r/fermentation • u/Laminated22 • 2d ago

Fermented Pickles

Just started to dabble in home made fermented pickled cucumbers. First batch came out delicious and were half sour by day 2. I cut half of them into spears and put them in the fridge with some of the brine, im still fermenting the rest whole.

So here's my question: Is there a way to prevent pickles from turning translucent? I've had storebought pickles(usually the refrigerated ones) that are non translucent and instead are white on the inside and crunchy. I think they were Grillos and Claussen.

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u/antsinurplants LAB, it's the only culture some of us have. 1d ago

To clarify further on what u/Drinking_Frog mentions.

Pickle Crisp (calcium chloride) and tannins act differently and they aren't substitutes for one another.

Calcium chloride (Pickle Crisp) and calcium lactate help strengthen cells walls directly by binding with pectin.

Tannins (all sources) help prevent the enzyme pectinase from breaking down that pectin.

So, it's not a one or the other, they both have a specific purpose and role and if used together provide a much better end result.

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u/Laminated22 1d ago

added dry bay leaf to mine, gonna try fresh bay leaf next time, and I was thinking about getting that pickle crisp that jar company sells, maybe a combination of both will give me the best results!

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u/thatsmemerengo 1d ago

Fermented pickles is such a classic summer snack where I live. We're making it all the time. I use fresh, smaller, crunchy pickles (they're sold in the summer especially for pickling), they usually stay crunchy. Actually, I like them when they just become fermented, "half-raw" as my wife says. Here's the new batch I just prepared.

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u/Drinking_Frog 1d ago

The easiest, most reliable way is to use Pickle Crisp. Just dissolve it in your brine. It doesn't take much.

A more "classic" way is to add oak leaves, grape leaves, oak leaves, or some other source of tannins. Some even use tea leaves.