If you love pickles, it’s so easy making homemade pickled cucumbers. I love making these for a healthy snack or to have with burgers, meats and salads.
To make pickled cucumbers, simply soak the cucumbers in a vinegar brine and let it soak in the brine in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
For the brine, I use 1 to 1 ratio for vinegar to water but you can adjust the ratio, in addition to salt or sugar amounts according to your taste and preference.
I used apple cider vinegar but you can use white vinegar or rice vinegar. I made 2 different batches, one with mustard seeds, peppercorns and garlic and the other with shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes for some heat.
The recipe is flexible so add your favorite ingredients or spices!
I heat my brine for the sugar and salt to dissolve, but that’s optional. Simply add brine ingredients to a jar or container and mix well before adding cucumbers and other ingredients.
Letting them sit longer helps the flavors develop more so letting them soak overnight is ideal, but you can also eat them after about an hour.
Pickled Cucumbers
Ingredients
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar ( or white vinegar or rice vinegar)
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon sugar ( more or less depending on preference)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt ( more or less depending preference)
2 garlic cloves, smashed
3-4 Cucumbers, sliced ( Persian or pickling)
Optional ingredients: garlic, shallots, onions, jalapeno, dill, peppercorns, mustard seeds, red pepper flakes
Directions
Brine: In a saucepan, add vinegar, water, sugar, salt and garlic and heat until the sugar and salt dissolves.
Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, cut and prep your ingredients. Pack cucumbers and optional ingredients into a jar or container, leaving about an 1/2 inch space at the top for the liquid.
Pour liquid over cucumbers so they’re fully submerged. Close the lid, give it a shake and place in the refrigerator 1-24 hours before eating.