Romanian Pickled Cucumbers in Brine
This is my Romanian pickled cucumbers in brine recipe. I make it every year, to last me for the entire winter.
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.