Fermented Pickles Recipe|Easy Old-Fashioned Salt Brine Pickles

There’s nothing quite like the bold, tangy crunch of truly traditional pickles. This fermented pickles recipe yields cucumbers that are crisp on the outside, juicy on the inside, and full of that signature sour flavor that only natural fermentation can create. 

Each bite delivers a balance of salt, garlic, and gentle acidity, with a depth of flavor that store-bought pickles simply can’t match.

Looking for more recipes that provide the benefits of fermented foods? Learn how to ferment peppers and make fermented hot sauce or fermented salsa. For the holidays, make this fermented cranberry sauce. You can even make lemons last up to a year with fermented lemons!

Listen to the full podcast, Episode #92 Old-fashioned Saltwater Brine Pickles, of the Pioneering Today Podcast, where we don’t just inspire you, but give you the clear steps to create the homegrown garden, pantry, kitchen, and life you want for your family and homestead.

Watch Me Make Fermented Pickles

What Makes This Recipe Unique?

A good crunchy pickle is hard to resist. Every year during harvest season, you will find me whipping up batches of my great-grandmother’s mustard pickle recipe, water-bath-canned garlic dill pickles, and refrigerator bread-and-butter pickles. 

I even make this pickled asparagus recipe in the early spring before the cucumbers are ready!

But let’s talk for a minute about why a fermented pickles recipe has found its way among my favorites:

• Small Batches – When you only have a small number of ripe cucumbers, you can still preserve them because, as long as you have enough glass jars, you can make as many (or as few) jars as you want. This is perfect at the beginning and end of the growing season when you usually don’t have enough cucumbers ready at the same time to can a full run (aka batch). Fermentation allows for those smaller servings.
• No Heating – That’s right, this is a great preservation option during the hottest summer months when you want to keep the house cool. (Check out all my tips on how to keep cool without air conditioning.)
• Beginner-Friendly – Quick and easy. You can have a 1/2-gallon jar of fermented pickles going in as little as 10 minutes, including prep time. Plus, these pickles are usually ready to eat in about a week.
• Sugar-free – Many canning recipes use some sugar to help cut the strong vinegar taste (it’s never safe to lower the amount of vinegar to taste when canning, as this lowers the acidity level). But with this homemade fermented pickles recipe, you can enjoy the flavor of pickles without the sugar.
• Probiotics – Have you seen the price tag on probiotics in the store? Yikes! These fermented pickles provide naturally occurring probiotics at a fraction of the price, and you’re getting your veggies in, too.

Key Ingredients:

A full ingredients list, including measurements, can be found in the recipe card below.

• Pickling Cucumbers – Washed and trimmed. I recommend Kirby cukes. Do not use sliced cucumbers for fermentation; they will get too soft, too quickly (and no one likes a soggy pickle).
• Salt – Non-iodized salt, such as Redmond Real Salt.
• Water – It’s recommended to use bottled spring water, filtered water, or well water. We don’t want chlorine; you can either boil water with chlorine in it for 10 minutes or let it sit on the counter overnight.
• Pickling Spices – Garlic cloves, fresh dill, black peppercorns, and mustard seed provide that classic dill pickle flavor.

Recipe Substitutions and Variations

One of the best things about cooking from scratch is the flexibility it offers. Check out my full list of ingredient substitutions for all your baking and cooking needs.

• No fresh dill? Use dried dill or omit for a milder flavor
• Add grape leaves, oak leaves, or black tea for extra crunch due to natural tannins
• Swap garlic for onions or leave it out entirely
• Add spice with red pepper flakes or fresh hot peppers
• Use different cucumber varieties, though pickling cucumbers give the best texture

Recipe Instructions

Step 1: Gather all your ingredients and wash all equipment very well. It’s important you’re working with very clean supplies, as you don’t want to introduce any bad bacteria (or even soap residue) to your ferments.

Step 2: Make the brine by dissolving 2 Tablespoons of salt into 1 quart (4 cups) of water. Pack your vegetables into the clean container, leaving a 2-inch headspace. (Headspace is the space between the top of the jar and the top of the food.) 

Step 3: Fill the jar with the brine, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Your weight will displace the water further, and you don’t want it to overflow your jar.

Step 4: Place a weight in the jar to keep the food submerged beneath the brine. This is very important; if food rises above the liquid, it may mold. I prefer the fermenting weights as pictured, but a small washed glass baby food jar will work as well.

Step 5: Place a lid on the jar (preferably a fermenting lid as pictured). The goal is to keep the oxygen out and make it airtight. A regular two-piece canning lid can work. However, you’ll need to observe your ferment carefully and, if pressure is building, give your jar a burp every day or so by unscrewing the metal band until you see the air escape, then tighten the band again. (You can usually tell pressure is building up when the metal lid is domed upward.)

Step 6: Put the jar in a warm area (70°F is ideal, but 65°-80°F is fine), out of direct sunlight and away from any appliances. Ferment for 4 days. After a day or two, you’ll notice the presence of bubbles, and you may notice a cloudy brine. These are joyous signs that your ferment is working! Check the taste of your pickles after a few days. If they’re not “tangy” enough, let them continue to ferment. It sometimes takes up to 10 days if the room is cold.

Recipe Tips

• Just like any pickle-making, the freshness and quality of the ingredients will determine the end product. As fresh as possible is best. 
• Trim the blossom end to prevent soft pickles
• Use filtered water to avoid chlorine interfering with fermentation.
• Headspace is essential to ensure that all food stays submerged in the brine. 
• Check daily to ensure everything stays submerged.
• If foam or bubbles form, that is normal during fermentation.
• If you see mold, discard and start fresh.
• Use these 7 tips for crunchy pickles every time.

Storage Instructions

Once your fermented pickles have reached the desired flavor, keep the pickles submerged in the brine and store the jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. Remember that the flavor will develop slowly over time, and always use clean utensils to avoid contamination.

FAQ’s