Although most cucumbers can be delicious lacto-fermented it’s best to use cucumbers with thin skins, otherwise, peeling them may be necessary. Overripe cucumbers should also be emptied of their seeds. Cut off the part where the flower was attached, as enzymes from that area can cause it to become soft. In these recipes, I’ve used different brine concentrations, but generally, with cucumbers, it’s fine to use a brine that is between 3.5% – 6% salt, resulting in approximately 1.5% – 3% salt in the final product after the cucumbers have absorbed salt through osmosis. Using less salt than that increases the chance of the cucumbers becoming soft. More salt results in a sour and crispy pickle, while less salt yields a milder and softer pickle.

Turmeric gherkin pickle

An absolute favorit – beautiful, nutritious and delicious

13 liters of pickling cucumbers – I prefer white or yellow cucumbers like Crystal Apple, Miniature White, or Arboga Vit as they take on a beautiful color from the turmeric. Cut off the ends and chop them into large wedges.
500g fresh red bell peppers, roughly chopped
5 medium-sized onions, sliced
4 heads of garlic, peeled, whole cloves
200g fresh turmeric
30g ground turmeric
15g whole black peppercorns
Optional: ginger and chili
Brine with 5% salt (50g salt per liter of water). Boil the water and let it cool down if it contains chlorine (generally not needed in Sweden). Use salt without iodine if you have it.

Layer the cucumbers with the spices, place a weight or plate on top to keep everything submerged. Pour the brine over until everything is covered, then put on the lid and airlock. Let it sit at room temperature for 2-3 days, then move it to a cool place. It’s ready to be jarred and consumed after two weeks. The turmeric cucumber pickles are best consumed within five months. After that, they may become softer, but they’re still fine to eat.

Salt pickles (fermented of course)

• 13 liters of pickling cucumbers – they can be small and whole or large and sliced or chopped. Cut off the ends.
• 2 medium-sized onions, sliced
• 2 heads of garlic, peeled, whole cloves
• A bunch of flowering dill
• 15g mustard seeds Brine with 6% salt (60g salt per liter of water). Boil the water and let it cool down if it contains chlorine (generally not needed in Sweden). Use salt without iodine.

Layer the cucumbers with the spices, place a weight or plate on top to keep everything submerged. Pour the brine over until everything is covered, then put on the lid. Let it sit at room temperature for 2-4 days, then move it to a cool place. It’s ready to be jarred and consumed after two weeks. The salt pickles are best up to five months in the refrigerator. After that, they may become softer, but they’re still good to eat.

Herby gherkins

13 liters of pickling cucumbers – they can be small and whole or large and sliced or chopped. Cut off the ends. 2 medium-sized onions, sliced 2 heads of garlic, peeled, whole cloves Mix herbs like parsley, thyme, oregano, Mexican/Russian/French tarragon, or dill leaves. 15g whole black peppercorns Brine with 4% salt (40g salt per liter of water). Boil the water and let it cool down if it contains chlorine (generally not needed in Sweden). Use salt without iodine if you have it.

Mix the cucumbers with the seasoning, place a weight or plate on top so that nothing floats to the surface. Pour the brine over it to cover everything, put on a lid and an airlock. Let it stand at room temperature for 2-4 days, and then it should be kept cool. Ready to be jarred and consumed after two weeks. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five months, after which it may become softer but still good to eat.