Crisp Sweet and Sour Cucumber Pickles with Boiled Brine
A crisp, sweet, and tangy cucumber pickle side dish made by pouring hot vinegar brine over fresh vegetables.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
These pickles bring out a subtle aroma with cloves and bay leaves, balanced with a sweet and sour flavor. Pouring the boiled pickling liquid directly over the vegetables, then boiling only the liquid again after two days to cool and pour back in, enhances the crisp texture even more. They are perfect alongside pizza and noodle dishes, as well as a side dish for meat.
- Servings
- about 6–8 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
- Cucumber4
- Onion1/2
- Carrot1/2
- Water2 cups
- Vinegar1 cup
- Salt1/4 cup
- Sugar1 cup
- Bay leaves3 leaves
- Cloves10
- Whole black peppercorns10
- Coarse sea salt1/4 cup
- Hold coarse sea salt in your hand and rub the cucumbers as you rotate them to remove pesticide residues and prickles.
Steps
I prepared 4 cucumbers. First, hold coarse sea salt in your hand and rub the cucumbers while rotating them
to remove any pesticide residues and surface prickles.
Glass containers are best for making pickles, so I prepared small glass jars.
You must sterilize the jars with hot water.
Cut the cucumbers into 3 pieces each, thickly slice the onion, and cut the carrot into similar-sized pieces.
Pack these ingredients neatly into the sterilized glass jar.
Pour 2 cups of water into a pot, add 1 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of salt, and bring to a boil together.
Add 1 cup of vinegar to the boiling water and bring it to a boil once more.
Pour the boiling vinegar brine directly into the jar.
At the end, add the cloves and bay leaves together (add the whole black peppercorns as well).
Seal it tightly with plastic wrap and close the lid.
Leave it at room temperature like this for 2 days, then strain out the solids, boil only the liquid
separately, let it cool completely this time, and pour it back into the jar.
This is done to preserve the crisp texture of the cucumbers.
From this point on, store it in the refrigerator and enjoy whenever you like.
Ppunwife's tips
- Leaving the jar at room temperature for 2 days, then straining out the solids, boiling only the liquid separately, cooling it completely, and pouring it back in helps maintain the crisp texture of the cucumbers.
FAQ
Why do you use coarse sea salt when washing cucumbers?
Rubbing cucumbers with coarse sea salt as you rotate them neatly cleans away surface prickles and foreign residues.
Do you pour the vinegar brine right after boiling it?
When preparing them the first time, pour the hot vinegar brine boiled in the pot directly into the sterilized jar.
Is there a trick to keeping them even crispier?
After letting them mature at room temperature for two days, pour out only the liquid to boil once, let it cool completely, and pour it back into the jar before refrigerating to keep them delightfully crisp.
Are spices like bay leaves and cloves essential? AI-generated
They are used for distinctive flavor, but if they are hard to find, you can substitute general pickling spice or simply omit them when making the recipe.
