How to Make Brine Pickles

Brine pickles take approximately 6 weeks to make from start to finish.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Glass Jars
• Distilled Water

Day 1

1. Wash cucumbers. Use only fresh, slightly immature cucumbers.
2. Weigh the cucumbers and make a note of number of pounds.
3. Place in large, clean crock or glass jar.
4. Cover with a 10% brine solution: 1 cup salt in 2 quarts water.
5. Weight the cucumbers down, keeping them submerged in the brine. Use a plate with a water-filled jar on top as a weight.
6. Store crock of cucumbers in a cool, dark place.

Day 2

7. Add salt - 1 cup to every 5 pounds of cucumbers in crock.
8. Place salt on plate and not directly on pickles.

Weekly

9. Remove scum from top of brine.
10. Each week add 1/4 cup salt to each 5 pounds of cucumbers.
11. After 4 weeks, cut a cucumber in half; if it is the same color throughout, fermentation is complete.

De-salt Cured Cucumbers

12. Soak cucumbers in hot water 4 hours and rinse.
13. Repeat above step 3 times.
14. Prick cucumbers with stainless steel fork to prevent shriveling.
15. Mix a weak vinegar solution: 1 part water to 3 parts cider vinegar.
16. Let cucumbers sit in above solution for 12 hours.
17. Place the de-salted cucumbers in your favorite pickling solution.

Tips & Warnings

• Any slimy, soft or foul-smelling cucumbers should not be used.