Pickled Cucumbers with Chili Ketchup

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make cucumbers with chili ketchup? Start by gathering all your ingredients. Use fresh, recently harvested cucumbers — small ones with bumpy skin are ideal for pickling. You'll want a spicy chili ketchup, but you can dial the heat up or down to suit your taste.

2. Step 2:

   

   If you're not sure how fresh your cucumbers are, soak them in ice water for 2–3 hours — this firms them right up.

3. Step 3:

   

   Sterilize the jars however you like. I pour a little water into each jar and microwave them for 5–7 minutes. You can also sterilize them in the oven at 210°F (100°C) for 10–15 minutes. Or set a spoon in each jar (so it won't crack), pour in a little boiling water, let it sit for 5 minutes, then pour the water out. Holding the jars over steam works too. Boil the lids for 5 minutes.

4. Step 4:

   

   Drop a few peeled garlic cloves into each jar — as many as you like.

5. Step 5:

   

   Add a few allspice berries or black peppercorns along with a bay leaf. This is the classic seasoning mix for pickling cucumbers, but feel free to throw in dill heads, horseradish leaves, cherry or currant leaves, chili pepper rings, tarragon — whatever you love in your pickles.

6. Step 6:

   

   Wash the cucumbers and pack them tightly into the jar. You can trim the ends if you like, but I don't — I cut them off right before serving.

7. Step 7:

   

   Bring water to a boil.

8. Step 8:

   

   Pour it over the cucumbers, cover with the lids, and let stand for about 10 minutes.

9. Step 9:

   

   Then pour the water from the jar back into a pot, return it to the heat, and add 2 tablespoons each of salt and sugar per quart (1 liter) of water.

10. Step 10:

    

    Stir in the chili ketchup.

11. Step 11:

    

    Pour in the vinegar. I use 6–9% vinegar. If all you have is vinegar essence, dilute it with water at a ratio of 1 to 8.

12. Step 12:

    

    Bring the marinade to a boil.

13. Step 13:

    

    And pour it over the cucumbers.

14. Step 14:

    

    Seal with screw-on lids, or process them shut with a canning lid.

15. Step 15:

    

    Turn the jars upside down, cover them, and leave them until completely cooled. No further sterilizing needed — these cucumbers keep beautifully at room temperature.

16. Step 16:

    

    Let the cucumbers cure for at least a month before digging in. Enjoy!