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Lacto-Fermented "Kosher" Dill Pickles made with Yellow Summer Squash

Ingredients

  • 5 Tbsp. sea salt
  • 2 quarts chlorine-free water
  • 4-6 grape, oak, or horseradish leaves
  • 6-9 cloves garlic peeled
  • 2 large heads dill
  • Spices: black peppercorns, red pepper flakes, mustard seeds, etc. (Secret ingredient: for an extra bite, add a few strips of fresh horseradish to the spice mix!) to taste
  • Enough pickling cucumbers to fill a ½-gallon jar

Instructions

  1. Make a brine by dissolving 5 tablespoons sea salt in 2 quarts of chlorine-free water. (Note: this recipe will possibly make more than what is needed, you may save extra brine to be used in future ferments.)
  2. In a half-gallon jar add a couple of the tannin-containing leaves, a few cloves of garlic, the heads of dill, and ⅓ of the spices.
  3. Pack half of the cucumbers tightly on top of the spices. (The longest ones work best at the bottom.)
  4. Repeat a layer of leaves, garlic, and spices. Add another tightly packed layer of cucumbers and top them off with more garlic and spices.
  5. Pour the brine over the pickles, leaving 1-2 inches of headspace. Placeanother tannin-containing leaf on top of the pickles as a cover between the pickles and the surface of the brine. Use a fermentation weight to keep the pickles under the liquid, if necessary. Cover the jar with a tight lid, airlock lid, or coffee filter secured with a rubber band.
  6. Ferment at room temperature (60-70°F is preferred) until desired flavor and texture are achieved. If using a tight lid, burp daily to release excess pressure. The brine should turn cloudy and bubbly, and the pickles should taste sour when done.
  7. Eat right away, or store in a refrigerator or root cellar for months and enjoy them all winter long.