6 Most Delicious Recipes for Pickled Cucumbers in a Saucepan

Craving pickled or brined cucumbers but don’t want to wait? You’re in the right place! We’ve selected six diverse recipes: hot method, cold method, spicy, barrel-style, and a couple more.

The uniqueness of pickling in a pot is that you can taste the cucumbers within just a few days. And if you’d like to preserve them until the next season, we’ll explain how to do that at the end of the article.

Which Cucumbers Are Best

The variety doesn’t matter much. Use the same cucumbers you’d normally pickle or preserve in jars for winter.

Preparing the Vegetables

First, the cucumbers should be mid-season. Avoid overripe ones for pickling in a pot — they’re better suited for lightly salted cucumbers.

Second, don’t use vegetables with defects — dark spots, rot, or scratches. There’s no point in cutting them out — the cucumber will lose its shape, the brine won’t distribute evenly, and it might spoil. Select only whole cucumbers with bright green, firm skin.

Wash the cucumbers under cool running water. Then, fill a bowl with cold water (you can even add ice) and soak the cucumbers for 3–4 hours. Afterward, dry them on a towel and trim the ends from both sides.

The preparation is simple — no blanching or pre-freezing required. The key is to choose ripe, firm cucumbers and soak them well. This removes bitterness and softens the skin, allowing the cucumbers to absorb the spices’ aroma fully.

Pickling Cucumbers in a Pot: 6 Recipes

Here are six diverse recipes. Don’t forget the initial preparation described above. We highly recommend trying two or three methods during the pickling season to find your favourite — you’ll always have something delicious to serve your guests.

Cold Method

This is the classic pickling approach. You’ll need a large enamel pot. The recipe is for 10 kg of cucumbers, but you can adjust the quantities as needed.

What you’ll need:

• 10 kg cucumbers;
• 7 dill umbrellas;
• 30 blackcurrant leaves;
• 1 head of garlic;
• 4–5 horseradish leaves (optional);
• water (depending on pot size);
• 70 g salt per 1 litre of water.

How to pickle:

1. Ensure the pot is clean and dry. Remove any lingering odours with baking soda.
2. Sort the cucumbers by size.
3. Separate the garlic into cloves.
4. Coarsely chop the horseradish leaves.
5. Mix all the greens and divide them into three portions.
6. Place one portion at the bottom of the pot, then layer the largest cucumbers.
7. Cover with another layer of greens and garlic.
8. Add the next batch of cucumbers (medium-sized).
9. Finish with the remaining greens and garlic.
10. Dissolve the salt in cold water, adjusting the amount based on the pot’s size.
11. Stir thoroughly until fully dissolved.
12. Pour the brine over the cucumbers.
13. Don’t cover the pot with a lid — instead, weigh the cucumbers down with something heavy.
14. Keep them under pressure in a dark place for at least 50 hours.
15. Afterward, remove the weight and cover the pot with sterile gauze (ensure no loose fibres float in the brine).
16. Store the cucumbers in a cold, dark place without removing them from the pot.

Important! Be cautious with spices. Cold pickling can lead to mould. Avoid oak, cherry, or raspberry leaves, and don’t add onion rings.

Hot Method

This method speeds up the pickling process significantly.

Ingredients:

• 3 kg cucumbers;
• 1.5 tbsp salt per 1 litre of water;
• 5 dill umbrellas;
• cherry and blackcurrant leaves (to taste);
• 5 garlic cloves;
• horseradish leaves (optional).

Instructions:

1. Prepare the cucumbers (trim the ends and pierce large ones with a toothpick).
2. Leave the leaves whole or chop them, depending on preference.
3. Place some greens at the bottom.
4. Add the largest cucumbers.
5. Insert garlic cloves between them.
6. Layer smaller cucumbers on top.
7. Finish with the remaining greens and garlic.
8. Boil water, then add salt (1.5 tbsp per litre).
9. Stir for 3 minutes.
10. Pour the boiling brine over the cucumbers.
11. Press them down with a weight.
12. Leave for 24 hours.
13. They’ll be ready to taste after a day.

Note! Horseradish leaves make cucumbers firmer and crunchier. If you prefer softer pickles, omit them.

Barrel-Style Cucumbers

Barrel-style cucumbers evoke nostalgia for many, especially those who spent childhood summers in the countryside. You can recreate that flavour at home with this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 3 kg cucumbers (slightly overripe works too);
• 2 litres water;
• black peppercorns (to taste);
• 2 tbsp mustard powder;
• 1 tsp mustard seeds;
• 1 head of garlic;
• 6 cloves;
• 150 g salt;
• a few cherry and blackcurrant leaves;
• 3–4 bay leaves;
• 2–3 horseradish leaves.

Instructions:

1. Prepare the cucumbers.
2. Chop the garlic.
3. Layer all greens, garlic, cloves, bay leaves, mustard seeds, and peppercorns at the bottom.
4. Prick large cucumbers with a fork.
5. Pack them tightly into the pot, starting with the largest.
6. Boil water, dissolve the salt, and bring back to a boil.
7. Pour the boiling brine into the pot.
8. Cover with gauze.
9. Sprinkle mustard powder evenly over the top.
10. Press down with a weight.
11. Store in a cool, dark place for two weeks.

Important! Avoid lifting the weight or checking under the gauze during fermentation — excess air can spoil the cucumbers.

Vinegar-Free Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 kg cucumbers;
• 1 litre water;
• 5 blackcurrant leaves;
• 1 horseradish leaf;
• 2 cherry leaves;
• 1 sprig of dill;
• peppercorns (to taste);
• 1 hot chilli pepper;
• 50 g salt.

Instructions:

1. Chop the greens.
2. Finely dice the chilli.
3. Place cherry, blackcurrant, and horseradish leaves at the bottom.
4. Add the chopped chilli.
5. Arrange the cucumbers tightly.
6. Sprinkle with dill.
7. Dissolve salt in cold water.
8. Pour the brine over the cucumbers.
9. Press down with a weight.
10. Ready to taste in 3–4 days.

Crispy Fermented Cucumbers

Ingredients:

• 8 kg cucumbers;
• horseradish root;
• 3 horseradish leaves;
• 10 cherry leaves;
• 3 oak leaves;
• 10 dill umbrellas;
• 3–4 garlic heads;
• 6 tbsp salt per 3 litres of water.

Instructions:

1. Prepare the cucumbers.
2. Grate or finely chop the horseradish root.
3. Mince the garlic.
4. Layer cherry, horseradish, and oak leaves at the bottom.
5. Pack the cucumbers tightly, adding garlic last.
6. Top with dill.
7. Dissolve salt in cold water (adjusting proportions as needed).
8. Pour the brine over the cucumbers.
9. Press down with a weight (e.g., a heavy jar on a cutting board).
10. Cover with several layers of gauze.
11. Store in a cool, dark place for 5 days.

Note: If you see mould, bubbles, or foam under the gauze, simply skim it off. This is normal during fermentation.

Spicy Pickled Cucumbers

Ingredients:

• 3 kg cucumbers;
• 2 tbsp salt per 1 litre of water;
• 1 tsp mustard seeds;
• 1 horseradish root;
• 4 blackcurrant leaves;
• ½ tsp ground red pepper;
• 1 dill umbrella.

Instructions:

1. Soak the cucumbers, trim the ends, and prick large ones with a fork.
2. Grate or finely chop the horseradish root.
3. Place blackcurrant leaves at the bottom.
4. Add the cucumbers.
5. Sprinkle with horseradish.
6. Add mustard seeds and dill.
7. Dissolve salt and ¼ tsp red pepper in water.
8. Before pouring, sprinkle the remaining ¼ tsp pepper evenly over the cucumbers.
9. Cover with cold brine.
10. Press down with a weight.
11. Store in a cool, dark place for 50 hours.

How to Store Pickled Cucumbers

The key rule: no sunlight. Cellars or cool pantries are ideal. If you want to preserve them longer, transfer the cucumbers to sterilised jars after pickling.

Here’s how:

1. Drain the brine into a pot.
2. Discard the used greens.
3. Sterilise jars.
4. Add fresh greens (or peppercorns and bay leaves) to each jar.
5. Pack the cucumbers tightly.
6. Boil the drained brine.
7. Pour it into the jars and let sit for 12 minutes.
8. Drain, reboil, and repeat twice more.
9. Seal with sterilised lids after the third pour.
10. Invert the jars, wrap them, and store after 48 hours.

Tip: Since this recipe doesn’t use vinegar, you can sterilise the jars for 10 minutes after filling. Alternatively, add a crushed aspirin tablet to each jar during the third pour.

If you have a cellar, the cucumbers can stay in the pot (remove the weight) until winter.

Final Thoughts

Pickling cucumbers in a pot is simple: use a clean enamel pot, well-prepared cucumbers, a weight, and a cool storage spot. Stick to the recipes — some ingredient swaps can ruin the flavour. Foam or mould is normal; just remove it before serving. For long-term storage, transfer to jars. Enjoy your homemade pickles!