DIY fermented pickles take barely any effort and are the best dill pickles youll ever eat.

I crunch on them straight from the fridge, when they are salty, cool, and refreshing.

And youll need to check on the jar every day, but come onhow can you not?

Jars of Fermented Pickles on a Counter

Simply Recipes / Melanie Tienter

The magic of fermentation will make you feel like a kid.

In fact, if you have kids, do this project with them.

Canning was not a fixture of households until the early 1900s, and neither was refrigeration.

Jars of Fermented Pickles on a Counter

Simply Recipes / Melanie Tienter

Before that, people fermented pickles in the summer and stashed them in a cool place for storage.

A dedicated pickler will come to covet two to three-quart jars that once held store-bought pickles or fruit salad.

I scour thrift stores for them.

Fermented Pickles on a Small Plate with More in Jars in the Background

Simply Recipes / Melanie Tienter

Dont have this rare and special jar on hand?

I developed this recipe for two 1-quart jars.

However, for these to bedillpickles, you need some form of dill.

Small Dish of Salt Added to a Pot of Boiling Water for Fermented Pickles Recipe

Simply Recipes / Melanie Tienter

Fortunately, theres a lot of leverage you have with flavoring these.

For maximum enjoyment, eat them right out of the jar or sidled next to your favorite sandwich.

Other ideas:

Thank you toThe Castlein Marietta, Ohio, for hosting us for this photo shoot.

Aerial View: Garlic Cloves, Black Peppercorn, and Fresh Dill Added to Mason Jars for Fermented Pickle Recipe

Simply Recipes / Melanie Tienter

Dont use iodized table salt for this recipe, as it impedes fermentation.

Add the salt and stir until the salt is dissolved.

Let cool to room temperature.

Pickling Cucumbers Cut into Wedges on a Cutting Block Using a Knife for Fermented Pickles Recipe

Simply Recipes / Melanie Tienter

Tip

Boiling the brine ensures that all of the salt is dissolved.

To cool the brine to room temperature more rapidly, set the saucepan in an ice bath.

Trim any mushy or blemished spots from the cucumbers.

Cucumber Wedges Stuffed into Mason Jars for Fermented Pickles

Simply Recipes / Melanie Tienter

Quarter any larger cucumbers to make long spears.

Pack the cucumbers into the jar (or jars) standing upright.

Really cram the cucumbers in there.

Pickling Brine Funneled into Jars of Cucumbers for Fermented Pickles

Simply Recipes / Melanie Tienter

Pour the cooled brine into the jars.

The cucumbers should be totally submerged, ideally by 1 inch.

Screw on the lid and (for reference) label the jar with the date you started.

Jars of Pickles Labeled with Date

Simply Recipes / Melanie Tienter

After 24 hours, check on your pickles.

There may be very little change after 1 day, or there may be a lot.

This foam is a positive sign that fermentation is underway.

Aerial View: Jars of Fermented Pickles (Brine Looking Cloudy and Cucumbers Looking Less Green)

Simply Recipes / Melanie Tienter

Taste your pickles every day.

For a very mild, clean taste, 1 day might suit your needs.

I like mine after 3 to 4 days of fermentation.

Fermented Pickles on a Small Plate with More in Jars in the Background

Simply Recipes / Melanie Tienter

you’re able to go up to 7 days if you like your pickles quite sour and tangy.

If your finished pickles are too salty, its an easy fix.

I find the flavor and texture of the pickles improves after chilling in the refrigerator.

Once the pickles are fermented to your liking, refrigerate the jar for up to 1 month.

Dont be afraid to chop up the garlic cloves in the jar and use those, too.

Love pickles and want more?

Thats the good bacteria that fermented your previous batch, and it can jump-start your new batch.

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