Fermenting or pickling cucumbers? A beginner's guide including recipes

It's pickle season! And with it, the same question arises every year: Should I ferment or pickle my cucumbers? What's actually the difference? Why does one become probiotic and the other sweet and sour? And what should you do if the jar suddenly foams or gets mushy?

If you're just starting with fermentation, this blog post is for you: We'll explain the basics, show you two simple recipes – and give you all the tips to combat mushy cucumbers. You don't need high-tech equipment: With a favorite jar, a glass weight, and a suitable fermentation lid, you can get started right away. Our fermentation sets include everything you need to start.

Although both methods aim to preserve vegetables, they are fundamentally different in their effects:

Fermenting: Living Microbial Power

• Base: Brine (water + salt)

• No heat, no vinegar – instead: natural lactic acid fermentation

• Lactic acid bacteria, naturally present on the vegetables, convert sugar into lactic acid

• Result: probiotic, good for the gut, complex flavor

For fermentation, you need an airtight jar, a weight to hold down the vegetables, and ideally a fermentation lid to release gases without letting oxygen in.

Pickling in vinegar: A classic from the pantry

• Base: Vinegar, sugar, spices

• No microbial life – the vinegar preserves due to its pH value

• Taste is rather sweet and sour

• Result: similar to supermarket pickles – but not probiotic

In short: Fermentation is alive, pickling is stable. Both methods have their place – you should know when to use which.

Cucumbers are considered a bit of a challenge in the world of fermentation – and for good reason:

• They consist of over 95% water

• The high water content can lead to slime, cloudiness, or mushiness if there's too little salt or the temperature is too warm

• The wrong cucumber variety or unremoved enzymes (blossom end!) can disrupt the process

But don't worry: With a few tricks, you're guaranteed to get crispy, fermented cucumbers – promised.

Fermented Cucumbers in Brine

Ingredients

For 1 jar (Ripple Mason Jar 0.6L):

• 2–3 small pickling or snack cucumbers

• 300 ml water

• 9 g salt (3% – see salt calculator)

• 2 sprigs fresh dill

• 0.5 tsp mustard seeds

• Optional: 1 clove of garlic

Here's how:

• Wash cucumbers, soak in cold water for 2 hours → ensures more crunch

• Remove blossom end – enzymes that soften the cucumber are located there

• Dissolve salt completely in water

• Place cucumbers and spices in a jar and pour brine over them

• Important: Everything must be completely covered with liquid → weigh down with a glass weight

• Close jar with fermentation lid or loose screw cap

• Ferment for 5–10 days at 15–18 °C

• Then store in a cool place (refrigerator or cool cellar)

Tips for checking:

• Water cloudy? → No problem, that indicates activity

• White film? → Kahm yeast, harmless, simply skim off

• Black mold? → Discard the jar

Asian Cucumbers (not fermented)

Ingredients

• 2 small snack cucumbers

• 1 tsp salt

• 3 tbsp soy sauce

• 3 tbsp sugar

• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 2 cloves garlic

• 0.5 tsp chili (dried or fresh)

Instructions:

• Cut cucumbers into pieces, sprinkle with salt, and let sit for 30 minutes
• Drain, squeeze out liquid
• Mix remaining ingredients, pour over cucumbers
• Let marinate in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours
• Keeps for approx. 3 days in the refrigerator
• Taste: Sweet and sour, spicy, intense. Perfect with rice, bowls, or tofu.

Fermenting cucumbers is easy – if you know what's important

Fermenting isn't an exact science, but a process of experience. And most importantly: a path to more self-sufficiency, less waste, and better health. Whether you choose probiotic fermentation or quick pickling – you'll make the most of cucumber season.

Key tips summarized:

• Choose the right cucumber: small, firm, without blossom end

• Pay attention to salt content: 3% – preferably a little more than too little

• Ferment anaerobically: use a lid with a valve or an airlock

• Cloudiness and white film are okay – slime and mold are not

• Store cool and dark (after fermentation)