Classic lacto-fermented dill pickles
4
Units:
Prep: 15 min
Cucumbers & aromatics
- 1 lb pickling cucumbers (Kirby), blossom ends trimmed
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 tsp dill seed or 1 fresh dill head
- ½ tsp whole black peppercorns
- grape, oak, or horseradish leaf (optional, keeps crunch)
Brine
- 2 cup non-chlorinated water
- 1 tbsp fine non-iodized salt
Probiotic-rich sour pickles fermented in a simple salt brine — no vinegar, no canning. Lactobacillus bacteria on the cucumbers convert sugars into lactic acid, producing a deeply tangy pickle with live cultures.
Instructions
- Prep cucumbers: Wash cucumbers. Trim 1/8 inch off the blossom end (the end opposite the stem) — it contains enzymes that soften pickles.
- Pack jar: Pack cucumbers tightly into a clean quart jar along with garlic cloves, dill seed (or a fresh dill head), peppercorns, and a grape or oak leaf.
- Make brine: Dissolve salt in non-chlorinated water until fully clear.
- Pour and submerge: Pour the brine over the cucumbers until completely covered.
- Weigh down: Place a fermentation weight or a small water-filled jar on top to keep everything under the brine.
- Ferment: Cover loosely (airlock lid or cloth). Keep at room temperature 3-7 days, tasting from day 3 onward.
- Refrigerate: Cap tightly and refrigerate once they reach your preferred sourness.
Tips
- Use pickling cucumbers (Kirby), not slicing cucumbers — slicers go soft.
- Grape leaves, oak leaves, or horseradish leaves contain tannins that preserve crunch.
- A tbsp of whey from strained yogurt can kick-start fermentation but is not required.
- Keeps several months refrigerated; flavor continues to deepen.
Created: 3/23/2026, 2:42:11 AM diyfreetraditional
Quart glass jar, fermentation weight or small water-filled jar, airlock lid or cloth