don’t have a scale, one tablespoons of salt in one quart of water is close enough.
How long do fermented cucumbers take?
There are many factors that affect the rate at which foods ferment, including temperature. The ideal temperature for vegetables ferments is 68′ to 72′ F. Homemade pickles will ferment slower in cooler weather and faster in warmer weather.
The other factor to consider is personal taste. Fermented cucumbers will get zestier as they ferment. I check them after about 48 hours to see how they taste. Mine take anywhere from 2 and 1/2 days to 4 days to be perfect, depending on the time of year and what type of cucumbers I use.
Tricks for getting crunchy pickles:
Fresh…freshly-picked cucumbers are ideal. If you grow them yourself, make them the day you pick them. If you are buying them, try to get them from a local farmer’s market so they are as fresh as possible. At your local grocery store, look for local, firm cucumbers.
Pickling cucumbers… yield the crunchiest pickles that I have made, but i don’t always have access to them. I usually use regular old cucumber because that’s what I have.
Cold… soak cucumbers in an ice water bath for a couple hours. Submerging cucumbers in an icy bowl of water in the fridge will help them firm up/stay firm.
Trim the end… Cut off the blossom end of cucumber- the opposite end of where it was attached to the vine. The blossom-end of a cucumber is said to contain enzymes which can cause mushy pickles.
Want to know more about fermented foods?
9 Tips for Successful Fermentation
85 Ways to Eat More Fermented Foods
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Easy Fermented Cucumbers (Homemade Pickles)
Description
Make your own zesty fermented cucumbers (homemade pickles) with just a few simple steps. A quick and easy way to get more fermented foods into your diet.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp sea salt
- 1 quart of filtered water (chlorine free)
- 3 large cucumbers
OPTIONAL ADD INS
- 1/2 onion, sliced into thin rounds
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped or 1/2 tsp dried dill
- 2–3 peeled and smashed cloves of garlic
- one bay leaf
- 4–5 black peppercorns
- 2–3 small hot peppers
Instructions
- Make a brine with 2 tablespoons salt and one quart of good quality water.
- Cut cucumbers into 1/2 inch slices (if you slice them too thin, they may get soggy.)
- Place cucumbers and any optional add ins that you desire into a 1/2 gallon mason jar.
- Pour brine over top to cover cucumbers. Add a weight to keep the sliced cucumbers under the brine.
- Place an airlock lid onto mason jar, wrap jar with kitchen towel to block out light, and place on kitchen counter for 2-5 days (depending on your taste preference) then refrigerate. **
- ENJOY!!!
Notes
I prefer to use airlock lids for fermentation to ensure that the fermentation remains anaerobic (no air gets in and no mold spores or other airborne microbes get in.) But if you do not have one, you can place any mason jar lid on it lightly (meaning don’t screw it on completely) so that air bubbles can escape as the pickles ferment.
You’ll want to add a weight on top of your cucumbers so they stay below the brine. I use glass fermentation weights made specifically for that purpose. I know some folks get creative and use rocks or other clean/sterile items.
Fermentation is affected my many factors, including temperature. These fermented cucumbers can take anywhere from 2-5 days to be perfectly sour, depending on the time of year and temperature. I would taste them after 48 hours and go from there. Everyone has a different taste preference.
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I have never tried fermenting foods on my own but want to introduce more of this into our diet. 3 q’s – what exactly does loosely covered mean ie not a lif screwed tightly on just covering the opening so nothing falls in? Once refrigerated, how long will they be good for? I buy organic sauerkraut – does this count as fermented veg? Thank you!!
By loosely covered I mean that I place the lid on without screwing it on. You don’t want anything to fall into it but you don’t want a tight seal as fermentation creates bubbles and could explode from pressure. Once refrigerated, my pickles have lasted up to 3 months. They may go longer but we always eat them up before that. As far as organic kraut goes, as long as it is “raw” it still contains live bacteria. If it has been heat treated to can or jar it, the beneficial organism are no longer living. Hope that helps. Making your own pickles is a good intro to making your own fermented foods. I’d love to hear how it goes.
Hi-
Do you recommend any special type of cooking pots for making bone broth?
Size, brand?
Thank you~
You will want to use a large pot as it’s good to make a large batch of broth since it takes so long to make it. Freeze what you do not use right away. I make mine in a crock pot. I use a Hamilton Beach because it is a brand that is definitely lead free. The safest cookware to use is enamel coated cast iron or steel. Le Creuset is the best but expensive. Check out this post on cookware—-> http://butterbeliever.com/guide-for-choosing-healthy-safe-cookware/
I will be making this for the first time and do not have the 2-3 T. of fermented juice. What should I do?
No worries. Just use plain old unrefined sea salt. It will work just fine. 🙂
I’ve never had fermented foods of any kind, but had read a lot about how good they are for you. So, this was my first attempt. I made them last Friday and enjoyed a huge helping with dinner tonight (Monday.) They are SO delicious! I absolutely love them and will definitely make them over and over this summer with our organic cucumbers from the garden. Thanks for posting this! I’m off to explore your site and see what other goodies you have to offer.
April-
Yay! Isn’t it fun to make your own ferments? Once you get the hang of it, you are going to want to make more recipes. Have fun! Thanks for coming by!
I have been making pickles for a week. had some juice left over so I put it in a small jar and threw some cukes it there. totally forgot about it. its been sitting out for about 5 days. opened it, just in time . there was very active bubbling and this white foam on top. are these safe to eat? have never fermented anything and guess I stumbled on it by accident but after reading about how good it is for you id like to try.
It’s hard to say without seeing them. Fermented foods will have a bit of bubbly activity. Totally normal. White dry residue is not. Just smell it. Or taste just a titch. Your mouth should tell you if it is spoiled or not. Also, if it is slimy, throw it out. If in doubt, throw it out. But keep trying. Your belly will thank you!
I made these pickles two days ago and I tried one tonight and it’s really salty. I was wondering about how large your glass jar was and how much filtered water should I use?
I use a 1/2 gallon mason jar and I fill it up almost to the top with water, so all of the cucumbers are covered.
Great, thanks! After the 3 days, I tried the pickles and they had a little crisp to them. Once I refrigerated them, they turned mushy. Is that normal?
Hi, there! My pickles have never gotten mushy. They tend to be crisp. I wonder if it either fermented too much OR there was some other bacteria introduced into the jar? Did you use a very clean jar?
Put fresh grape leaves or horseradish leaves in with the cucumbers. The tannin in the grapes leaves prevent the cell walls from breaking down and the cucumber will stay crisp.
Thank you for that tip!! 🙂
A tea bag works for more tannen. I use a green tea with Jasmine.
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I’ve heard that but have yet to try it. Thank you.
Hi!
I made these on Friday night it is now Sunday night. It is my first time fermenting. The water is cloudy, there is lots of fizz and when I tried one it was very salty and sour, but not like pickles.
Did I do something wrong??
Thanks for your time!
Hi, Julie! The water should not be cloudy. It should be clear. I am wondering if your jar was not clean? Maybe got something else growing in it. I clean my jars very well. Fermentation is a learning experience. And sometimes my batches just don’t turn out and I never figure out why. Here’s some more recipes—> https://www.savorylotus.com/85-ways-eat-fermented-foods/
Mine are usually cloudy if I have to use regular salt (non-iodized.) Many people consider cloudiness to be a good sign of fermentation.
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jars should be clean but sterilization is not necessary, consider that your veggi that’s being fermented is not sterilized either, so bacteria will get introduced there also
Fermented vegetables DO get cloudy liquid. If not the veggies have not fermented and will simply taste salty instead of tangy. I’m sorry but a few days is not enough time to properly ferment vegetables where they produce healthy probiotics and actually taste good.
Hi, there! There are some ferments that are ready quickly. Fermented cucumbers and fermented shredded carrots do ferment enough in just a few days. This is a time-honored way of preparing these foods.
Thanks for sharing this. Mine turned out very good but was too salty. We try to eat low salt for health reasons. After making this I read the book Fresh and Fermented. They say to make your brine by using 1cup filtered water and 1 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt. I wonder if you meant the salt amount here to be 2 1/2 teaspoons? That is what I will try with my next batch.
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Can you replace dill with something else?
You can just leave it out. Or maybe try caraway.
i made a larger jar of fermented radishes and cucumbers. It was excellent. We have eaten most of them. May I add more veggies to the jar?
I always start over. I have not tried using the same brine again.
Love these! Delicious, nutritious, and SO EASY to prepare. Just make sure to put some sort of weight on top of the water to keep cucs below the water line. I ferment regularly but still haven’t bothered to buy a special fermenting weight; I just follow a tip I read somewhere to simply fill a small ziploc bag partway full, close it, n gently set it on top of water. This pushes solids down so they won’t mold, yet it’s ligjt enough for fermentation bubbles to escape around it. I try to avoid plastic in my life, but have yet to find some flat stones of a good size to boil and then use instead. Enjoy!
Marbles are a good thing to use. It is a bad day when you loose your marbles because then you can’t make pickles 🙂
Is the dill optional? Can you make it without dill?
Yes, totally optional.
When soaking cucumbers in ice water in the refrigerator, do soak them whole or sliced?
You soak them whole.
I made these the other day and they are awesome!! I’ve been sipping the pickle juice…love the flavor and health benefits!!
We like sipping the pickle juice too. 🙂
How long do they keto in fridge after fermentation?
It is said that fermented foods can last up to a year in the fridge. We eat our up in a month or 2.
Will leaving it at 77-86° be safe for fermenting still? I live in a tropical country and it’s almost always really hot and humid here
The ideal temperature for fermenting is between 55-75 degrees Fahrenheit. Aiming for 65 deg F with a temperature fluctuation of no more than 5 degrees in either direction ensure a nice even fermentation. At the lower temperatures, the fermentation process becomes slower, and the retains retains more of a crunch. Here’s some info on fermenting in hot weather —> https://www.fermentedfoodlab.com/tips-for-fermenting-in-hot-weather/ Hope that helps.
Dear Kajta,
I would like to ask , after 3 or 4 days of salt fermentation, can I add vinegar into the bottle and let it continue ferment for couple of days . What do you think? Can I add vinegar and sugar together ? So it will taste sour and sweet and salty .
Cause I really like the sour taste . Pls advice
I have never added vinegar to my ferments. You can read more about it here —-> https://homekitchentalk.com/does-vinegar-stop-fermentation/ Hope that helps. 🙂
I just tried the recipe. Thank you, thank you! I miss eating pickles, and for that matter, anything with loads of vinegar. Today is day two. I tested one of my jars, and I am completely satisfied ?.
hi use your fermentation for pickles love them have a batch going now i did not have any peppers so put some jarred store bought one in the batch not a lot was wondering if my batch will still ferment thanks
Hello. Sorry for the late response. I have been moving across the country with my family so working has been hard. It wasn’t clear what type of peppers you put in. Jarred hot peppers?
I have Himalayan sea salt, regular salt and Kosher salt…which will work best?
I use real salt by Redmond, which is a sea salt. Himalayan salt is rich in minerals so would also work. I know folks use kosher salt as well. I wouldn’t use regular table salt.
DO YOU RECOMMEND TO USE VINEGAR?
No, I do not.
Once you refrigerate, does it matter if the pickles float to the top? Just want to make sure they won’t go bad haha.L
Once in fridge, that’s OK. 🙂
Middle of the road because I think I failed! I did this recipe and forgot the pickles! So I started them on Monday and forgot about them til today. They are a bit cloudy probably due to well water. They taste is wonderful! But because I left them so long I think that is why they are extremely soft!!!! I had to pull it out with a spoon or it fell apart. SO I will try again! LOL Maybe not forget them until 6 days of fermenting. They also are not very bubbly. So maybe I just did something wrong?
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