Addiction: Homemade Sweet & Sour Pickled Cucumbers

I'm an addictive person. Ehm. Not that people get addicted to me, but saying that I'm quite sensitive to addictions, that is.

One of my addictions is 'Sweet & Sour Pickled Cucumbers'. And I'm not the only addicted person: my husband can't stay away from them neither.

So the 'three weeks waiting time' that goes for the cold method of pickled cucumbers, wasn't working for us. We need pickled cucumbers and we need them fast.

If we look at a large pot filled with them, we just cannot stay away. And hiding the pot in the basement or somewhere doesn't really help. There's always one of us knowing where the pot is hiding...

We had to come up with something 'We make it now, we eat it tomorrow'-proof. And we worked out a warm method of making them. And that works! Even the next day they're already good. Of course they get better when 'resting' longer, but we're already happy. :)

Since I figured that we're probably not the only ones being somewhat impatient, I like to share our recipe. It's not higher science, so I don't give exact measures, there's really not much to do wrong as long as you got the vinegar / sugar ratio good.

Enjoy!

Sacha.

Recipe:
- cucumbers
- vinegar
- salt
- sugar
- peppercorns (or dried spanish pepper even)
- onion
- garlic (optional)
- mustard seed
- dill
- other dried herbs (or spices) to your liking (like thyme, rosemary, etc. and/or spices like clove, juniper, etc)

Wash the cucumbers and cut them in slices or fingersized pieces. Put them in a container and cover them with salt. Leave them rest to for 24 hours.

Put the cucumbers in a colander. Don't rinse!

Measure out 2 : 1 vinegar and sugar. So if you use 1 liter of vinegar, use 500 grams sugar. Heat up the sugar, vinegar, mustard seed, pepper and herbs in casserole.

Meanwhile peal the onion and garlic and cut. Put the onion and garlic in a thoroughly cleaned (canning) jar.

When the vinegar mixture is boiling, throw a batch of the cucumbers in it and bring back to a boil. As soon as the cucumber gets the typical 'pickled cucumber colour', get them out with a slotted spoon and put them in the jar. Don't leave them in too long, otherwise they'll get 'snotty'. Repeat that batch after batch till the jar is full or all the cucumbers are done.

Then pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers in the jar. If all is well, you get to cover the cucumbers. If not, bring some more vinegar and sugar to a boil in the 2:1 ratio.

Close the jar and let cool down. If cool, store in fridge or basement. This mixture should stay well for quite a while (even up to a year!), for the vinegar and sugar are preservatives.


Shared this recipe on:

Ladybug Blessings
Blessed with Grace
Miz Helen's Country Cottage