Bold, tangy, and irresistibly spicy. These fermented cucumbers are the perfect balance between sour and spice. They deliver big on flavor and gut support. You can snack on them straight from the jar or add them to your next back yard BBQ – either way they’ll have you hooked after just one bite!

Selecting The Right Cucumbers

Let’s be honest, as with almost every homemade meal, snack, or dish, the best results always come from using the highest quality ingredients. And quality is everything when it comes to fermentation.

To chose the highest quality cucumber, you first want to look for the best variety – one low in water content that won’t go soggy easily. Stick with 1 of these 3 cucumbers to start:

Persian: I like these the most! They usually come in plastic wrap packs of 5 in the grocery store. They’re smaller making them perfect for smaller fermented batches.
English (hothouse): They’re long, slender, and usually seedless. You’ll see these individually wrapped in plastic
Gherkins: I have not tried these yet, but based on there small size and firm texture they could make for a crunchier, snack sized option!

Avoid Slicing Cucumbers if possible as they are usually wax coated and contain way too much water! They’re the long, dark green, girthy cucumbers that are typically used in salads or on sandwiches.

Once you have chosen a variety, now you need to find the best of the best. Use these tips for selecting a good quality cucumber. Look for cucumbers that are,

Firm and well hydrated – not limp or easily bendable

Predominantly Green – a little yellow streaking is normal

Clear of mold – avoid squishy cucumbers as they are closer to molding

Slender – wider cucumbers will have more water content

*Note: Store bought cucumbers will work well for fermentation, but I do recommend using organic, farm fresh, or home grown cucumbers as they are more likely to ferment successfully.

Preventing Soggy Fermented Cucumbers

There are 3 things you can do to maintain the crunch of these spicy fermented cucumbers to keep them free from suffering a soggy fate!

Remove stems and butts: Before fermenting its best to slice off both ends of the cucumbers. These ends contain enzymes that accelerate the process of breaking down the structure of the cucumbers.
Prepare a properly salted brine: Salt can easily draw out moisture and slow down enzymatic activity to prevent mushy, water clogged cucumbers. For this spicy fermented cucumber recipe we’ll be using 3.5% salt by weight to keep them firm and snappy.
Include tannins: Grape leaves, bay leaves, and teas are excellent sources for tannins which can retain the crunch. Luckily for us well be including bay leaves for added crunchy support!

The Best Salt to Use

Salt is a big proponent in this recipe, and there are so many options to choose from that it can seem overwhelming. While almost any salt will really get the job done, there are some that will be more beneficial for fermentation due to the trace minerals they carry. These minerals can encourage more beneficial microbes to thrive.

In this recipe I use Himalayan Pink Salt, but others like sea salt or celtic salt will work just as well.

Fermentation Stages

This lacto-fermented recipe will go through 3 stages taking around 2 weeks to complete – depending on the temperature. Optimal lacto-fermentation temperature is generally between 70F and 75F according to the USDA NIFA. Warmer temps will quicken fermentation and colder temps will slow it down.

Stage 1 – Initial salt brine: At this time everything is fully submerged in salt brine and harmful bacteria are still present, but they will quickly die off from the salt conditions. This stage happens within the first 1-3 days and you will begin to see trace amounts of bubbles. If you leave your lid tightened it’s best to burp your jar everyday until fermentation is completed.

Stage 2 – LAB Fermentation: This stage occurs around days 3-7. Most if not all harmful bacteria have died off in this stage, and the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) production starts to ramp up. You’ll start to see more bubbles and a cloudy brine forming. But don’t panic – cloudy brine is completely normal. It’s a sign that there is an increase in LAB and the fermentation process is working! At this time you’ll also notice your cucumbers are changing from a bright green to a dirty olive.

Stage 3 – Preservation: Between days 7-14 bubbles will start to slow, the brine will become even cloudier, and the LAB will thrive. By day 14 you can finally enjoy the spicy fermented cucumbers! You can always let them sit longer for a richer flavor, or you can store them in the fridge for long term storage!

Spicy Fermented Cucumbers

Prep time

minutes

Resting Time

days

Bold, tangy, and irresistibly spicy. These fermented cucumbers are the perfect balance between sour and spice. They deliver big on flavor and gut support. Enjoy them as a snack or add them at your next BBQ - either way they'll have you hooked after just one bite!

Ingredients

200g cucumber
150g water
12.5g salt
2 bay leaves
2g black pepper corn
2 garlic cloves sliced
pinch of red pepper flakes (more or less depending on desired spice level)
Equipment you will need
16 oz wide mouth glass mason jar
rust proof wide mouth lid
wide mouth fermentation weights
kitchen scale

Directions

Rinse the cucumbers in cold water and clean to remove any dirt and debris. Thoroughly clean and sanitize your equipment.
Using either of the recommended cucumbers, slice off both ends and cut into halves, spears or chips.
Tare the weight of the jar on a kitchen scale and add all the ingredients.
Seal the jar and shake vigorously until the salt is dissolved. (roughly 1-2 min)
Remove the lid, add the fermentation weight - ensuring everything is fully submerged in the brine - and seal closed. You can seal air tight or loosely to allow pressure relief.
Keep your jar out of direct sunlight and between 70F-75F. If your jar is air tight you will need to burp the jar.
After fermentation is complete you can now enjoy your spicy fermented cucumbers!

Notes

Use your best judgement when it comes to smell. If your fermented spicy cucumbers smell unpleasant they are no good and you should toss them. They should smell pleasantly sour, similar to a jar of pickles.
For long term storage, store in the fridge after complete fermentation.