Sour Pickles are a fermented product, just as sauerkraut is. They can be made at home fairly easily. If you decide to do that you will no longer be dependent on a store to carry them but can make more anytime you want. They are quite easy to make. With the wonderful Farmer’s Market you have in Atlanta you should be able to get an ample supply of pickling cucumbers. Then, this is what you do:
NO FAIL SOUR PICKLES
Do not attempt to change the salt to water ratio in this recipe as the brine will not be successful.
1 cup Kosher salt to 1 gallon of water (you can also use pickling salt, but DO NOT use iodized salt – the iodine will ruin the pickles)
3 or 4 cloves garlic, cut in half
Wash and dry sufficient small cucumbers of the pickling variety to fill a gallon size jar. Add the herbs and spices to the top if you choose to use them. Mix up the salt water mixture well and pour it over the cucumbers, covering them totally. Cover the jar.
Let the jar stand 5 days to a week at room temperature. As they start to pickle, gases will form in the jar and the mixture will bubble over unless you open the jar daily and release these gases. The pickles will be 1/2 sour at this point and can be refrigerated. They will continue to get sour in the refrigerator and will keep well for about 2 months or more depending upon the firmness of the variety of pickling cucumbers that you have used.
You can add different herbs and spices to get the exact flavor you want, such as:
- 1 bay leaf, 1 tbsp. pickling spice, and 2 or 3 whole allspice
- Small hot peppers
- Mustard seed