Pickling Cucumbers: This Is How You Can Make Pickles And Gherkins Yourself

Pickles and pickles are a tasty and extremely healthy snack. Pickling cucumbers is easy! We show you how to pickle cucumbers.

• Cucumbers can be preserved very well.
• Vinegar ensures that bacteria don’t stand a chance and the crunchy, aromatic cucumbers last until next summer.
• You can season the cucumbers with dill, peppercorns, onions, mustard seeds, juniper, bay leaves, cumin, garlic, or chili – according to your taste.

Crunchy gherkins or aromatic pickled gherkins taste best when you pick them yourself. You can easily preserve the summer vegetables – and thus enjoy the vitamin-rich cucumbers in autumn and winter.

For pickling gherkins, use finger-sized gherkins, which are in season from July to September. In contrast to cucumbers, pickled cucumbers are significantly smaller and their surface is rougher. You can get pickles at the market, in organic shops, or well-stocked greengrocers. If you are considering growing cucumbers yourself: you do not need a green thumb for this, the green fruits are relatively undemanding.

Canning cucumbers: Classic pickles and pickled cucumbers

There are two classic methods of pickling the small cucumbers: either in a vinegar broth or as salted cucumbers. From sweet and sour to spicy and hot: You can vary the spices according to your personal preferences.

Recipe for pickles in vinegar

• 2 kg small pickling cucumbers
• 150 grams of salt
• 2 onions
• 1 bunch of dill
• tarragon
• 2 tbsp mustard seeds
• 2 tsp peppercorns
• 1 liter of white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or light balsamic vinegar
• 300 grams of sugar
• water
• approx. 10 screw-top jars

Pickle pickles – that’s how it works

1. Scrub the cucumbers under running water with a vegetable brush. Remove cucumber stalks.
2. Add the salt to a liter of water and stir until dissolved. Then put the cucumbers in the brine.
3. The cucumbers should be completely covered. Cover the bowl and leave for two to three days.
4. Boil the screw-top jars and place them upside down on a clean tea towel.
5. Drain the brine, rinse the cucumbers under running water, and pat dry with a tea towel.
6. For the spice mixture, cut the onions into fine rings. Wash the dill and tarragon and gently shake dry.
7. Boil a liter of water with vinegar and sugar.
8. Divide the spices and gherkins between the glasses and pour the hot vinegar over them. The cucumbers should be completely covered.

Seal jars immediately and store in a cool place.

After three to four weeks, the cucumbers are well drained and can be eaten.
Pickle pickles
Use the same basic recipe for flavorful salted cucumbers. Simply replace the sugar with 80 grams of salt and omit the vinegar. Salted cucumbers taste good in combination with garlic and dill. Fresh horseradish and mustard seeds are also suitable for seasoning.

Tips for pickling cucumbers

If you are willing to experiment, you can also use honey, chili, savory or garlic as spices for the broth.
The cucumbers can also be sliced ​​and then pickled.
If you want to prevent the cucumbers from getting soft during pickling, add 2 to 3 leaves of a vine or a cherry tree to the jar. These leaves contain tannins that keep the pickles crunchy.
If they are properly prepared, the cucumbers can easily be kept until the next cucumber season.
Be sure to store opened pickle jars in the fridge.
With a label you have written yourself, you can quickly turn the pickle jar into a DIY gift.