Solionye Ogurtsy- Brined Cucumbers

* Exported from MasterCook *

SOLIONYE OGURTSY - BRINED CUCUMBERS

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
5 lb Cucumber, medium pickling
-3-4" long 1 1/4" thick
1 Dill plant, bunch mature,
-seeds included
2 oz Horesradish root
1 Head garlic
1/2 oz Hot red pepper, fresh seeded
3 Tarragon, fresh branches
6 tb Salt, non-iodized, per 2 qts
-water

Preparing Cucumbers: wash the cucumbers under running
water and place in a bowl. Cover with ice water and
enough ice to keep them cold for 10 hours. Drain the
cucumbers and trim both ends so that the brine will
more easily penetrate the flesh.

Assembling: Rinse the dill and divide in half. Scrub
and rinse the horseradish and slice thinly. Peel and
halve the garlic.

Fold half the dill into a ring to fit the bottom of
the pickling jar. Strew horseradish, garlic, red
pepper, and 1/3 of the tarragon on top. Arrange half
the cucumbers upright in the jar, packing them
tightly. Place the second third of the tarragon on
top, then pack in the rest of the cucumbers in the
same manner. Over them layer the remaining dill,
horseradish, garlic, pepper and tarragon.

Combine the salt and water, stirring until the salt
dissolves. Percentage of salt in this brine is 5.5 to
6.5 percent. Pour the brine into the jar. The
cucumbers and herbs should be fully submerged. Cover
with a saucer and weight down with a jar or can filled
with water. Cover the mouth of the jar with 2 layers
of cheesecloth and tie in place with string.

Fermentation and storage: For the first 2-3 days, keep
the cucumbers on a well aired shaded patio or similar
spot with a temperature of 64-68 degrees. Remove the
scum as it appears and wash the mouth of the jar
daily. After 3-4 days, when the most active
fermentation has subsided a bit, remove the weight and
lid. Check to see that the brine still covers the
cucumbers. If not, add brine in the same proportions
(1 1/4-1 3/4 Tbsp salt to 1 pint water). Cover the jar
with its own lid and refrigerate at 32-38 degrees.

During the next 10-14 days, see that the brine does
not become too cloudy (there is always some degree of
cloudiness due to fermentation process) and that there
is no mold. If either does happen, replace the brine,
rinse the upper layer of dill, wipe the mouth of the
jar and close again.

Store the pickles on the lowest shelf of the
refrigerator. They will keep for up to 1 week.



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