Naturally Fermented Dill Pickles

Nearly all store brand pickles are created with vinegar as the base as it guarantees a sour flavor and acts as a preservative. However, using vinegar instead of brine prevents natural fermentation from occurring. The live bacteria cultures that will grow, that turn pickles into a healthy probiotic food, are missing. Also, pickles that soak in vinegar for a long time are usually too sour and end up rather limp.

There are brands of naturally fermented pickles to be found in stores, although they can be expensive. Making naturally fermented pickles at home is pretty easy to do and is more fun than you might think. They will crunch, have an earthy tang, will be infused with garlic and dill and taste fresher than a factory made pickle.

Start with this easy recipe first but then be prepared to play with flavors and switching up veggies on the next bottles, any herb, spice and vegetable is fair game.

This recipe is for one 16 ounce jar and can easily be doubled. 

6-8 small (3-4 inches long) un-waxed cucumbers. Look for pickling or “Kirby” cucumbers which are an ideal size. 

1 1/2 cups filtered water

2 tablespoons sea salt (or other non-additive salt)

4-8 sprigs of fresh dill

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and cut in half a

1 wide-mouth 16-ounce glass canning jar (sterilized in boiling water and air-dried)

Optional seasonings: red pepper flakes, hot chiles, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, celery leaves, bay leaves, fresh herbs, onion, cinnamon stick, cloves

Combine salt and water and let sit until salt dissolves

After washing the cucumbers, cut the tips off on both ends. Leaving the cucumbers whole, cutting them in half, spears, or coins is a matter of personal preference. I like coins best but will try long thin slices for sandwiches next time.

Tightly pack the the jar. Layering in the garlic and dill. The cucumbers will shrink a little during the pickling process.

Pour the salt water into the jar. It should completely cover the cucumbers.

Set the lid loosely on top of the jar, don’t seal it. Let the jar sit undisturbed at room temperature. You’ll know fermentation has begun when you see bubbles rising to the top of the jar and the water becomes cloudy. A thin layer of white scum may form on the surface of the water. This is harmless and can be scooped away with a clean spoon. 

It will take between 4 to 8 days before the pickles are done. Taste the pickles to check for texture and flavor. Once you’ve decided they’re done, tighten the lid and store the pickles in the refrigerator. Store for up to 2 months in the refrigerator, skimming as needed. If the pickles should become soft or begin to take on an off odor, this is a sign of spoilage and they should be discarded.

If the flavor of the pickles is not vinegary enough for you, try drizzling a little vinegar on the spears right before eating.

Susie Cuke's Pickles

Think of the dishes and sweets and specialties that are unique to your family. Have you ever created that dish using a recipe that's been passed down over the generations?  Have you ever considered recreating it every day to sell? That's just what Mike Gzyl and his father do. Every day, after work, they create Bread & Butter and Garlic Dill pickles and relishes.

They use old-world recipes from Poland that have been tweaked for the modern palate and canning techniques; recipes that have been passed down through their family for four generations.

Susie Cuke's Pickles makes both pickles and relish, and perhaps with the success of these two more pickled products will follow? I sure hope so!

The Bread & Butter were very sweet. Sweeter than store bought, but not excessively cloying or artificially sweet. 

The Garlic Dill are thick slabs of bitter saltiness. Both varieties have a nice bite that falls somewhere between crunchiness and softness.

Draudt's Farm Market & Greenhouse, another multi-generational business, currently supplies the cucumbers.

They are available for purchase from 8 am to 1pm at both the Elmwood-Bidwell and Hamburg Farmer's Markets every Saturday until the end of the season. There is a possibility for growth into a year round product, a secondary supplier for fall and winter is being looked into.

I sampled mine right out of the jar at first. The juice is so nice. I'm already coming up with some ideas of adding it to an ice-cold Japanese pickled fish dish when we work through all of the garlic and pickles. 

Then I created toast points slathered with fromage blanc, slow braised beef rib meat and finely chopped pickles. Made my eyes cross it was so good!

I encourage you to pick up a handful of jars while they are still available!