Can you pickle store bought cucumbers?

Yep, every jar of store-bought pickles is also basically a do-it-yourself pickle kit. And if you're like me and are never quite motivated enough to embark on a full-on pickle-all-the-produce effort, this super-simple method of making pickles from leftover pickle brine might be your tipping point.

Can you use regular cucumbers to make pickles?

You can pickle any kind of cucumber, but because of the moisture content in slicing and English cucumbers, they will be more mushy but they will still taste great.

Can you ferment store-bought cucumbers?

Fermented cucumbers are healthy, while store-bought pickles made with vinegar, are not. The fermented version has live probiotic cultures in it while the pickle has none. The probiotics come mainly in the form of gut-healthy lactic acid bacteria which helps protect against harmful pathogens and nasty bacteria.

What is the difference between pickling cucumbers and regular cucumbers?

Pickling cucumbers are shorter and bigger around than slicing cucumbers. They are bred to have thinner skins and black spines so the pickled product will look better. Pickling varieties can be eaten fresh and slicing varieties can be pickled, but the differences can be discerned by the average consumer.

Can you use store-bought pickle juice to make pickles?

All you need are cucumbers and leftover store-bought pickle juice. Any brand works such as Vlasic of Claussen. You can also use any whether it is spicy, bread and butter, dill, or sweet. Whatever you like, save that pickle juice to reuse and make a small batch of quick refrigerator pickles.

Can you make a new pickle by putting a fresh cucumber in pickle juice?

Can you reuse Claussen pickle juice to make more pickles?

It's no surprise that the reused Claussen pickles were my kids' favorites. We often reuse pickle brine just by sticking sliced cucumbers straight into the leftover brine, but the Cook's Illustrated method of salting the cucumbers and boiling the brine infused far more flavor. We'll be making these again.

Can you pickle soft cucumbers?

Use small, firm cucumbers.

This is, hands-down, the most important! If you start with a big ol' soft cucumber, you'll end up with big ol' soft pickles. Always, always select the smallest, most firm cucumbers and leave the big soft ones out of the pickle jar.

Can you pickle all types of cucumbers?

Pretty much any type of cucumber can be used for pickling, but true “pickling” cucumbers are different than heirlooms, slicers, or Japanese cukes.

Why are my pickling cucumbers bitter?

The actual cause of bitterness in cucumbers and other gourds, like zucchini, is due to a compound known as cucurbitacin. This compound is always present in cucumbers, but the levels change based on the growing process of the vegetables. The higher the level of cucurbitacin, the more bitter the cucumber.

Are Claussen dill pickles fermented?

Description. Wonderfully CRUNCHY and super tasty pickles that are fermented so they have probiotics that provide so many health benefits.

Are grocery store pickles fermented?

Most store-bought, big-brand pickles are not fermented. Instead, these cucumbers are just marinated and stored in a vinegar (and spices) brine. This method of pickling is called fresh-pack. These types of pickles don't offer the same probiotic benefits that fermented pickles offer.

What do fermented cucumbers taste like?

Now, if you are a fan of really vinegary pickles, know that fermented pickles do not taste much like vinegar at all. Just like good old fashioned pickles, they are salty, garlic-y, somewhat tangy, crunchy, but not vinegary.

What kind of cucumbers can you pickle?

Pass over long, thin-skinned varieties, like English hothouse cucumbers. "I like to use medium-to-small-sized Kirby cukes," says Brad. The Kirby variety has a thicker skin that can stand up to the pickling liquid, and remains crunchy, with a good snap, long after it's been preserved.

How long does it take to turn a cucumber into a pickle?

Cucumbers can be fermented in a crock to produce genuine dill pickles. Fermenting genuine dill pickles takes 3 to 4 weeks at 70°F. The fermentation process allows bacteria to produce lactic acid, which preserves the cucumbers and produces the characteristic color and texture of genuine dills.

Why do you soak cucumbers in ice water before pickling?

The best way to do this, as we now know, is by soaking them. Soaking cucumbers before submerging them in the jars filled with their final pickling solution will ensure that your pickles have that extra crunch when the time comes to bite into them.

Can you use mini cucumbers for pickling?

The summer baby cucumbers are out; but with summer heat will turn them to giant cukes almost right before your eyes. These tiny cucumbers, about 2 to 4 inches long and very narrow, are the best for the simple method of cold pickling.

What kind of cucumbers does Claussen use?

If you use table salt, it's still safe, but you will have a cloudy jar of pickles with white sediment at the bottom. Use cucumbers that are of the knobby variety, grown specifically for pickling.

Are tasty green cucumbers good for pickling?

One of the greatest heirlooms for pickling, the Homemade Pickle variety is a vigorous bush that is very resistant to the usual diseases. With a bountiful harvest, this plant produces mild green cucumbers that small in size and taste delicious in pickles and other dishes.

Why are my homemade pickles not crunchy?

If the pickles are soft, they are spoiled from the yeast fermentation. Don't use them. Using too weak a salt brine or vinegar solution may cause soft or slippery pickles, as can using moldy garlic or storing the pickles at too warm a temperature. These pickles are spoiled and should be discarded.

How do you keep pickled cucumbers crispy?

Can you put raw cucumbers in pickle juice?

You want to start with clean, fresh veggies. Cucumbers are great, but so are green beans, cauliflower, carrots, radishes, turnips, beets or shredded cabbage.

Is pickle brine the same as pickle juice?

Is Pickle Juice the same as pickle brine? No. Whilst the base of both pickle brine and Pickle Juice is vinegar, that is where the similarity ends. Pickle brine contains sugar, protein and other nasty items which are not helpful for athletes.

Why are store bought pickles green?

Pickling cukes are a special small breed that you can find in many groceries in the summer, and I quarter them into spears. They will soak up the brine, remain bright green and crunchy, and taste just like store-bought for up to two weeks.