How to make Jewish Deli Half-Sour Pickles - Pickle Party Part 1

Bring the deli to your kitchen! Learn the basics of using fermentation to preserve your garden vegetables this season, starting with the classic cucumber half-sour dill pickle. Recipe below.

Facilitated and edited by Mara Gittleman (GreenThumb)
Music by Aaron Gittleman

Ingredients:
4 cups filtered water
¼ cup kosher salt
Pickle spices – your choice! I used fresh dill, fresh garlic, 3 bay leaves, a leaf of horseradish, a pinch of whole cloves, and ½ tsb each of coriander seed, black peppercorns, yellow mustard seeds
2.5-3 pounds of Kirby cucumbers or other small cucumbers, whole

Instructions:
1. Dissolve the salt in the water in a bowl, pot, or clean jar 2. Add pickle spices and herbs to a clean jar (32oz is a good size) 3. Press cucumbers into jar so they pack tightly but still leave space at the top 4. Top off with your brine, leaving 1" space at the top 5. Top with a gas-releasing lid or a regular jar lid 6. Each day check on the progress by taking a little taste. Refrigerate when they’re the right amount of sour for you. Replace the air-lock lid with a regular jar lid if you were using one.

Recipe adapted from @gefilteria