Polish fermented dill pickles

Make these Polish pickles with firm cucumbers, garlic, dill, horseradish and brine. Pack the vegetables tightly into clean jars, submerge them completely and leave them to ferment. Once they taste sour, move them somewhere cool to slow further fermentation.

Ingredients for two jars

Prepare two clean jars, each holding about a litre, and:

• about 1 kg small, firm outdoor-grown cucumbers
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 dill heads with pieces of stem
• a piece of horseradish root about 8 cm long
• water and salt for the brine

The amount of brine depends on the size of the cucumbers and how they fit in the jars. Make it using the proportions in a reliable recipe; if you need more, prepare another batch in the same proportion. Use food-grade salt without flavourings. Choose fresh, firm cucumbers of similar size, without soft ends or damage. Larger ones are harder to pack evenly.

Preparing the cucumbers and seasonings

Wash the cucumbers thoroughly under running water, paying attention to soil around the ends. You can first soak them in cold water for an hour or two, especially if they were not freshly picked. Rinse again afterwards. Leave the ends intact if you want whole, firm cucumbers.

Peel the garlic. Wash and peel the horseradish, then cut it lengthways into strips. Rinse the dill. Wash and scald the jars and lids, then let them cool. Clean containers and fresh ingredients help prevent unwanted contamination of the brine.

Packing and adding the brine

Bring the water to a boil, dissolve the salt in it and leave it to cool. Put some dill, two garlic cloves and half the horseradish in the bottom of each jar. Pack in the cucumbers tightly, preferably upright, filling gaps with smaller ones. Put the remaining dill on top.

Pour in enough brine to cover the cucumbers and seasonings completely. Leave a few centimetres of space below the rim, as fermentation can raise the liquid level. If vegetables float, hold them down with a clean fermentation weight. Pieces above the brine spoil more easily.

During active fermentation, use a lid that lets gas escape or place an ordinary lid loosely on top. Set the jars on a plate to catch any overflow. Do not leave tightly sealed jars in a warm place during vigorous fermentation: gas buildup increases pressure.

Fermentation and storage

Leave the jars at room temperature, away from sunlight. Check the brine level and make sure the cucumbers remain submerged every day. Bubbles and cloudy brine are normal signs of fermentation. If liquid has overflowed and the vegetables are exposed, top up with cooled brine made in the same proportion.

After a few days, taste a cucumber using a clean fork. At first it will resemble a lightly fermented cucumber; it will become more sour over time. When the flavour suits you and vigorous gas production has stopped, close the jar and move it to the fridge or another consistently cool place. Continue checking the jars during storage. Keep opened jars in the fridge and use clean utensils to remove the pickles.

Fuzzy mould, unusual pink or orange discolouration, or a rotten smell means the entire contents of the jar should be discarded. Cloudy brine alone does not mean the pickles have spoiled.

Serving fermented pickles

Serve the pickles with sandwiches, potato dishes or a main meal. Dice them for a salad, or grate them with some sour brine to flavour a dish such as pickle soup. Add the brine gradually and taste, as its saltiness and sourness can vary.

Crunch depends partly on the freshness and size of the cucumbers and on storage conditions. Avoid soft, hollow or damaged cucumbers for fermenting.

FAQ

How much salt should go in the brine?

Use the proportions given in a reliable recipe. Weigh the salt, as the amount held by a spoon varies with crystal size and how it is filled.

Why has the brine become cloudy?

Brine can naturally turn cloudy during fermentation. Assess it along with the appearance and smell of everything in the jar, looking for signs of mould or rot.

When are the pickles ready?

Taste one after a few days. The time depends on temperature and cucumber size. Move the jars to a cool place when the pickles are sour enough and vigorous fermentation has subsided.