How to avoid common pitfalls when pickling cucumbers
Although pickling cucumbers seems simple, minor oversights can significantly affect their quality. What mistakes should be avoided? What should you do when the cucumbers are cloudy and fizzy?
3 September 2024 16:02
Pickled cucumbers. They are crunchy, sour, and full of flavour, making them a great addition to many dishes. However, their preparation is not without pitfalls. One wrong move can make the pickles cloudy and fizzy. Here are the most common mistakes and tips on how to avoid them.
Why are pickled cucumbers cloudy and fizzy?
Before you conclude something is wrong with your pickles, make sure you have a reason to worry. Both fizzy cucumbers and cucumbers in a cloudy brine do not necessarily mean that the pickle is spoiled. Both occur as a result of fermentation, which also confirms that the fermentation process (most likely) went correctly.
However, if the cloudiness is significant and the fizzing is intense, the fermentation might not have gone correctly. One of the best ways to verify the quality of the pickle is the smell test. Healthy cucumbers have a characteristic, slightly sour smell, while an unpleasant, rotten, or other unusual aroma indicates that the cucumbers may be spoiled. In such a case, it is best to throw them away to avoid poisoning.
What mistakes to avoid when pickling cucumbers?
One of the mistakes is... excess. Simply put, the more cucumbers in the jar, the less space there is for gases to flow freely during fermentation. Yes, we pack cucumbers tightly for pickling, but not so tightly that there aren't any open spaces in the jar. The point is to ensure no cucumber floats to the surface – if any does, it is almost certain that it will spoil, along with the entire pickle batch. Make sure that the vegetables are completely submerged in the brine. This is a necessary condition. The brine should not reach the jar's rim but slightly lower.
A mishap can be guaranteed by using the wrong type of salt. It may seem trivial, but this could be the issue with poorly pickled cucumbers. Do not experiment and use traditional, non-iodised rock salt for pickling cucumbers. Avoid regular iodised salt and especially any salt with additives.
Improper storage conditions of finished pickles and inadequate cleaning of jars can be problematic. In the latter case, dirt and bacteria remnants can lead to mould development, and in the former, too high a temperature or its fluctuations can disrupt the fermentation process. Remember to store jars in a cool and dark place.
