Homemade Pickles

Homemade Pickles

Ingredients

• Fresh Kirby cucumbers (or other dense cucumber with thin skin. Avoid salad cucumbers or waxed cucumbers)
• 2 cups pure water (non-chlorinated. If your tap is chlorinated, leave to sit on the counter uncovered overnight and the cholrine will dissipate. Bottled water also works)
• 1 tablespoon Kosher salt (or fine sea salt. Do not use iodized salts)
• Fresh garlic (optional)
• Fresh dill (optional)
• Experiment with other spices and veggies like onion, coriander, and jalapeno!

Directions

• In a separate bowl mix together water and salt (about 1 tablespoon for every 2 cups of water) until the salt is dissolved. Make as much brine as you think you are going to need (It's perfectly okay to make too much).
• Cut the cucumbers into desired shape and size and pack them into sanitized glass jars with the other vegetables and spices if you are including any (un-flavored pickles are delicious, too!)
• Fill the jar with the water and salt solution, making sure the cucumbers are completely submerged. Cap the jars with their lids and let sit out.
• You should eventually start to notice rising, and maybe a little froth. After 3 days, taste a pickle. It should be about half-sour. If you'd prefer a full-sour, let the jar sit for another two days.
• The jar should remain room temperature for a maximum of five days to preserve the pickle's texture. After five days, or whenever the pickle reaches the right flavor (whichever is sooner) skim the froth off the top of the brine (if there is any froth) then place the jar in the fridge to stop the fermentation process.
• The pickles last about 6 months in the fridge.
• Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Primally Inspired