Pickles are such a big part of the Romanian cuisine. For me, there is no main meal that can’t be accompanied by some sort of pickle. Even when I eat soups, I like to have a pickled green chili on the side. But from all the pickles out there, my favourite has to be the Romanian pickled cucumbers in brine. I love taking a bite from a crisp pickle and letting it hit my taste buds with its tangy, sour flavour. It’s the perfect accompaniment for stews and meat dishes as it gives that extra fresh taste to balance the flavours. Not to mention texture.
So, in this post, I want to share with you my Romanian pickled cucumbers in brine recipe. I make it every year, to last me for the entire winter.
The Ingredients for the Romanian Pickled Cucumbers in Brine
The main ingredient for this recipe is the humble cucumber. I usually pickle about 3 kilograms of cucumbers. For the brine, you will need coarse salt without iodine, bay leaves, peppercorn, and mustard seeds. You will also need dried dill, which is woody and still has its leaves on. You can find it at the Romanian shops. You can also use dried thyme. This year I used both, as my thyme bush dried out over the summer because of the heat, whilst I was away on holiday, so I cut it and kept it specifically for pickling.
You will also need a few cloves of garlic, carrots, and horseradish root. The role of the horseradish root is to keep the cucumber hard and crunchy whilst they pickle. If you don’t put in any horseradish root, you risk the pickles becoming soft.
Which Are the Best Cucumbers to Pickle?
The native cucumber in Romania is quite short, 7-10 cm in length, ticker, and has a bumpy texture. I usually buy the cucumbers either from the farmer’s market or the Turkish shop. I try to pick the freshest cucumbers I can find, the ones that still have their flowers attached to the end, and are quite spiky. This is because older cucumbers, once pickled, will be empty in the middle.
How to Sterilize the Jars
Ensuring your jars are super clean is super important; otherwise, nasty mold and yucky bacteria can ruin your whole batch of pickles. But don’t worry, sterilising jars is actually a simple process. There are a few ways to do it, but I’ll share the one that’s foolproof for me.
Start by giving the jars a good wash with warm, soapy water. Then, line them up on a tray and pop the whole tray into the cold oven. Turn the oven on to 135 degrees Celsius and let them sit in there for about 10-15 minutes, or until any water droplets on the jars have completely dried up.
Now, take them out of the oven and let them cool for a bit until they’re just warm to the touch. For an extra layer of safety, I leave them in a metal tray and slip a stainless steel knife under each jar to help them handle the temperature change.
When you’re ready to fill the jars with your hot liquid, do it slowly and gradually, using a ladle. Avoid pouring the boiling liquid directly into the jars to prevent any mishaps.
How To Pickle Cucumbers in Brine
This Romanian pickled cucumbers in brine recipe is very easy. You will first need to wash the cucumbers well and leave them in water for a couple of hours, to soften up a little bit. Then, drain the water and pat them dry.
Meanwhile, sterilise the jars as explained above. Whilst the jars are in the oven, boil a pot of 3L of water together with the salt, peppercorns, mustard seeds, and bay leaves. When the water is boiling, turn the heat off and let the liquid cool down for 10 minutes, before filling the jars.
Usually, the amount of water you will need depends on the capacity of the jars you are using. For example, if the total capacity of the jars is 6L, you will need approximately 3L of water.
When the jars are sterilised and have cooled down for a bit, it’s time to fill them with cucumbers. Start by adding the dried dill or thyme at the bottom of the jars, alongside a few pieces of horseradish root. Then, add the cucumbers standing up, as tight as possible. Where you have empty spaces, add carrot spices and garlic cloves. When the jar is packed with cucumbers, add more dried dill, as well as two pieces of horseradish root in a cross, to prevent the pickles from rising.
Then, start adding the brine, slowly, one ladle at a time. Once you filled the jars to the brim, put the lids on and store them in your pantry or a cool place. The pickles should be ready in two to three weeks, depending on the temperature. If it’s cold, it can take longer for the cucumbers to pickle.
Notes and Tips:
- In Romania, pickled cucumbers are usually prepared in late autumn. The pantries are usually in the basement of buildings, where the temperature is quite low, so it takes a good few weeks for the pickles to be ready.
- Don’t worry if, after a couple of days, the brine starts to look cloudy. It will clear by itself in the next week or so.
Romanian Pickled Cucumbers in Brine
Ingredients
- 3 kg cucumbers
- 70 gr pickling salt coarse, without iodine
- 2 horseradish roots cut lengthwise
- 2 carrots sliced or cut lengthwise
- 4-5 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp mustard seeds
- 1 tbsp peppercorns
- 1 bunch dried dill
- 1 bunch dried thyme optional
Instructions
- Wash the cucumbers well and leave them in water for a couple of hours.
- Drain the water and pat the cucumbers dry with a kitchen towel.
- Meanwhile, sterilise the jars.
- Sterilise the jars by washing them with water and dishwashing liquid, then add to the cold oven and heat for around 10 minutes at 135 degrees Celsius. Don’t forget the lids as well.
- Then take them out of the oven, and put them in a metal tray, letting them cool down for five minutes or so.
- Add a stainless steel knife under each jar, to prevent them from cracking when you add the hot liquid in.
- Add the salt, peppercorns, mustard seeds and bay leaves to 3L of water and bring to boil.
- Turn the heat off and let the liquid cool down for 10 minutes.
- Start filling the jars with the cucumbers. At the bottom of the jars add the dried dill or thyme, alongside a few slices of horseradish root.
- Add the cucumbers, standing, very tight together. Place the slices of carrots in between, where you have empty spaces.
- Add two garlic cloves to each jar.
- At the top, add more dried dill and two pieces of horseradish root in an X, to prevent the cucumbers from rising to the surface once you pour the brine.
- Pour the brine over the cucumbers, slowly, with a ladle, until you reach the brim.
- Seal the jars with their lids and store them in your pantry or a cool and dark place.
- The cucumbers will be ready in 2-3 weeks, depending on how cold your pantry is.
FAQ:
How to store the Romanian pickled cucumbers in brine?
You can store the Romanian pickles in your pantry until you open them. Once you open the jar, move it to the fridge and consume in a maximum of two weeks. Make sure that the brine covers the pickles.
How long do the Romanian pickled cucumbers in brine last?
The Romanian pickles can last up to two years if stored correctly, in sealed jars, at a maximum temperature of 15 degrees Celsius, away from the rays of the sun.
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