Sour Pickles

If you're anything like me, you've stopped to browse through the pickle section of your grocery store at least once hoping to see something new, interesting, and hopefully tasty, that doesn't contain a bunch of high fructose corn syrup and yellow dye. I'm serious about that, if you've never read the ingredients on your pickle jar, it may shock you to learn that most of the big brands feel the need to dye their pickles. This may or may not bother you, either way, I have come to the conclusion that most of those pickles are over sweetened for my tastes. There are a handful of small-batch pickle producers that make a good product, but when I'm in the mood for a good sour pickle, I really like to make my own. 

Don't be intimidated by this idea, it is actually incredibly simple! This pickle recipe includes only four ingredients that you probably already have in your cupboards, in addition to fresh cucumbers and a little water. 

I grew up on these pickles, and it makes me smile every time I use my Gram's cookbook to make them or anything else. It also makes my mouth pucker just to think about them, let alone when I open the jar and smell that lovely brine! And to be honest, I'm getting a good chuckle right now imagining how many of my family members reading this are feeling that pucker and about to go make some pickles now too! 

Start by mixing the dry mustard, sugar, and salt with the cider vinegar and water. Here I have the dry in one jar and the liquids in another just to show this step. Wash and slice your cucumbers if you want them to pickle quickly, just a few hours in the brine will put flavor into the slices. Leave them whole if you prefer, but you'll have to wait at least over night for the flavor to get into whole cukes. Also, if you want whole ones, make sure you have jars large enough to hold the whole cucumbers! I wanted my pickles now so I sliced the cukes. Also, I couldn't seem to find the large jar I thought I had, so I ended up splitting the batch into two pint jars. 

Fill your jar or jars with cucumber slices or whole cukes, and pour in the brine to completely cover them. Ensure a good seal on the jars and refrigerate. The brine will separate a bit as gravity does its work, you will see clumpy sediment areas of the mustard mixture and the fluid will look a bit more clear, just shake the jars and it will all come back together. 

These pickles were in the brine for only about three hours before I couldn't wait any longer, and they already had plenty of flavor. Of course, the longer they sit, the stronger the flavor will become. Also, I managed to save some for a couple weeks to see how long they would stay crisp, and they were still not soggy floppy messes like some inferior purchased pickles I've experienced. Another nice thing about this brine is that after you've eaten all your pickles, just wash and slice a few more cucumbers and add them to the brine jar to make more! 

And here's the recipe so you can make your very own! 

Sour Pickles

Fresh cucumbers (about 6, depending on size of cukes and size of your containers)

          (for best results use the small pickling or Persian cucumber variety)

2 Tbsp dry mustard

2 Tbsp salt

3 Tbsp sugar

1 1/4 Cups apple cider vinegar

1/2 to 3/4 Cup cold water 

          (if you like the taste to be quite sour, use smaller amount of water, 

           for a slightly mellowed but still nicely sour flavor use the larger amount)

Wash and optionally slice cucumbers and place in resealable glass jar or jars. Combine all brine ingredients and pour into jars to completely cover cucumbers. Refrigerate and wait a few hours for sliced cucumbers or over night for whole ones to become pickled. Use a fork to fish the pickles out of the jar and consume with alacrity. 

Enjoy!                                            

Sue