Crispy Cucumber Pickles with Boiled Brine
A homemade cucumber pickles side dish made with hot boiled brine poured directly over cucumbers to keep them crispy.
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 →
This pickled dish is made by immediately pouring boiling brine over firm white cucumbers, creating a crisp bite with a crunchy interior. Adding Cheongyang chili peppers cuts through greasiness, making it a great pairing for Western meals or meat dishes.
- Servings
- about 5–6 servings
- Cook time
- 1 minprep not included
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- White cucumber3
- Onion1/2
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)2
Pickling brine
- Pickling spice1/2 tbsp
- Salt1 tbsp
- Sugar1/3 cup
- Vinegar1/2 cup
- Water2 cups
- Firm white cucumbers are best for pickles.
- If you do not have pickling spice, you can boil bay leaves and whole black peppercorns instead.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
Firm white cucumbers are best for pickles.
Prepare 1/2 onion and 2 Cheongyang chili peppers to add a light kick of heat to the cucumber pickles.
Prepare 1/2 tbsp pickling spice.
If you do not have pickling spice, you can boil bay leaves and whole black peppercorns instead.
Slice the ingredients
Wash the cucumbers under running water while rubbing them with your hands, then dry off the moisture.
Trim off both ends and slice them not too thinly so they retain a nice bite. Slicing them to 0.7 cm is just right.
Thickly slice the onion and Cheongyang chili peppers.
Place them into a heat-safe container that can hold hot brine, and mix evenly.
Boil the pickling brine
In a pot, combine 1/2 tbsp pickling spice, 1 tbsp salt, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/2 cup vinegar, and 2 cups water. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely and bring to a rolling boil.
Boil for just 1 minute once the pickling aroma begins to rise.
Pour the brine
Pour the boiled brine directly over the ingredients.
Pouring it while boiling hot gives you pickles that are crisp on the outside and crunchy on the inside.
Mix evenly, then let cool.
Let them cure at room temperature for at least 3 hours, transfer to a glass container, and chill in the refrigerator before serving.
I added 2 bay leaves at the very end to enhance the aroma.
Finish
The secret to the crisp texture that is essential for cucumber pickles is pouring the rolling-boil pickling brine directly over them.
I made these not overly sweet or sour, but you can adjust the amount of sugar or vinegar to your taste.
If you make pickles with 3 cucumbers, you can finish them all without having to reboil the brine halfway through.
Ppunwife's tips
- The secret to the crisp texture that is essential for cucumber pickles is pouring the rolling-boil pickling brine directly over them.
- Pouring it while boiling hot gives you pickles that are crisp on the outside and crunchy on the inside.
- I made these not overly sweet or sour, but you can adjust the amount of sugar or vinegar to your taste.
- If you omit the peppers, children who cannot eat kimchi will enjoy these as a side dish.
FAQ
How can I substitute pickling spice if I don't have it?
You can boil bay leaves and whole black peppercorns instead of pickling spice.
What is the secret to keeping the cucumbers crispy?
Pouring the hot, rolling-boil pickling brine directly over the sliced cucumbers keeps their texture crisp.
How should I make this if children are eating it?
Leave out the Cheongyang chili pepper so it has no spicy heat, and children can enjoy it as a side dish.
How can I use the finished pickles?
You can squeeze out the moisture to add them into sandwiches, or finely mince them to make dipping sauces for fried dishes.
