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Cucumbers are lightly salted in a saucepan cold method

Cold-Method Half-Sour Pickles in a Pot

The tastiest, simplest, most appetizing, and most savory! Half-sour pickles made in a pot by the cold method come out very fragrant and crisp. They take just two days to brine. Currant, cherry, and time-honored oak leaves give these pickles a special charm.

UnicornSteak

Recipe author

Cucumbers are lightly salted in a saucepan cold method

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Cucumbers

500

Water (enough to cover the cucumbers)

400

Garlic (1 head)

Chili pepper

Salt

Dill (heads; I use 5)

Horseradish (leaves; I use 5 small ones)

Currant leaves (I use 10)

Cherry leaves (I use 10)

Oak leaves (I use 5 large leaves)

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 25 % 1 g

Fats 0 % 0 g

Carbohydrates 75 % 3 g

16 kcal

GI: 100 / 0 / 0

Cooking method

Step 1:

How do you make half-sour pickles in a pot by the cold method? Gather the ingredients. Choose firm, fresh, small cucumbers for pickling. Adjust the amount of pepper to your liking. If you add a whole pod, as in the recipe, the cucumbers come out noticeably spicy. Use herbs and leaves to taste or as available. Wash the cucumbers thoroughly. Trim the ends slightly on both sides.
Step 2:

Peel the head of garlic and separate the cloves. Wash the chili pepper and remove the seeds.
Step 3:

Slice the garlic into rings. Do the same with the chili pepper.
Step 4:

Wash the dill leaves and heads. Lay one-third of the greens on the bottom of the pot. Mine is a 1.5-liter steel one. You can use an enameled pot, but don't use aluminum - that metal oxidizes easily.
Step 5:

Put half the cucumbers on top. Add half the chopped garlic and chili pepper.
Step 6:

Cover with the second third of the greens.
Step 7:

Next comes the remaining half of the cucumbers, garlic, chili pepper, and the last third of the greens.
Step 8:

For the brine, pour water into a dry container and add a teaspoon of salt. Stir.
Step 9:

Pour the brine into the pot. The cucumbers should be completely covered with water.
Step 10:

Next, put the cucumbers under a weight in the fridge for two days. I use a plate of the right size and a jar of water. After that time, taste a cucumber. If it's already reached the flavor you want, drain the brine and serve. Enjoy!

My great-grandmother made half-sour pickles by this recipe too. Back then they used cellars and iceboxes instead of a fridge. My great-grandmother passed the recipe to my grandmother, who in turn passed it to my mother. Now I make half-sour pickles this way and no other. Sometimes there are so many cucumbers in season that you don't even want to look at them. But half-sour pickles always disappear in a flash. I try not to make huge batches at once. Instead I make half a kilo to a kilo. That makes it easier to keep up a genuine interest and appetite for half-sour pickles. After handling chili pepper, don't forget to wash your hands thoroughly with soap to avoid getting pepper in your eyes, on mucous membranes, or on work surfaces. I don't recommend leaving the cucumbers in the brine longer than two days - they can absorb too much salt.
For cooking, it's better to use neutral-tasting filtered or bottled water. If you use tap water, keep in mind it can give the dish an unpleasant off-taste.
Since everyone's tolerance for salt, sweetness, bitterness, heat, acidity, and spice is different, always add spices and seasonings to your own taste! If you're using a seasoning for the first time, keep in mind that some are especially easy to overdo (chili pepper, for example).
To make sure your summer harvest delights you all through the cold season, read the basic rules, secrets, and tips for putting up food for winter.