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Kosher Pickles, the Right Way

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Makes about 60 pickle quarters or 30 halves 1x

Time 1 to 2 days, largely unattended

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Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup kosher salt
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 2 pounds Kirby cucumbers, rinsed (scrub if spiny) and halved or quartered lengthwise
  • At least 5 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 large bunch fresh dill, preferably with flowers, or 2 tablespoons dried dill and 1 teaspoon dill seeds, or 1 tablespoon coriander seeds

Instructions

  1. Combine the salt and boiling water in a large bowl; stir to dissolve the salt. Add a handful of ice cubes to cool the mixture, then add the cucumbers, garlic, and dill.
  2. Add cold water to cover. Use a plate slightly smaller than the diameter of the bowl and a small weight to keep the cucumbers submerged. Set aside at room temperature.
  3. Begin sampling the cucumbers after 4 hours if you’ve quartered them, 8 hours if you’ve halved them. In either case, it will probably take from 12 to 24 or even 48 hours for them to taste pickled enough to suit your taste.
  4. When they are ready, transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate them in the brine. The pickles will continue to ferment as they sit, more quickly at room temperature, more slowly in the refrigerator. They will keep well for up to a week.

— Recipe from ​How to Cook Everything: Completely Revised Twentieth Anniversary Edition​