Why this formula works
Pack cucumber, onion, mustard seed and dill in a clean jar; boil water, vinegar, sugar and salt for 1 minute, cool 3 minutes, then pour over and submerge everything. The measured formula is designed around the final use, while the sensory checkpoint—After two hours refrigerated, slices bend without breaking but still crunch; the brine remains clean-smelling, never fizzy.—is more reliable than the clock alone.
Honest timing
| Active preparation | 15 min |
| Hydration / proof / preheat | 2 h |
| Cooking / baking | 5 min |
| Elapsed total | 2 h 20 min |
Ingredients
- firm cucumber, sliced 3 mm400 g (14.1 oz)
- water150 g (5.3 oz)
- 5% acidity white wine vinegar150 g (5.3 oz)
- sugar25 g (0.88 oz)
- fine non-iodized salt10 g (0.35 oz)
- mustard seeds3 g (0.11 oz)
- red onion, thinly sliced60 g (2.12 oz)
- fresh dill8 g (0.28 oz)
Equipment
- mandoline or sharp knife
- small saucepan
- clean 750 ml jar
- small fermentation weight or clean spoon
Exact method
- 1. Weigh every ingredient before starting and complete all chopping, grating or temperature preparation; this recipe moves too quickly for measuring midway.
- 2. Set up the base exactly as follows: Pack cucumber, onion, mustard seed and dill in a clean jar; boil water, vinegar, sugar and salt for 1 minute, cool 3 minutes, then pour over and submerge everything.
- 3. Add the seasonings in the stated quantities and scrape the bowl or pan thoroughly, so no concentrated pockets remain.
- 4. Control the process by temperature and texture: After two hours refrigerated, slices bend without breaking but still crunch; the brine remains clean-smelling, never fizzy.
- 5. Taste a small cooled sample. Judge salt, acid, sweetness and heat in that order; warmth can hide both salt and chili.
- 6. Scrape into a clean container and complete the stated resting or cooling time. Stir once more before judging final consistency.
- 7. Use it deliberately: drain and blot 30–50 g for burger or doner pizza, adding after baking to protect crunch.
How to know it is ready
- After two hours refrigerated, slices bend without breaking but still crunch; the brine remains clean-smelling, never fizzy.
- A cooled spoonful is homogeneous, without watery seepage or a greasy ring.
- The primary ingredient remains recognizable after seasoning.
- The stated pizza dose gives flavor without making the base soggy.
Troubleshooting
- Too thin: first complete the rest; then correct in small measured additions rather than guessing.
- Too thick: loosen with the recipe's liquid 5 g at a time.
- Unbalanced: cool a sample before adding more salt, acid, sugar or chili.
- Separated: stop heating, transfer to a cool bowl and re-emulsify gradually.
How to adapt the base recipe
- drain and blot 30–50 g for burger or doner pizza, adding after baking to protect crunch.
- Scale by weight, not by spoons; keep every ingredient in the same ratio.
- Change only one of heat, acid or sweetness at a time and record the adjustment.
Storage and food safety
Refrigerate immediately and use within 2 weeks. This is a refrigerator pickle, not a tested boiling-water canning recipe; the lid pop does not make it shelf-stable.
Allergens
Mustard Depending on the selected product, may also contain: Sulphites.
Always verify every label and cross-contact risk; brand formulations can change.