🥒 These Aren’t Your Average Pickles

Over 6 million views later, one thing’s clear: these fermented cucumber pickles hit differently. There’s no vinegar, no boiling, and no quick-pickle shortcuts. Just crisp cucumbers, garlic, spices, and a brine that gets to work the old-fashioned way.

This is my original viral recipe, viewed and remade by thousands of people from all over the world. And I can tell you firsthand — these pickles aren’t just about crunch. They’re about connection.

🧒🏼 The Story: Why These Matter to Me

I grew up watching my mom ferment cucumbers in massive glass jars, the kind you’d have to keep on a towel just in case the brine bubbled over. There were no vinegar shortcuts in our house — just filtered water, whole garlic bulbs, dill, and whatever spice mix she felt like tossing in that year. I never understood why she insisted on doing it this way… until I started doing it myself.

Fermentation isn’t just a recipe — it’s a ritual. It’s how our grandparents preserved flavor before refrigeration. It’s how you turn raw vegetables into living foods.

Now, I do it with my own twist. Same soul, updated flow.

💪🏼 Why Fermented Pickles > Vinegar Pickles

Fermentation uses lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to convert natural sugars into organic acids — giving you the sourness of a pickle, but with added probiotic power.

Health Benefits:

• Loaded with live probiotics (good bacteria)

• Supports gut microbiome balance

• Boosts digestion and nutrient absorption

• Helps reduce inflammation

• Rich in electrolytes like sodium and potassium

• Preserves vitamin C + introduces natural enzymes

And that leftover brine? It’s a gut-boosting, electrolyte-charged, natural sports drink.

I personally sip it while fasting — especially during long fasts (72–86+ hours). It helps:

• Replenish minerals

• Satisfy salt cravings

• Keep the gut active while giving your body a break

🔥 The Crunch Factor: Why These Pickles Don’t Go Mushy

The #1 question I get is: “How do you keep them crunchy?”

Here’s what matters:

• Blossom ends trimmed (they contain enzymes that soften the cucumber)

• Cold fermentation after 7 days (preserves texture)

• Tannins from celery and dill seed help lock in the snap

Fermented Cucumber Pickles – No Vinegar, Crunchy, 7-Day Recipe

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Prep 10 minutes mins

7 days d

Total 10 days d

These crunchy, probiotic-rich fermented cucumber pickles use no vinegar, no sugar, and no shortcuts. Just cucumbers, garlic, spices, and a salt brine that ferments naturally over 7 days, followed by a cold flavoring phase.

Servings 4

Course Condiments, Side Dish

Cuisine Eastern European, Fermented Foods, Traditional

Ingredients

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Fermentation Brine (7 Days)

• ▢ 200 gm Pickling Salt (Do NOT use iodized salt)
• ▢ Filtered water (Chlorine-free water is essential for fermentation.)
• ▢ pickling cucumbers (Fresh, firm, and unwaxed.)

Flavoring Brine (After 7 Days)

• ▢ 1 head Garlic sliced in half
• ▢ fresh dill sprigs
• ▢ 4 celery stalks (optional for flavor)
• ▢ 2 tbsp black peppercorns
• ▢ 1 tbsp 1 tsp dill seed
• ▢ Filtered water (to fill the jar after discarding the initial salt brine.)

Equipment

• ▢
  1 1-Gallon Glass Jar
• ▢
  1 Fermentation Weights
• ▢
  1 Lid with Airlock (optional)

Method

Prevent Sleep ModePrevent Sleep Mode

Fermentation Brine (7 Days)

1. Wash cucumbers & trim blossom ends
2. Pack cucumbers into 1-gallon jar
3. Dissolve salt in filtered water
4. Pour salt brine over cucumbers
5. Cover loosely, ferment for 7 days

Flavoring Brine (3 Days in Fridge)

1. Discard salt brine (do not rinse cucumbers)
2. Add garlic, dill, celery, peppercorns, dill seed
3. Fill jar with fresh filtered water
4. Seal jar & refrigerate for 3 days

Video

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🧠 Fermentation Safety & Tips

• Always use filtered, non-chlorinated water

• If you see white surface film, it’s likely kham yeast — safe, skim it

• If you see fuzzy mold, discard the batch

• Keep vegetables fully submerged under brine

• Store in fridge after 7-day ferment to preserve texture and prevent spoilage

🥄 How I Use Them:

• On egg sandwiches and burgers

• Chopped into tuna or egg salad

• Straight from the jar when I’m hungry but not ready to eat

• With hummus, sour cream, or labneh

• Brine added to dressings, soups, stews, or used as a shot during fasting

🎬 Want the Full Video?

Head to @DishByDavid on YouTube for the exact method + fermentation setup.

And if you want more recipes like this — plus exclusive brine tricks, flavor templates, and fermented hot sauce builds — grab my full fermentation guide on Gumroad.

These aren’t just pickles. They’re a movement.

Make a jar. Feel the crunch. Save the brine.