Half-Sour Fermented Pickles

My dream has always been to create a homegrown version of a NYC-style half-sour pickle. This recipe stems from a Food.com recipe, "Half-Sour Pickles (Quick, Small-Batch)". After years of pickling, I've tweaked this recipe to relative perfection. The basic changes I've made from the original recipe include adding tannin-rich leaves to the brine, as well as how I pack the cucumbers and the length of time I let them ferment.

This recipe results in a crispy fermented half-sour pickle that many of my friends say is one of the best pickles they've had.

Ingredients: this recipe is for one quart of pickles (I made three quarts in the pictures)

3 cups Water - distilled or filtered

2 Tbsp Salt - pickling if possible

3-4 Large Fresh Cucumbers (whole, cut in halves, or quarters...depending on space and preferences)

1-2 Dill Weed Flowerheads/Seeds OR 1 Tbsp Dill Weed - (If using store-bought, a mixture of dill seeds and leaves will work.)

1 Bay Leaf

1/2 tsp - Ground Coriander

1/2 tsp - Ground Black Pepper and/or Crushed Red Pepper (depending on preferences)

1 Grape Leaf (rinsed)

1-2 Garlic Cloves (crushed)...the more the merrier in my opinion. I really enjoy munching on the pickled garlic as well as the pickles.

1/2 tsp - Pickling Spices

Supplies

Mixing Bowl

Measuring Cup and Spoons

Wisk

Quart Mason Jars - Any size that works for you and the amount of cucumbers you are pickling. I've made these in pint and in half-gallon jars.

Cheese-cloth (optional)

Plastic Ziplock Bag (optional)

Gather your "growing" ingredients, if not store-bought.

Cucumbers: Pickling cucumbers are always best, but I've had success with English and Persian style cucumbers as well. It's best to use cucumbers that have seeds on the smaller size. I have made pickles using this recipe with cucumbers on the large size with no issues.

Dill: I like mixing dill weed flowers, seeds, and leaves into my pickle jars.

Grape Leaves: We have no shortage of grape vines in upstate NY, where I'm making these pickles. I've read that oak leaves, sour cherry leaves, blackberry leaves, bay leaves, and horseradish leaves also have tannins suitable for pickling. The tannins help the pickles stay crispy and give them that classic pickle crunch.

Prepare your cucumbers. If you are using store-bought cucumbers, attempt to get the freshest ones you can.

Wash cucumbers, removing spiky nubs and prominent spines.

Cut off the tip where the cucumbers had a blossom. The blossom end has enzymes that can soften your pickles.

Keep pickles whole or slice them (halves/quarters). You want them to fit tightly into the jar. I usually place halves, quarters, and wholes into the same jar, making them fit tightly. If you fit the cucumbers in tightly, you can skip some annoying steps later after adding the brine.

Mix the salt into the water until it dissolves.

Place all the ingredients (besides the salty water and cucumbers) in the jars. I do not actually measure the black pepper, crushed red pepper, or pickling spices. I just sprinkle in what I think looks good. The more you put in, the spicier it gets. You can also add horseradish (fresh is best), peppers, and a variety of other lovely pickle friendly foods. Feel free to experiment to make your pickles just the way you like.

Pack in your cucumbers. I place the jar on its side to pack all the cucumbers in tightly. You want them tight enough so that they do not float up to the surface of the jar once you add the brine. However, you don't want to smush the cucumbers as that will make them much softer. It's nice to have some cucumber nubbins just for this part of the pickling process, squeezing them into the jar until you've fit as many as you possibly can.

Pour the brine over the pickles, making sure no pickles float to the surface. You want the cucumbers to stay under the surface of the water to create an anaerobic environment (without oxygen). This prevents mold and aerobic bacteria from forming on the surface of the pickles.

The food.com recipe suggests using a plastic Ziplock bag, filled with water, to keep the cucumbers in this anaerobic environment. When I try this method, water spills over the side of my jars continuously as it seeps over the edge between the bag and jar.

Another method is to use the ring of the mason jar and screw it down with a piece of cheesecloth. This method makes it hard to see the surface of the brine solution. I prefer leaving my pickles open with no cover.

Place your pickles in a place where they will not be disturbed. You do not want dust, flies, or other things around when fermenting. I leave my jars out in the open in the kitchen, away from any cooking processes. This way, I can keep a close eye on them.

Every 12 hours (or less if you are up for it), check up on your cucumbers. As your pickles start to ferment, they will release bubbles that can look foamy. Remove this foam as it can attract bacterial/mold growth.

The pictures in this step show my pickles after a 24-hour soak in the brine. There were a few very tiny bubbles that formed, and I removed them with a spoon.

After 48 hours of fermenting, my pickles started creating a lot of bubbles and foam. I place them in the refrigerator anytime between 2-4 days of being in the brine.

In the pictures above, you can see the foamy bubbles that have no mold. This is healthy fermentation.

In the food.com recipe, it is suggested to leave cucumbers with a plastic bag filled with water on top of them for at least a week. I've had mold start almost every time I try this. This may be due to having an unwatchful eye, but I feel the cucumbers taste absolutely wonderful after just 2-4 days. Again, experiment and see what works best for you.

If mold does form, it's best to throw out that batch of cucumbers.

For reference, here is the original recipe from food.com: https://www.food.com/recipe/half-sour-pickles-quick-small-batch-465599

I've seen varying information on how long fermented pickles last in the fridge. Enjoy within two weeks once they are refrigerated.