Grandmother's Brine Pickles (Salt Cucumbers)

Grandmother’s brine pickles © kvalifood.com

Brine pickles are quite different from vinegar-pickled cucumbers. Here the cucumbers are preserved in a cold salt brine with vinegar, packed in layers with blackcurrant leaves, cherry leaves, and vine leaves - these contribute natural tannins and keep the cucumbers firm. They need to steep for at least a month, but keep for a long time stored in a cool place.

Ingredients

Yields ca. 4 kg cucumbers

  • 4 kg medium-sized green gherkin cucumbers

Brine I

  • 3 l water
  • 600 g salt

Brine II

  • 3 l water
  • 4 dl vinegar
  • 125 g salt
  • 10 cloves garlic
  • 3 l blackcurrant leaves
  • 3 l cherry leaves
  • 3 l vine leaves
  • 1 tbsp preserving liquid

Directions

Preparation

Scrub the cucumbers and wash them thoroughly. Cut a thin slice off each end and prick them with a fork.

Brine I

Boil water and salt until the salt has dissolved. Leave the brine to cool completely. Place the cucumbers in the brine and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Brine II

Boil water, vinegar, and salt and leave to cool completely. Stir the preserving liquid into the cold brine.

Layering

Remove the cucumbers and pat them dry with a clean tea towel. Peel the garlic cloves and halve them. Rinse the leaves and let them drain. Place a thick layer of mixed leaves in the bottom of the crock, then a little garlic and a layer of cucumbers. Continue layering with leaves, garlic, and cucumbers. Finish with a layer of leaves on top. No cucumbers should lie directly on top of one another.

Pouring

Pour the cold brine over the cucumbers. Place a plate on top to keep the cucumbers submerged, and seal the crock.

Storage

Store in a cool, frost-free place. The cucumbers are ready after at least 1 month.

Notes

  • Use stoneware crocks or plastic containers intended for vinegar pickling - not glazed earthenware, as the acid will damage them
  • Blackcurrant, cherry, and vine leaves contain tannins that keep the cucumbers crisp - this is the secret of the classic recipe
  • If you do not have all three types of leaves, two or one type will also work, but three gives the best result
  • Keep the cucumbers submerged throughout the entire storage period