How to Pickle Cucumbers

How to Make Pickles

Slice your cucumbers as desired.
Whisk together a basic brine made of water, vinegar and seasonings.
Pack the cucumbers into a jar, add some dill and garlic, and pour the brine over it all.
Refrigerate until the pickles taste sufficiently “pickled!”

How long does it take for a cucumber to turn into a pickle?
Which vinegar is best for pickling?
Why do you soak cucumbers in ice water before pickling?
Can you just eat pickling cucumbers?
Do you have to boil vinegar for pickling?
Are pickles healthier than cucumbers?
What is the ratio of water to vinegar for pickles?
Do you need sugar for pickling?
Can you pickle with just vinegar?
How do you keep cucumbers crisp when pickling?
Do cucumbers shrink when you pickle them?
Why are my homemade pickles mushy?

How long does it take for a cucumber to turn into a pickle?

To make refrigerator dill pickles, mix sliced cucumbers with vinegar, salt, sugar, dill, garlic and onion. Put them in a jar with a tight lid. Shake the jar a couple of times a day for five days. The pickles will be ready to eat in five days to one week.

Which vinegar is best for pickling?

Most pickle recipes call for distilled white vinegar. This is the clear, colorless vinegar made by fermenting grains. It has a mellow aroma, tart acid flavor and does not affect the color of the light-colored vegetables or fruits.

Why do you soak cucumbers in ice water before pickling?

For a quick and easy way to help ensure crisp pickles: soak cucumbers in ice water for 4 to 5 hours before pickling. This is a safer method for making crisp pickles. Using lime, or calcium hydroxide, in solution for soaking cucumbers changes the amount of acid in the cucumber tissue.

Can you just eat pickling cucumbers?

Kirby (or Pickling) Cucumbers: Short, oftentimes bumpy, these vary in color from yellow to dark green. They are good to eat raw, but they're especially ideal for pickling. Persian Cucumbers: Similar to English Cucumbers, these are mild in taste. Sometimes bumpy, and with thin skins, they are ideal for eating raw.

Do you have to boil vinegar for pickling?

It involves pickling without boiling, instead requiring a no cook method of heating water and vinegar and adding it to a jar. Complete the recipe with some spices, and the cucumber slices are ready to marinate!

Are pickles healthier than cucumbers?

Even though pickles are made from cucumber, they differ slightly from raw cucumber with respect to their nutrient content. Pickles generally offer more vitamins and fiber than cucumber but also contain sugar or sodium that lowers their nutritional value.

What is the ratio of water to vinegar for pickles?

A general rule is 2/3 vinegar to 1/3 water when making brine. This ratio will result in an acidic enough base for whatever vegetable you choose to pickle. Other recipes may have a lighter vinegar brine but you must follow the exact recipe when using those or risk spoilage.

Do you need sugar for pickling?

"Pickles are about vinegar and salt, not sweetness," says Perry. Yes, you should have some sugar, but be wary of recipes that call for more than a ¼ cup of sugar. ... Some vegetables, like crunchy carrots and okra, should be boiled a little before pickling.

Can you pickle with just vinegar?

Any basic vinegar is game — white vinegar, apple cider, white wine, and rice vinegar all work well. You can use these vinegars alone or in combination. Steer clear of aged or concentrated vinegars like balsamic or malt vinegar for pickling.

How do you keep cucumbers crisp when pickling?

For whole pickles, pack the cucumbers snugly into the jars, starting with the larger ones and filling in gaps with smaller ones. (Cucumbers shrink a little during processing, so pack tightly.) For spears, cut into quarters lengthwise, then press back together before packing into jars to maintain crispness.

Do cucumbers shrink when you pickle them?

When cucumbers are placed in a vinegar/salt brine, they often shrink as the juices in the cucumbers are pulled out into the solution, but they generally plump up again as the cucumbers reabsorb the brine. ... The enzymes in that end of the cucumbers will soften the pickles while they are in the jars.

Why are my homemade pickles mushy?

It may be a normal reaction during fermentation caused by bacteria. If the pickles are soft, they are spoiled from the yeast fermentation. Don't use them. Using too weak a salt brine or vinegar solution may cause soft or slippery pickles, as can using moldy garlic or storing the pickles at too warm a temperature.