Polish Dill Pickles (Ogórki Kiszone)

A large glass jar of pickles in brine sits on a wooden board with several sliced pickles and a knife beside it. The background is rustic and lightly textured.

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Learn how to make traditional Polish dill pickles, or ogórki kiszone, at home. These crunchy, sour, salty fermented cucumbers are easy, budget-friendly, and full of traditional Polish flavor.

Prep Time20

Fermenting7

Total Time7 20

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: Eastern European, Polish

Keyword: Polish dill pickles

Servings:

Calories: 35kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

20 Pickling cucumbers or more for a large jar depending on teh size
15 cloves Garlic
2 cups Nettle leaves optional
Fresh stem dill with seeds
20 Black peppercorn
2 tbsp Mustard seedes
3 inches Horseradish root sliced, optional
1/2 gallon Water
6 tbsp Common salt non-iodized!

Instructions

1. Boil water and leave it to cool.
2. Wash your cucumbers well and trim a very small amount from the blossom end.
3. Wash your fermentation jars thoroughly. I usually like to use a 1-gallon jar, but you can use smaller mason jars.
3. Place some fresh dill, horseradish, and garlic in the bottom of the jar. Add a few peppercorns, mustard seeds, and a nettle leaf if you're using one. Pack the cucumbers tightly into the jar in a layer. Just make sure not to crush them.
4. Repeat this twice if you are using a big jar. If you are using a smaller one, do this process once (depending on the size of the cucumbers).
5. Dissolve the salt in lukewarm water in a large bowl.
6. Pour the brine over the cucumbers until they are completely submerged. This is important. Anything sticking above the brine has a much greater chance of developing unwanted mold.
7. Place a fermentation weight or another appropriate weight on top to keep the cucumbers underneath the brine. Cover the jar with a lid. The cucumbers should remain submerged throughout the fermentation.
8. Leave the jar at room temperature away from direct sunlight. You'll start to notice changes. The brine may become cloudy. Tiny bubbles may appear. The cucumbers will begin developing that unmistakable sour aroma.
9. Start tasting after several days. When they're sour enough for you, move the pickles to the refrigerator to slow fermentation.

Nutrition