Choosing the best water: Secrets to perfect half-sour pickles

Half-sour pickles pair well with sandwiches, salads, and we often treat them as a small snack. We now make them practically all the time. To make them crispy and firm, it is worth paying attention to a few important rules. We all remember that the cucumbers themselves are very important. They should be fresh field cucumbers, without any damage. However, we often forget how crucial the water used for the brine is.

When cucumbers turn out too soft, spoil quickly, and are simply limp, it's often due to the water used for the brine. Tap water is often heavily chlorinated. Chlorine protects against the development of harmful bacteria but can also limit the production of lactic acid bacteria during fermentation. It is known that without them, half-sour and pickled cucumbers would not succeed. Therefore, it’s a good idea to boil the water for the brine and even additionally filter it. This will definitely facilitate fermentation. On the other hand, heavily chlorinated water makes fermentation significantly more difficult and affects how the cucumbers turn out. So, if tap water is heavily chlorinated, it’s better to use spring or bottled mineral water.

When preparing the brine for half-sour pickles, you must also be precise. The proportions of water and salt must be appropriate – one tablespoon of rock salt per litre of water. It is important that the water is boiled and cooled, which helps avoid fermentation that's too rapid and prevents cucumber softening.

A common mistake is pouring hot water over the cucumbers, which can lead to softening. Pour cooled water over them so the fermentation process proceeds at the right pace. Remember also to thoroughly wash and dry the cucumbers beforehand.