Fast-Pickled Cucumbers

Pickled vegetables are great for the gut, and homemade is invariably better than store-bought. But if you don’t have pickling jars big enough for cucumbers, and don’t want to wait a couple of weeks for the results, here’s a great way to do it quickly and easily.

You will need

• 1 large cucumber, sliced
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1½ tbsp salt (do not omit or substitute)
• 3 cloves garlic, whole, peeled
• 3 large sprigs fresh dill
• 2 tsp whole black peppercorns
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 bay leaf

Method

(we suggest you read everything at least once before doing anything)

1) Mix the vinegar and salt with 1½ cups of water in a bowl.

2) Assemble the rest of the ingredients, except the cucumber, into a quart-size glass jar with an airtight lid.

3) Add the cucumber slices into the jar.

4) Add the pickling brine that you made, leaving ½” space at the top.

5) Close the lid, and shake well.

6) Refrigerate for 2 days, after which, serve at your leisure:

Enjoy!

Want to learn more?

For those interested in some of the science of what we have going on today:

• Making Friends With Your Gut (You Can Thank Us Later)
• Our Top 5 Spices: How Much Is Enough For Benefits? ← 3/5 of these spices are in this recipe!

Take care!