Pickled cucumbers are highly popular in the
United States and are a
delicacy in
northern and
eastern Europe. Pickled cucumbers are flavored differently in different regions of the world. The salt concentration in the brine can vary between . Vinegar is not needed in the brine of naturally fermented pickled cucumbers. The fermentation process depends on the
Lactobacillus bacteria that naturally occur on the skin of a growing cucumber. These may be removed during commercial harvesting and packing processes. Bacteria cultures can be reintroduced to the vegetables by adding already fermented foods such as
yogurt or other
fermented milk products, pieces of
sourdough bread, or
pickled vegetables such as
sauerkraut. '' pickled cucumbers being sold as
street food Typically, small cucumbers are placed in a glass or ceramic vessel or a wooden barrel, together with various spices. Among those traditionally used in many recipes are
garlic,
horseradish, the whole
dill stems with umbels and green seeds, white
mustard seeds,
grape,
oak,
cherry,
blackcurrant and
bay laurel leaves, dried allspice fruits, and—most importantly—
salt. The container is then filled with cooled, boiled water and kept under a non-airtight cover (often cloth tied on with string or a rubber band) for several weeks, depending on taste and external temperature. Traditionally, stones (also sterilized by boiling) are placed on top of the cucumbers to keep them under the water. The cucumber's sourness depends on the amount of salt added (saltier cucumbers tend to be sourer). Since brined pickles are produced without vinegar, a film of bacteria forms on top of the brine. This does not indicate that the pickles have spoiled, and the film may be removed. They do not keep as long as cucumbers that are pickled with vinegar and usually must be refrigerated. Some commercial manufacturers add vinegar as a preservative.
Bread-and-butter Bread-and-butter pickles are a marinated variety of pickled cucumber in a solution of vinegar, sugar, and spices. They may be chilled as refrigerator pickles or canned. Their name and broad popularity in the United States are to Omar and Cora Fanning, Illinois cucumber farmers who started selling sweet and sour pickles in the 1920s. They filed for the trademark "Fanning's Bread and Butter Pickles" in 1923 (though the recipe and similar recipes are probably much older). The story to the name is that the Fannings survived rough years by making the pickles with their surplus of undersized cucumbers and
bartering them with their grocer for staples such as bread and butter. Their taste is often much sweeter than other types of pickle, due to the sweeter brine they are marinated in, but they differ from sweet pickles in that they are spiced with cilantro and other spices.
Gherkin Gherkins are small cucumbers, typically those in length, often with bumpy skin, which are typically used for pickling. The word
gherkin comes from early modern
Dutch gurken or
augurken, 'small pickled cucumber'. Cornichons, or baby pickles, are tart
French pickles made from gherkins pickled in vinegar and
tarragon. They traditionally accompany
pâtés and
cold cuts. Sweet gherkins, which contain sugar in the pickling brine, are also a popular variety. The term
gherkin is also used in the name
West Indian gherkin for
Cucumis anguria, a closely related species. West Indian gherkins are also sometimes used as pickles.
Kosher dill A "kosher" dill pickle is not necessarily
kosher in the sense that it has been prepared in accordance with
Jewish dietary law. Instead, it is a pickle made in the traditional manner of Jewish New York City pickle makers, with a generous addition of
garlic and
dill to natural
salt brine. In New York terminology, a "full-sour" kosher dill is fully fermented, while a "half-sour", given a shorter stay in the brine, is still crisp and bright green. Dill pickles, whether or not described as "kosher", have been served in New York City since at least 1899.
Hungarian In Hungary, while regular vinegar-pickled cucumbers ( ) are made during most of the year, during the summer
kovászos uborka ("leavened pickles") are made without the use of vinegar. Cucumbers are placed in a glass vessel along with spices (usually dill and garlic), water, and salt. Additionally, a slice or two of bread are placed at the top and bottom of the solution, and the container is left to sit in the sun for a few days so the yeast in the bread can help cause a fermentation process.
Polish and German The
Polish- or
German-style pickled cucumber ( or ; ) was developed in the northern parts of central and eastern
Europe. It has been exported worldwide and is found in the cuisines of many countries, including the United States, where immigrants introduced it. It is sour, similar to the kosher dill, but tends to be seasoned differently. Traditionally, pickles were preserved in wooden barrels but are now sold in glass jars. A cucumber only pickled for a few days is different in taste (less sour) than one pickled for a longer time and is called
ogórek małosolny, which means "low-salt cucumber". This distinction is similar to the one between half- and full-sour types of kosher dills (see above). There are two types of cucumbers in Poland: • Ogórek kiszony are pickled exclusively in a brine containing
lactic acid bacteria (in salted water, without vinegar). •
Ogórek konserwowy (also called
korniszon)(preserved cucumber) are pickled in a vinegar brine.
Lime Lime pickles are soaked in
pickling lime (not to be confused with the
citrus fruit) rather than in a salt brine. This is done more to enhance texture (by making them crisper) rather than as a preservative. The lime is then rinsed off the pickles. Vinegar and sugar are often added after the 24-hour soak in lime, along with
pickling spices. If the rinse is incomplete, the acids will end up too weak to preserve the vegetable, compromising food safety.
Kool-Aid pickles Kool-Aid pickles, or "koolickles", enjoyed by children in parts of the Southern United States, are created by soaking dill pickles in a mixture of powdered
Kool-Aid and pickle brine.
Southern Living reported that fruit punch and cherry Kool-Aid were the most popular flavors for pickling. The flesh of Kool-Aid pickles typically takes on a pink color. ==Nutrition==