Small fresh cucumbers, each slit and packed into a jar with black peppercorns, covered in a brine of water, salt, vinegar, and sugar, then sealed tight and left for at least two weeks to cure.
The simplest and best known of pickles: small cucumbers, a salt brine, and two weeks of patience.
The small slit in each cucumber is the key to the recipe, letting the brine into the center so the cucumber cures from within instead of staying salty only at the skin. And the source gives the golden rule of the brine: one tablespoon of salt for every cup of water, so the amount grows and shrinks with the size of the jar.
Wash and dry the cucumbers, then cut a slit in each one with a knife so the brine reaches its center.
Arrange the cucumbers in the jar and scatter the black peppercorns among them.
Mix the water with the salt, sugar, and vinegar, and pour the mixture over the cucumbers until the liquid covers them completely.
Close the jar tightly and leave it for at least two weeks until it cures and is ready to eat.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar, while the glycemic load (GL) measures how much a full serving raises it. Together they give the complete picture.
A low value (≤55) means a gradual rise in blood sugar — the most suitable range for diabetes and insulin resistance.
Glycemic load reflects the impact of the full serving. To lower it: take half a serving, or pair the recipe with a source of protein and fiber.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet per FDA food-label reference values — your daily needs may be higher or lower. Values are derived from the recipe's ingredients via the USDA database.
The most common problems when preparing Pickled Cucumbers, and how to fix them:
Light cloudiness is normal in home pickling. Thick cloudiness with a bad smell, though, is a sign of contamination: discard the batch and start with a sterilized jar.
The cucumbers were large or wilted, or the pickling ran long in a warm spot. Choose small, firm, fresh cucumbers, and keep the jar somewhere cool once it has cured.
A surface yeast that forms when a cucumber floats above the brine or too much air gets in. Skim the film off at once, and make sure the liquid covers every cucumber and the seal is tight.
The source's ratio is one tablespoon per cup of water; more salt than that makes them sharper. Rinse the cucumbers in cold water before serving to soften the saltiness.
In a spot of moderate temperature away from the sun, for at least two weeks as the source specifies, and the jar is not opened during that time.
Move the jar to the refrigerator so curing stops where it is and the cucumbers stay crisp for weeks.
Use a clean, dry spoon every time you take some, reseal the lid, and the pickles keep in the refrigerator for about a month.
A bad smell, visible mold, or a bulging lid: throw the whole batch out without tasting.
| Original Ingredient | Tested Substitute | Ratio | Flavor Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea salt | Coarse non-iodized salt | Same amount | Iodized salt can change the color of the brine and cloud it; coarse non-iodized salt is the more reliable pickling choice. |
| Vinegar | Apple cider vinegar | 120 ml | Similar acidity with a light fruity note that shows in the pickles. |
| Whole black peppercorns | Black peppercorns with garlic cloves and dill | 5 peppercorns with 2 cloves and 2 sprigs | The classic pickling aromatics for anyone who likes a more fragrant pickle; they are not in the source's ingredients. |
| Sugar | Leaving it out | Omit | The source's tablespoon softens the edge of the salt and vinegar; leaving it out is fine and the difference in balance is slight. |
| Servings | Cucumbers | Water | Sea salt | Vinegar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 servings (half batch) | 500 g | 480 ml (2 cups) | 36 g (2 tablespoons) | 60 ml |
| 8 servings (base recipe) | 1000 g | 960 ml (4 cups) | 72 g (4 tablespoons) | 120 ml |
| 16 servings (double, two jars) | 2000 g | 1920 ml (8 cups) | 144 g (8 tablespoons) | 240 ml |
A clean jar is the whole of pickling: wash it in hot water and dry it completely before packing, because any leftover washing water or clinging oil clouds the brine and ruins the batch. And keep the cucumbers fully submerged; a cucumber floating above the liquid is the first thing to spoil.
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