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Half Sour Pickle Recipe

Crisp, tangy half sour pickles fermented in just 3–5 days with garlic, dill, and pickling spices for a restaurant-quality crunch.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 8 pickles
Course: Condiment or Appetizer
Cuisine: American, Jewish Deli Style
Calories: 8
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • Pickling cucumbers Kirby or similar: about 2 pounds, or enough to fill your jar
  • 2 cups water
  • 3 tablespoons sea salt or kosher salt
  • 4 to 5 fresh garlic cloves peeled and halved
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh dill or 1 tablespoon dried dill
  • 1 tablespoon pickling spices mustard seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
  • Small piece horseradish root optional, about the size of a grape, sliced thin
  • 1 bay leaf optional

Equipment

  • Quart-sized glass jar
  • Cutting board
  • Sharp knife
  • Measuring spoons
  • Measuring cups
  • Small saucepan
  • Slotted spoon or tongs
  • Cheesecloth or paper towel (optional)

Method
 

  1. Wash the cucumbers under cold running water and trim off the blossom ends.
  2. Rinse and prepare a clean quart-sized glass jar and arrange garlic, dill, spices, and horseradish at the bottom.
  3. In a small saucepan, combine 2 cups water and 3 tablespoons salt; heat over medium heat, stirring until salt dissolves (about 2 to 3 minutes), then let the brine cool to room temperature (about 10 minutes).
  4. Pack the cucumbers upright into the jar, leaving about 1 inch headspace at the top.
  5. Add remaining garlic, dill, spices, and horseradish on top of the cucumbers.
  6. Pour the cooled brine over the cucumbers until fully submerged.
  7. Seal the jar with a lid or cover with cheesecloth and secure with a rubber band. Ferment at room temperature away from direct sunlight for 3 to 5 days, tasting from day 2.
  8. Once pickles reach desired sourness (typically days 3–5), seal the jar and transfer it to the refrigerator to halt fermentation.

Notes

Store pickles in their brine in the refrigerator for up to two months; flavor deepens over time.