Best East Side New York Half Sour Pickles Recipes

HALF-SOUR PICKLES (QUICK, SMALL-BATCH)

Steps:

• Gently scrub the cucumbers under running water to remove dirt and any particularly prominent spines on the nubs. Drain. Trim a thin slice from the blossom end and pack the cukes into a one-quart non-reactive container, such as glass or food-grade plastic. You may cut then into halves, slices, or spears if desired.
• Stir the salt and water until the salt dissolves. Add the aromatic/seasoning ingredients to the container with the cucumbers. Put the container on a plate to contain any possible dripping once fermentation begins.
• Pour in enough brine to cover the cucumbers. Push a sandwich-sized Ziploc bag into the container's aperture, fill it with the remaining brine, and seal the bag. The brine-filled bag serves to weigh down the pickles so they remain submerged and seals off the top of the jar while still allowing bubbles to escape. It is filled with brine instead of water, so any possible leakage will not dilute your solution. Cover with cheesecloth and secure it with a rubber band to keep out fruit flies or other flying little beasties you may discover are drawn to this stuff.
• After a few days, the brine may begin giving off tiny bubbles. Keep an eye on it and skim off any white foam that rises to the surface, giving the bag a rinse if necessary. The cucumbers will begin turning darker and to taste, well, brined after just two days. Let them go for a week and they should turn olive green throughout. Remove the bag, skim any new foam, close container fast, and put in the fridge.

NEW YORK STYLE DELI PICKLES

Steps:

• Layer the cucumbers and dill heads with garlic.
• Pour the remaining ingredients over all and cover with cold, fresh water, filtered if you can.
• Cover with cheesecloth.
• Weigh down the pickles with a plate and jar of water. Cover with a clean tea towel.
• Check after 72 hours, remove any scum that may have formed and wash cheesecloth, plate and jar of water and replace them.
• Check after another 72 hours and see if they are done enough for you. If so, pack into sterile jars and cover with the brine.
• Store in the refrigerator to slow the fermentation process.
• I make these in a big dough bucket and pack into gallon jars and some plastic containers to give as gifts.