Homemade Fermented Pickles
Crunchy, tangy and naturally fermented, these homemade pickles are packed with garlic, fresh dill and spices. They're simple to make and develop their sour flavour naturally as they ferment in a saltwater brine. This recipe was inspired by a recent trip to Haida Gwaii. Our neighbour Dan makes all kinds of fabulous homestead foods, and his fermented pickles have become a favourite. We knew we had to make a batch of our own. A big thank you to Dan for this recipe!
Prep time
30 min
Cook time
No cook
Serves
Ingredients
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For the Brine
- 1 tbspHimalayan sea salt per 1 litre non-iodized water
For Each 2 L Jar
- Pickling cucumbers, enough to tightly fill the jar
- 3–4garlic cloves, peeled
- 2–3 sprigsfresh dill
- 1 tspcoriander seeds
- 1 tspwhite peppercorns
- ½ tspmustard seeds
- About 1 tspchili flakes, or to taste
Ingredients
For the Brine
- 1 tbspHimalayan sea salt per 1 litre non-iodized water
For Each 2 L Jar
- Pickling cucumbers, enough to tightly fill the jar
- 3–4garlic cloves, peeled
- 2–3 sprigsfresh dill
- 1 tspcoriander seeds
- 1 tspwhite peppercorns
- ½ tspmustard seeds
- About 1 tspchili flakes, or to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Cucumbers
- 1
Gently scrub the cucumbers under cool water using a soft vegetable brush. Clean them well without peeling or damaging the skin.
- 2
Cut a small amount from the blossom end of each cucumber. Removing the blossom end can help the pickles stay crisp during fermentation.
Pack the Jars
- 1
Place the garlic, fresh dill, coriander seeds, white peppercorns, mustard seeds and chili flakes into the bottom of a clean 2 L jar.
- 2
Pack the cucumbers relatively tightly into the jar. Fit in as many as you reasonably can without crushing them, while leaving enough room for the cucumbers to remain completely submerged beneath the brine.
Make and Add the Brine
- 1
Dissolve 1 tablespoon Himalayan sea salt in every 1 litre of non-iodized water needed. Stir until the salt has completely dissolved.
- 2
Pour the prepared brine over the cucumbers until they are completely covered.
Set Up for Fermentation
- 1
Place a clean glass fermentation weight over the cucumbers to keep everything underneath the surface of the brine.
- 2
Secure the jar with a fermentation lid and insert a silicone fermentation airlock.
- 3
Place the jar in a cool, dark location, ideally around 18–22°C (64–72°F).
Ferment and Refrigerate
- 1
Check the pickles daily during the first several days to make sure the cucumbers remain completely submerged beneath the brine.
- 2
Ferment for approximately 18–22 days depending on room temperature and your preferred flavour. Around 18 days gives a crisper pickle with a milder fermented flavour; around 22 days produces a deeper, tangier, more sour result.
- 3
As the pickles approach your preferred fermentation time, begin tasting them. Once they've reached the flavour and texture you like, remove the fermentation airlock, cover the jar, and transfer the pickles to the refrigerator.
Melissa's Notes
**Always use non-iodized salt** — iodized salt can interfere with fermentation.
**Keep cucumbers fully submerged** throughout fermentation. A glass fermentation weight helps keep everything securely below the brine. Check the jars daily during the first few days.
**Keep jars away from direct sunlight** and ferment at approximately 18–22°C (64–72°F) for best results. Once refrigerated, fermentation will slow considerably.
**For an extra-crisp pickle:** You can add approximately 4 grams of calcium chloride per litre of brine. It helps the cucumbers retain a firmer texture during fermentation, but is completely optional.
**A note on fermentation:** Some bubbling, cloudiness in the brine, and a pleasantly sour aroma are normal. If you notice obvious fuzzy or colourful mould, a rotten or unpleasant smell, or other clear signs of spoilage, discard the batch rather than tasting it.
*A big thank you to Dan on Haida Gwaii for the inspiration behind this recipe!*
Nutrition Information
Per 2 tbsp
Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary depending on the ingredients and brands used.
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