Ingredients:
5 pound Cucumber, medium pickling -3-4 inch long 1 1/4 inch thick |
1 Medium Dill plant, bunch mature, -seeds included |
2 ounces Horesradish root |
1 Medium Head garlic |
1/2 ounces Hot red pepper, fresh seeded |
3 teaspoon Tarragon, fresh branches |
6 tablespoons Salt, non-iodized |
2 quarts -water |
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Preparation / Directions:
Preparing Cucumbers: wash the cucumbers under running water and place in a
bowl. Cover with ice water and enough ice to keep them cold for 10 hours.
Drain the cucumbers and trim both ends so that the brine will more easily
penetrate the flesh.
Assembling: Rinse the dill and divide in half. Scrub and rinse the
horseradish and slice thinly. Peel and halve the garlic.
Fold half the dill into a ring to fit the bottom of the pickling jar. Strew
horseradish, garlic, red pepper, and 1/3 of the tarragon on top. Arrange
half the cucumbers upright in the jar, packing them tightly. Place the
second third of the tarragon on top, then pack in the rest of the cucumbers
in the same manner. Over them layer the remaining dill, horseradish,
garlic, pepper and tarragon.
Combine the salt and water, stirring until the salt dissolves. Percentage
of salt in this brine is 5.5 to 6.5 percent. Pour the brine into the jar.
The cucumbers and herbs should be fully submerged. Cover with a saucer and
weight down with a jar or can filled with water. Cover the mouth of the jar
with 2 layers of cheesecloth and tie in place with string.
Fermentation and storage: For the first 2-3 days, keep the cucumbers on a
well aired shaded patio or similar spot with a temperature of 64-68
degrees. Remove the scum as it appears and wash the mouth of the jar
daily. After 3-4 days, when the most active fermentation has subsided a
bit, remove the weight and lid. Check to see that the brine still covers
the cucumbers. If not, add brine in the same proportions (1 1/4-1 3/4 Tbsp
salt to 1 pint water). Cover the jar with its own lid and refrigerate at
32-38 degrees.
During the next 10-14 days, see that the brine does not become too cloudy
(there is always some degree of cloudiness due to fermentation process) and
that there is no mold. If either does happen, replace the brine, rinse the
upper layer of dill, wipe the mouth of the jar and close again.
Store the pickles on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator. They will keep
for up to 1 week.
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