Garlic Pickle Slices

This recipe focuses on creating flavorful garlic pickles, with the option to add additional ingredients like dill, dried hot peppers, or curry for a personalized touch. The cucumbers can be sliced crosswise for rounds or lengthwise for spears, depending on the preferred jar shape. Spears should be uniform in length to fit tightly in the jar. The result is a deliciously tangy and crispy pickle that can be enjoyed on its own or used as a versatile ingredient in various dishes.

Yield: About 2 quarts
(fermentation vessel: 2 quarts)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1¾ cups cucumber slices, about ½ inch thick
• 1 medium onion, sliced lengthwise into eighths
• 2 heads garlic, cloves separated and halved
• 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• ½ gallon Cucumber Brine (6 tablespoons unrefined sea salt to ½ gallon unchlorinated water)
• A few grape leaves (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Toss the cucumber slices together with the onion, garlic, peppercorns, and mustard seeds.
2. Put the mixture into a ½-gallon jar or crock, ensuring the cucumbers are wedged tightly to stay in place.
3. Pour enough Cucumber Brine over the vegetables to fully cover them. If using grape leaves, tuck a few over the top to help keep everything submerged. Alternatively, use plastic wrap if grape leaves are not available.
4. Store any leftover brine in the refrigerator for future use.
5. For a crock, place a plate that fits the opening of the container on top of the leaves and covers as much of the vegetables as possible. Weight it down with a sealed water-filled jar.
6. For a jar, use a sealed water-filled jar or a ziplock bag as a combination follower and weight.
7. Set aside the jar or crock on a baking sheet in a cool place, out of direct sunlight, for 4 to 7 days to ferment. Check daily to ensure the cucumber slices remain submerged in the brine, pressing down as needed to bring the brine back to the surface and remove any scum that develops.
8. You can start testing the pickles on day 4. The taste should resemble a mild half-sour initially and develop into a full-sour as fermentation progresses. The pickles are done when you’re satisfied with the flavor.
9. Transfer the pickles to jars with tightly tightened lids and store them in the refrigerator. They can be kept refrigerated for up to 6 months.

TROUBLESHOOTING CUCUMBER PICKLES:

• Hollow: Occurs when cucumbers are too big or there is a long delay between harvest and brining. Safe to eat.
• Shriveled: Caused by excessive water evaporation during the osmosis process. Can happen if the brine is too salty or if the cucumbers are too old. Safe to eat, but can be made into a relish.
• Mushy or slimy: Indicates that the brine didn’t have enough salt or the fermentation temperature was too high. Other possibilities include cucumbers coming above the brine level or not scrubbing off the blossom ends. Discard.
• Discolored: Can result from using hard water or certain spices and vegetables. Changes caused by hard water or spices are safe. Discoloration from vegetables is harmless.

FERMENTISTA’S TIP:

• Bite-Size Pickles: When faced with an abundance of small lemon cucumbers, trim off the stems and scrub off the blossom ends. Use the seasonings from the New York Deli–Style Pickles recipe (page 168) or experiment with your favorite pickling spices.