SOUR PICKLES

Sour Pickles image

Provided by Cathy Barrow

Time 20m

Yield 1 to 2 quarts

Number Of Ingredients 6

Ingredients

2 pounds freshly picked firm, unwaxed, bumpy pickling cucumbers, often called Kirby
2 cloves spring garlic, sliced thin (optional)
1 dill flower, or 5 sprigs fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dill seed (optional)
1/2 teaspoon coriander seed (optional)
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and slivered (optional)
2 tablespoons salt

Steps:

Soak cucumbers for 30 minutes in a bowl filled with ice water to loosen any dirt. Slice the blossom end off each cucumber, which is opposite the stem end. If you aren't sure which end is which, slice a little off each. Cut cucumbers into spears or chunks, if desired.
Pack cucumbers into one or two clean quart jars. Tuck in garlic, dill, coriander and jalapeño, if using.
Add salt to two cups boiling water. Stir until dissolved. Add two cups of ice (made with filtered water if yours is chlorinated). Stir well until the ice has melted and the brine is cool. Pour brine into jars, covering cucumbers.
Loosely cap jars and place in a bowl or pan because the jars may leak during fermentation.
Leave pickles on the counter to ferment. The brine will bubble lazily and become cloudy. Taste after 3 days, leaving on the counter another day or two if you want your pickles more sour, or refrigerating if they're ready. They keep a month in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 14, UnsaturatedFat 0 grams, Carbohydrate 3 grams, Fat 0 grams, Fiber 0 grams, Protein 1 gram, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Sodium 211 milligrams, Sugar 2 grams