How to make Manhattan-style, Fermented Pickles with Garlic and Dill! An easy step-by-step guide to making the most flavorful, crunchy, tangy pickles full of healthy probiotics, with only 20 minutes of hands-on time! The pickle brine is like a “tonic” -drink a shot of it daily to help build immunity!
What happens when people open their hearts? They get better. ~Haruki Murakami
I’ve been chomping at the bit to share this easy recipe for Fermented Pickles with you! If you are a crunchy pickle lover like me, you are going to be in heaven. Seriously, these are the best!
These Manhattan-style “half-sour” pickles, are crispy, crunchy, flavorful and ohhhhhh so alive! They are not for canning, but rather live happily bubbly lives in your refrigerator.
These pickles are fermented in a salt brine, not in vinegar and get their delicious tanginess from light fermentation rather than vinegar.
Full of healthy, gut-healing, immunity-boosting probiotics these little guys are perfect as a low-calorie snack, or sliced and added to sandwiches or served as a tasty side.
Not only are they delicious, and incredibly EASY to make, they are also incredibly good for us!
And as crazy as this may sound to some, the fizzy brine itself is like a healing tonic to me – I love to drink a shot of it- especially when I feel like my immunity needs a boost! So flavorful and totally energizing.
How to make Fermented Pickles| 45-second video
What type of cucumbers to use in fermenting?
- Pickling Cucumbers are small and short ( 4-6 inches) with thin bumpy skin, crisp texture, small seeds, a blocky shape and color gradient from light to dark. Varieties include Kirby, Calypso, Royal, Pickalot, National Picking, Adam Gherkin, Sassy, Eurika, Jackson, Boston Pickling, Northern Pickling… to name a few.
- You’ll need 2 lbs of “pickling cucumbers”. This recipe makes one large 1/2 gallon jar (or use two quart-sized jars) – a relatively small batch.
- They are most easily found at your local farmers’ market. Ask the farmers if they have “pickling cucumbers” they can help direct you to the right ones.
- Your pickles will only be as good as your cucumbers, so choose wisely!
- Make sure they are roughly all the same size -all about 4-5 inches long with 1 1/2-inch to 2-inch diameters – to fit in the jar nicely and to ferment at the same rate. Handpicked each one. They should be fresh and crisp with no soft spots.
How long does it take to ferment pickles?
- These half-sour crunchy pickles take 3-5 days.
Wash them, and soak them in an ice bath for 15 minutes to firm and crisp them up.
Gather your fresh Garlic and Dill and pickling spices.
Spices to use in Fermented Dill Pickles:
- Use fennel seeds, mustard, peppercorns, coriander seeds, allspice, dill seeds and celery seeds. Feel free to change or embellish! I added a couple of chilies for a little heat.
- Fresh Dill and lots of garlic!!!
- Fermented cucumbers need tannin to help keep their skins from going soft. Traditionally, a few grape leaves are used but bay leaves work well too!
Because these fermented pickles are left whole, you really want the brine to be extra flavorful.
I add a lot of garlic… 10 cloves! Layer the cucumbers, spices, garlic, dill and bay leaves in a large two quart jar (half-gallon).
Carefully measure and mix salt and water to create the saltwater brine- then pour this brine over the pickles.
How salt works in fermentation:
- In a nutshell, using the right ratio of salt in fermentation encourages the growth of healthy bacteria, while at the same time kills off bad bacteria. You want to be precise when measuring the salt and water in these kinds of recipes.
- Too much salt may kill off ALL of the bacteria -preventing fermentation.
- Too little salt will allow bad bacteria to keep on living. It is a fine balance. 😉
SALT TO WATER RATIO (fermented dill pickles):
- This recipe is a 2.5 % salt water brine, which is considered “safe”. It equals 6 grams of salt per one cup of water. This ratio allows one to drink the brine (like a shot) because it is not too salty.
- If you want a stronger brine, feel free to go up to 3.5% So for example, 3% ratio = 7 grams salt per 1 cup of water. 3.5% Ratio= 9 grams of salt per 1 cup of water.
- Use unprocessed salt (sea salt) and unchlorinated, filtered water for best results.
Leave an inch or two of room at the top.
Weigh down the cucumbers so they are completely submerged under the liquid, using fermentation weights, or a small zip lock bag filled with a little water. Here I’m using a sterilized river stone.
If the cucumbers are not submerged under the brine and become exposed to air- they can develop mold.
Cover with a loosely with a lid, place in a bowl or pan to catch any overflow, and place them in a cool dark place for 3-7 days, like the basement. I’ve found a slower, cooler fermentation works best here.
Check after 3 days. Look for signs of life: bubbles/ cloudy water. This took me about 4 days. I let it go one more day (5 days) then placed the jar in the fridge to further slow the fermentation.
Basically the longer you ferment them (unrefrigerated), the tangier they will get. But they will also get softer. I like them crisp, but you may want them tangier and softer. You can taste them at any point after you see bubbles.
I prefer to refrigerate before tasting. After refrigerating, if you decide you want more tang, you can always pull them out again and ferment for a few days longer.
If you want to create a “fizzy” brine for drinking, tighten the lid, and burp daily if leaving out. You can tighten the lid in the fridge, but burp weekly. This will create a little pressure and give it some effervescence.
Once they are cold, give them a taste. They should be crunchy and flavorful!
The brine is deliciously tangy, salty, and effervescent -so tasty!
Let me know how you like this one in the comments below.
xoxoxo
RELATED: How to make Kimchi! How to make Fermented Hot Sauce!
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Fermented Pickles with Garlic and Dill
- Prep Time: 4 days
- Total Time: 4 days
- Yield: ½ gallon
- Category: fermented, preserved
- Method: fermented
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
How to make Manhattan-style, Fermented Pickles! A simple recipe for making the most flavorful, crunchy, tangy, garlic dill pickles with only 15 minutes of hands-on time. Full of healthy, gut-healing probiotics these little guys are perfect as a low-calorie snack, or sliced and added to sandwiches.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs pickling cucumbers– all similar size (4–5 inches)
- 6 cups filtered water (non-chlorinated- tap water may have chlorine which can inhibit fermentation)
- 2 tablespoons fine sea salt or Himalayan salt — or basically one teaspoon salt (6–7 grams) per one cup of water for a 2.5% brine (see notes)
- 8–12 garlic cloves, sliced (or double for extra garlicky)
- 1 teaspoon each: fennel seeds, coriander seeds, allspice, peppercorns, dill seeds, mustard seeds, celery seeds- and feel free to add more peppercorns!
- big handful fresh dill
- 1–3 fresh red chilies – or dried arbol chilies, or add chili flakes (all optional)
- 3–4 bay leaves (or a grape leaf)
You’ll need a 1/2 gallon mason jar, crock, or 2 quart-sized jars- clean and sterile.
Instructions
- Rinse the cucumbers and place in an ice-water bath, to crisp them up (10-20 minutes).
- Warm up one cup of the water on the stove, and stir in all the salt until dissolved. Let cool to room temp. Mix this cup with the remaining 5 cups water. You will end up with 2.5% saltwater brine.
- In a large, clean two quart jar, layer the cucumbers, garlic slices, fresh dill sprigs, bay leaves and all the whole spices.
- Pour the salt water brine over top, leaving an inch of headroom.
- Weigh down the cucumbers if need be, so they are submerged under the brine. (Use a fermentation weight, or a small ziplock back with a little water in it, or a sterilized river stone-see notes. ). Place a lid on it, loosely tightened. Place in a pan or bowl to collect any overflow and leave it in a cool dark place for 3-7 days (a basement, or lower kitchen cupboard).
- After 3 days, check for signs of life: bubbles, clouding. Tap the jar, and see if tiny bubbles rise to the top. I usually ferment for 5 days. Longer ferments will yield tangier pickles. They also get softer as they ferment, so if you go too long, you’ll lose the crispness. Up to you. You can taste them at any point after you see bubbles, and ferment longer if you like. Once you see active bubbles, you can at this point place the jar in the fridge, where it will continue to ferment, but much more slowly. Keep the pickles submerged.
- Once chilled, give them taste. They should be crispy and flavorful with a little tang. (At this point, if you want a tangier or softer pickle, you can absolutely pull them back out again and ferment for a few more days longer if you want.)
- If you like a fizzy brine, tighten the lid, burping every week or so. If you don’t want to think about it, give the lid one loose twist, so it’s on there, but gases can escape.
Notes
If you need more brine, make sure you use the same ratio- 1 teaspoon sea salt per one cup of water.
If using a grape leaf, place it on the side of the jar, then layer remaining ingredients.
BRINE: This recipe is a 2.5 % saltwater brine, which is considered “safe”. It equals 6 grams of salt per one cup of water. I’ve had really good luck with this ratio – and this ratio allows me to drink the brine (like a shot) because it is not too salty. If you want a stronger, saltier brine, feel free to go up to 3.5%.
- 2.5% ratio = 6 grams salt per one cup of water. ( 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, per 1 cup water)
- 3% ratio = 7 grams salt per 1 cup of water. (1 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, per 1 cup water)
- 3.5% Ratio= 9 grams of salt per 1 cup of water. ( 1 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, per 1 cup water)
To use a smooth river stone as a weight in the jar, sterilize in boiling water for 20 minutes.
Keywords: fermented pickles, fermented cucumbers, kosher dill pickles, lactose-fermented pickles, how to ferment pickles, fermented dill pickles, kosher dill pickle recipe
This recipe looks good! I tend to not use “sweet” mulling spices (like allspice) in my pickling spice, but the spices are purely personal preference. (The brine is the unalterable science while the spice is the art). I got my recipe from a Rabbi, who in turn got his from a congregant, a former 90 year old lower east side pickle vendor named Moe. Here’s the thread I started about it- there’s a ton of info here if you really want to dive in. https://www.chowhound.com/post/finally-real-honest-hashem-method-making-real-east-side-salt-805067
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Thanks for the info.
One other question. I measured out 6 cups water,as I”m using 2 one quart mason jars, did the salt ratio but when I packed the cukes in the jars and poured the brine over Im left with approximately 2 cups of salt water. So my question is can I save that to use another day, with more salt water added, for another batch of something I might ferment. I just dont want to waste it and if its reuable shoul I refrig it till use?
Feel free to save and use, no refrigeration needed!
Slyvia, how did you sterilize your stone as that is what I”m going to use. I”m boiling it right now.
I did exactly that. Boiled it for like a half hour!
Straight forward, easy and very delicious. This is my ‘go to’ recipe for half shot and even full fermented cukes.
I have a question about using calcium chloride (pickle crisp). For vinegar pickles, I use 1/4tsp per qt of pickles tossed in the bottom of the jar prior to packing cucumbers I intend to water process. What about for these? Any ideas whether it’s possible, appropriate or even recommended?
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Hi- I’m so sorry, I am not familiar with calcium chloride and don’t know how it affects the fermentation. Maybe someone else out there knows and can answer this?
I followed the recipe but used a 1 gal glass jar. After 5 days, last day in the fridge, pickles were not crisp or very flavorful. I added 1tsp calcium chloride and took them out and up in the basement. Hope that helps. Any suggestions?
Hi Bob, did you see signs of fermenting? Bubbles? Cloudiness? I’m not sure with calcium chloride will do to the fermentaion process.
Yes there were. Some bubbles. I added more bay leaves and garlic. My cellar is 62 degrees F.
I am seeing more bubbles.
A great sign, give them a few more days and see if they get any tangier.
Hi, this is my first time fermenting pickles. For years, I’ve picked in vinegar brine and canned them with the hot brine hot glass method for storage all year. So what I’m wondering is, I’ve just taken them out of the large crock barrel and placed into glass jars and lidded them. I’ve put them in the fridge, for now, but I made a huge batch and that’s a lot if space. Can I, without canning and getting a seal, place them in the basement for the year just as they are?
Second, one and a half pickles at the bottom of the crock barrel were moldy, will this effect the whole batch? (Two vertical layers.) I tossed the moldy ones. The brine is very murky white. I let the whole ceramic crock ferment for 11 days. (1/4 bushel of cucs). A very sour pickle, surprisingly so but pleasantly sour. The rest have soft tops but firm bodies.
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The murky white is most likely a harmless yeast from the fermentation. Mold is usually at the top of the jar where the pickles touch air. Here is link that might be useful with troubleshooting- copy and paste into your browser. Hopefully this helps! https://extension.umn.edu/preserving-and-preparing/pickle-problems
Hi, this is my first time fermenting pickles. For years, I’ve picked in vinegar brine and canned them with the hot brine hot glass method for storage all year. So what I’m wondering is, I’ve just taken them out of the large crock barrel and placed into glass jars and lidded them. I’ve put them in the fridge, for now, but I made a huge batch and that’s a lot if space. Can I, without canning and getting a seal, place them in the basement for the year just as they are?
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Hey Erika, that is a great question. Because they will continue to ferment, I believe they will get softer and tangier with time. I honestly don’t know what they would be like in a year!? I’ve only fermented these for a week max. maybe someone out there can answer this?
Okay thank you. I think I posted again but I added a second question.
Hi Sylvia,
I made these last Friday, and everything was going great until last night (day 3)…the jars were cloudy and producing bubbles. I put one jar in the refrigerator, then opened it to try a pickle and decided I wanted to ferment longer. I put the jar back in the cupboard, but today, that jar is quite cloudy and not producing bubbles. The other jar has mold growing on the top. 🙁 My question, besides what went wrong, is whether the second jar (without visible mold) might still be good. Any help is appreciated!
One other thing…can you open the jar before day 3, just to look, or is that a no-no?
Thank you!
Hi Stephanie, yes you can open the jar at any point, no problem. You can also scoop off the mold and save the pickles.:) The cloudy water is normal- a sign of lacto-fermentation. I think both the jars are probably ok, but if the mold scares you I understand. If it were me, I would remove mold, put it all in a clean jar-and refrigerate. Is it very warm there? If so, I’d just put both in the fridge and let them ferment more slowly, like for a week or so. Then try!
Thank you for your reply!!
Hi,
After the fermentation process when the pickles can go in the fridge should they be fully covered by the brine ? Or is it ok if they poke out a little ?
I like to keep them fully covered.
Hi! Thanks for the recipe! I just made this evening 4 jars of 1 liter each using white skin cucumbers, which being fat and long I first cut in half crosswise and then in spears. I decided to go for stronger brine adding 11/2 teaspoon salt per cup. Of spices I used what I had here: fresh dill, bay leaves, garlic, powder cumin, powder corriander, black pepper, and chili pepper flakes. Plan to keep lids tight and burp jars daily, keep them out in the cellar for 4 days and try them before going to the fridge. How does this sound to you? Much love from Lili
This sounds perfect Lili!
Many thanks! I am so glad I found your site, and will be following your recipes!!
Just a quick report, my white skin pickles cut in spears came out fantastic.
I kept them out in the cellar only 48 hours!! because of warm night temperatures where I am. I burped them during that time. After 48 hours I moved them to the fridge, on the 19th. Today, on the 21st, I checked all 4 jars, look already fermented, and tried a pickle. Just the right flavor! You would like the brine, not too salty, lovely to drink, I guess every country has salts of different salteness.
Thanks again for your great recipe, much love from Lili
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Thanks Lili Great to hear and appreciate you sharing. Helpful!!!
So, I made these last week without any dill, because I didn’t have any, and they turned out great. Like, I want to eat another one right now great. This morning I picked up some more cukes from the farmers’ market and wanted to get a head of dill, but the guy who had them last week hadn’t brought any this week, so I bought a bunch of dill leaves instead. Yours is one of the few recipes online that uses the leaves–most people go for the flower heads gone to seed–so fingers crossed that they turn out just as good. For some reason, I’m afraid the dill leaves are going to turn to mush and disintegrate.
I’m glad I’ve finally tried lacto-fermented cucumbers, which I was kind of avoiding due to a memory of my dad making a wildly disastrous batch when I was a kid. I’ve spent the last few years enjoying really delicious homemade micro-batch sauerkraut all winter, and I missed having something sour and crunchy and probiotic to eat in the summer. I used 1 tablespoon of coarse pickling salt per pint of water (a formula I’d used before with fermented kohlrabi slices) because I didn’t have any suitable fine salt and wasn’t sure how to adjust your proportions for coarse: weight would be the same, obviously, but I don’t have a scale that measures weights that small, and if you measure by volume there’s a big difference between coarse and fine. Anyway, for anyone wondering about coarse salt by volume, the tablespoon to a pint formula works nicely. And these pickles are way better than fermented kohlrabi 🙂
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Thanks for sharing Jennifer!
Hi Sylvia, thanks fro the great recipe. Never tried making fermented pickles before. Can I use regular screw lid jars rather than Mason jars? I have a few jam jars that I can use.
Thanks!
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Yes, that should be fine! Be sure to burp them!
Your notes section is inaccurate and could cause harm.. “If you need more brine, make sure you use the same ratio- 1 teaspoon sea salt per one cup of water.”
Which should be 1 tablespoon.
Hopefully no one made this mistake, and read your instructions carefully.
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Actually, it is 1 teaspoon per cup of water. NOT 1 tablespoon.
Just made a massive batch of these! Have made other ferments before but never pickles! Should I be worried about floating spices causing mold? Or will spices on the surface not cause mold? I know that’s a big cause of mold if it’s the vegetable itself so I just want to make sure seems how I made 10lbs of them!
Just make sure the veggies are submerged- the spices shouldn’t mold.
Love this recipe, but did I ruin my pickles?? I followed the recipe exactly but cut everything in half because I didn’t have enough cucumbers. Then I thought I’d like a little vinegar taste and added 1/4 cup. Does vinegar kill the fermentation process? Are they unsafe? Is there a fix? It’s been four days and I don’t see bubbles. Thanks.
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Hi, what kind of vinegar did you use? The thing is when you ferment, they actually do get tangy naturally without the vinegar. Maybe if you use AC vinegar “with the mother in it”, this could work in very small doses, but my guess is if you don’t see bubbles, yes it may have inhibited the fermentation.
I added 1/4 cup of 5% distilled white vinegar. I saw 2 bubbles today, after 5 days, but I suspect that’s not enough. Can these pickles be saved? Thanks for your advice.
I guess you could refrigerate and try a piece of one if it smells ok? Well that is what I would do.:) At this point without knowing if they fermented- I might just pickle them, add more vinegar to the brine and keep them in the fridge. My guess is they are probably ok, but I only guessing here, I can’t see them, so use your best judgment.
After 7 days, the pickle on top has a couple of soft spots on it and I tossed it. Perhaps it was not fully submerged — should I be concerned about the other pickles? The taste is exactly as I expected and the brine is delicious!
How did they look before you fermented? I think as long as they are submerged, they should be ok?
Doing this now. Thanks for the recipe! But you never say when they can be eaten.
Any time after you see bubbles. 🙂 I like to chill them first.
Done! How long should I wait before I can eat them? I’m so excited to try them 🙂
Wait till you see bubbles, refrigerate, then eat after they are cold. 😉
I’m concerned about a white film that has developed on top of the brine after 7 days. Not much fizz.
Hummm. That sounds like mold. No bubbles when you tap the jar? Feel free to email a photo if you like? [email protected]
I’ve made these pickles and they are fermenting nicely. Could I “can” them in boiling water bath for long term storage? I have no room in my fridge for the 7 large jars I made ….
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If you “can” them you will kill all that healthy bacteria- basically defeating the purpose of fermenting.
I tried this recipe and although the pickles are edible, they’re not that great. I’m sure the recipe isn’t at fault, and I’m ready to try again, and hopefully will do better the second time around.
First issue: The brine never got “fizzy” (although it is tasty!) Maybe this time I should tighten the lids and “burp” but then do I not leave the lids loose at the beginning? Or do I tighten them right away.
Another problem is that the pickles never got done all the way through. The centers are a different (lighter) color. Did I not leave them out long enough before refrigerating them? (It was 4 days.)
Finally, they aren’t tangy enough. I’m thinking increase the salt-to -water ratio and add more garlic? And maybe use the 1 quart jars instead of the 2 quart jar?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Lisa, did you see any bubbles? What was the average temp there? For more fizz, tighten jars and burp daily. For more tang, ferment longer, you can taste as you go. For more “done” in the center, also ferment longer. You can always pull them out right now from the fridge, and keep fermenting for a couple more days… I wouldn’t increase the salt, but up to you. Feel free to add more garlic. 😉
Many thanks for your response. So the temperature in the basement is probably around 65 degrees, and I did see some bubbles the first couple of days. I’ve just pulled the jar from the fridge and will let it sit out for a few days. And for the next batch, more garlic, keep the lid tight and “burp,” and let it sit in the basement longer!
Let me know how it goes Lisa!
I love this recipe! After only one day, here is the fizz and the cloudy liquid. I had to try one. Very good, very crisp. I cut the cubes in 1/2 inch pieces. I used garlic, pepper corns, dill, allspice, and a dash of cherished red pepper flakes. Very tasty! Thank you!
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Rather good pickles I leave out the dill fresh cucumbers from our garden started fermenting very fast lots of bubbles very cloudy liquid in jar lots of stuff settling on jar bottom so I shook it twice a day rated one every other day and it smelled like the neighborhood deli pickle barrel back in Brooklyn muy bien gracias
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Going to try this tomorrow. Once they get cloudy and bubbles appear, how long will they last in the frig?
Indefinitely. 6-12 Months 🙂
The ingred list just days allspice, but now I see the photo looks like whole. Can I use ground instead?
I’ve always use whole allspice in pickling, but I don’t see why ground wouldn’t work, flavor-wise. Your pickling liquid may look murky if you are ok with that?
I received a jar of pickled cucumbers as a gift, but they are made with a different amount of salt. 1/4 cup in 20 cups of water. There are 12 tsp in a 1/4 cup. Your recipe would equal 30 tsp per 20 cups of water. I see bubbles and the lid had pressure. Is this a strong enough solution of salt to work. I know salt has been use for thousands of years to preserve food. but what strength is necessary? What keeps clostridium botulinum from growing? Do you think these fermented pickles are safe? Thank you very much.
Hi Robert. Is your jar of pickles refrigerated or shelf stable? If shelf stable, this is most likely “canned” not fermented. This recipe is a 2.5 % saltwater brine, which is considered “safe”. It equals 6 grams of salt per one cup of water. I’ve had really good luck with this ratio – and this ratio allows me to drink the brine (like a shot) because it is not too salty. If you want a stronger brine, feel free to go up to 3.5% So for example, 3% ratio = 7 grams salt per 1 cup of water. 3.5% Ratio= 9 grams of salt per 1 cup of water. Do what you feel comfortable with!
I don’t have a basement. Is it still possible to make these?
Yes, place in a cool spot in your kitchen…lower cabinet?
Looking forward to trying this recipe. Can I use kosher salt instead of sea salt?
Yes, use a pinch more. 😉
Thank you so much for sharing this great recipe!! I have been making pickles using the canner/ vinegar method all of my life, since I was 12! But over the years I have really wanted to get the benefit of probiotics in my vegetables. I have just finished making my first batch of these and they are so lovely. I really appreciated that you specified the salt ratio as other recipes I’ve tried did not work for me. I happen to have wild grapes in my back yard and included 1 large leaf in each as you suggested and the pickles are indeed crispy! I also added some slivered small carrots and baby green beans which I had fresh in the garden and they are delicious. Next time I will increase my dill and also add more garlic as you suggested. I will never go back to the canner/ vinegar method now that I know how easy this is!
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Yay!!! Glad you like this!!!
I had some pretty fat pickling cukes, so sliced them into spears. The texture isn’t super crunchy, but the flavor is outstanding. I took your suggestions that the brine should be very flavorful to heart! I used tarragon instead of dill because that’s what I have in my garden. I used a spicy fresh pepper in two of the jars, which was delicious; I used a dried ancho pepper in the third jar to experiement, and it added a nice flavor. Other spices used include allspice, pepper corns, mustard seeds, bay leaves, and chili pepper flakes; I also used a good amount of garlic! I think the key here is the salt-to-water ratio; it’s perfect. I’ll use this recipe again, thank you so much!
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Thanks Mary, glad it worked for you!
the first time i burped it, i accidentally opened the lid fully. is this a problem?
Not at all!