The BEST Half Sour Pickles recipe there is! These easy homemade pickles taste just like New York Crunchy pickles. No canning is needed to make these delicious pickles, just throw them in the refrigerator for a few days! Make them to find out why they’re so popular!
How to Make Half Sour Pickles
If I could stand on top of a mountain and yell one thing, it would be “I love pickles!” Seriously, I can’t get enough of them — they’re crunchy, briny, and just hit the spot any time of day. Whether I’m grabbing a quick snack or adding them to a burger, they’re always my go-to. If you’re a pickle lover like me, don’t miss out on my tangy, heartwarming Polish Dill Pickle Soup! It’s the perfect comfort food that’s packed with all the pickle goodness.
Right now, my cucumber plants are in full swing, and we’ve been busy picking and pickling those fresh kirby cucumbers. Did you know cucumbers are one of the easiest veggies to grow? I currently have 6 mason jars full of pickles in my fridge! And it’s not just cucumbers — I also love experimenting with other pickled veggies, like Pickled Red Onions, spicy Pickled Okra, and some classic Pickled Green Tomatoes. Each of them brings something unique to the table!
If you’re ever in Brooklyn and find yourself craving a pickle, you know where to come! After years of swooning over the pickles at all the NYC pickle spots, I’ve finally perfected the art of making the perfect half sour pickle. Trust me, it’s totally worth it!
Half Sour Pickles Recipe
A few notes about these half sour beauties:
- Half sour pickles are made using a saltwater brine instead of vinegar, which gives them a milder, less acidic flavor. The saltwater helps draw out the natural flavors from the cucumbers while encouraging fermentation, which is what gives half sours their signature tang. This method allows the pickles to retain a more crisp texture and fresh taste, unlike the more tart, preserved flavor found in traditional vinegar-based pickles.
- I recommend letting these pickles sit in the fridge for at least 4 days before digging in. After that, they’re so irresistible, you might find yourself finishing the jar in just a day or two. However, if you have some self-control, they can last for several weeks in the fridge.
- Kirby cucumbers are the best for pickles, but honestly any cucumber if you can fit it into the jar will work.
Refrigerator Pickles Recipe
-If you don’t have Kirby cucumbers, no worries! For larger cucumbers, it’s a good idea to cut them into spears so they fit better in the jar. Just keep in mind that cutting the cucumbers exposes more surface area, which means the pickles may taste saltier as the flesh absorbs more brine.
-Please don’t skip on the seasonings. These pickles soak alongside delicious garlic, fresh dill, peppercorns, coriander seeds, mustard seeds and bay leaves.
-This recipe uses a half gallon mason jar. The ingredients and amount of water to salt ratio in this recipe is for this sized jar.
-For premium crunch and crispness, I suggest using Ball Pickle Crisp. It works great to keep that fresh crunch and prevents they from becoming soft.
Fresh kirby cucumbers just picked from the garden!
One of the yummy herbs in this recipe is coriander seeds. If you have a cilantro plant and you neglect it, it will turn into coriander seeds. Awesome, right? I always do this every year so I get fresh coriander to last until next harvest season.
You can use a mortar and pestle to crush your dry ingredients or you can be like me and just use a tool (I don’t know the name of this so let’s just go with “tool”) to bash it all together. A rolling pin works great too. So does a hammer.
Put your cucumbers in the jar, then add your garlic.
Then your crushed dry ingredients.
Pick a few pieces of fresh dill. Doesn’t it smell great?
Then add your salt water and fresh dill.
Keep filling your jar with water until your cucumbers are completely covered. In the jar above, a little bit of the salt water still needs to be added.
Now it’s the hard part.. waiting for a few days to eat them!
But when it’s time… it will be worth it!
If you are making batches as you harvest, and you use similar jars sometimes it gets confusing to keep track of the ones that have been sitting the longest. To do this I use chalk or a Sharpie and write on the lid. #1 = eat first, #2 = eat next, #3 = eat next next.. etc.
Enjoy! 🙂
If you try this Half Sour Pickles recipe, please leave a comment or share it on Instagram with tag #brooklynfarmgirl – I’m always looking for photos to feature and share!
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Half Sour Pickles
PrintIngredients
- 5 kirby cucumbers or however many you can fit into your jar
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- few pieces of fresh dill
- 3 bay leaves
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup sea salt
- 6 cups water
- additional whole coriander seeds and peppercorns to add on top
Instructions
- Wash your cucumbers.
- Dissolve your sea salt in the water.
- Grind up all the dry ingredients (coriander, mustard seeds, peppercorns, 2 bay leaves). If you don’t have a mortar/pestle, throw it in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush them.
- Put the cucumbers in your jar.
- Put the minced garlic in the jar, then ground up spices, then pour the salt water mixture on top. If you have any water left, disregard it.
- Add a few pieces of fresh dill on top.
- Add in your additional coriander seeds, peppercorns and bay leaf. If you're using pickle crisp for extra crunch (see recipe notes), I put them in right now.
- Make sure your cucumbers are completely covered in water and close the jar. Give the jar a shake to mix.
- Put in the refrigerator. Let them sit for at least 4 days before eating.
- Enjoy!
Video:
Notes
For a crunchy pickle add 1/4 teaspoon Ball Pickle Crisp Granules at the end.
Vivi says
These pickles are awesome, just like from a deli !!
Can they be processed so they can be stored unrefridgerated?
Ann says
Very good and adaptable recipe. I had just three medium sized kirbys leftover from making relish and used a 500 ml jar, 1 cup of water and 2 tsp. of fine sea salt, and eyeballed the dill and spices. I’m the only one in my house that likes half sours so very small batches works for me. BTW if you have any green (unripe) cherry tomatoes that you’ve accidentally knocked off the vine, throw them in the jar too – they pickle well.
Jaime says
These are AMAZING!
Kasia says
What is the shelf life on these once they are pickled? Thank you!
Pamela Reed says
Hey Kasia, they need to stay in the refrigerator, good for a couple of weeks!
Sharon Franke says
Finally found a recipe that replicates the pickles from my childhood in Brooklyn! Thank you! You’re right: Hard not to eat them all at once!
Suelilly Fischer says
When you are married to a boy from New Jersey, living in Washington, finding those fond food memories can be bit of a challenge. Mack and Manco pizza, George’s macaroons, Millburn Deli sloppy joes….you get the jist! This recipe definitely hit the back home bullseye. Followed exactly…turned out perfect. Love the rave reviews from the mister. Next stop…back to our favorite farm market. More cucumbers please sir.
Scott says
Has anyone added a couple of grape leaves to add some tannins for the crisp?
Pamela Reed says
Hey Scott, multiple people in past comments have said they have done this for crispy pickles! Hope that helps!
Scott says
Thanks!
AceOfAvon says
Go for 4 big ones or 5-9 less-than palm size. Put one at least on top to “seal” the pickles. I use them all the time for Lebanese pickled turnips & beets & dills. Note: being a Canuck, I am translating from litres to your 1/2 gallon … you cannot add too many, though! And they add a nice clean slight tangy flavour and doesn’t use checmicals like what are i Pickle Crisp stuff
Gracieannie says
Our Kirbys are just starting to ripen and I am making these for the second year. I LOVE this recipe! The pickles come out just the way I like them!
Kim says
This recipe has made me very popular at parties. I bring them every time and always people rave about them. I keep a bucket ready with all ingredients ( except the fresh dill and garlic)
Couple notes on how I’ve adjusted the recipe …
I use minced garlic in fridge for convenience and it’s about a heaping teaspoon that works .
I dissolve the pickling crisp in the salt water
mixture before pouring in pickles .
After the dill on top – I just sprinkle “pickling spices” which comes sold that way – makes it so easy.
I reduce the salt by a pinch as it seems to be a bit too salty at times for me .
Lastly – I usually wait 8 days for best flavor .
I love this easy recipe so much – I want to make it in bulk . I wonder if you’d be able to provide a recipe to make for the standard pickling jars – so that I can do like 6 at a time. .
Thank you!!!
Rose Reinhardt says
Do you think it would work doing them sliced for pickle chips?
Pamela Reed says
You could try! Some people in the comments have done this. For hamburger pickles I like a similar recipe: https://brooklynfarmgirl.com/hamburger-dill-pickles/ – hope this helps!
Leslie says
Doesn’t refrigeration slow fermentation?
Would it be better to leave the jars out at room temp for 4 days then refrigerate?
Thanks!
Leslie D says
Do the pickles really ferment in 4 days in the fridge? I ask because I tried a recipe very similar to this and the pickles did not succeed.
Pamela Reed says
Hey Leslie, yes, they’re delicious! Read the hundreds of comments and reviews. 🙂 I think you should try them!
Leslie says
I have read the comments and wondered what I was doing wrong before… followed the directions but pickles did not brine. I made a batch of yours last night and will wait 4 days -Monday night- with fingers crossed!
Bryan B says
Great, except for one thing. For some reason my pickles are bitter. I think it’s the skins of the cucumbers. Anyone else have this? Suggestions?
Pamela Reed says
Bitter tasting usually comes from the cucumbers, not the pickling. Bitter skins are usually caused by irregular watering (example: drought) or end of season pickles when the plant isn’t as productive.
Ian says
I’ve made thus pickle recipe several times since I found it last year. It’s simple and I have gotten great results…but not just with Kirby cucumbers, but with whole string beans and asparagus, too. And picking asparagus with this recipe transforms this stringy vegetable into a easy biting and crispy chewing treat. I especially like adding cayenne pepper flakes into the spice mix, one half to one whole teaspoon, to jazz up the asparagus to use in bloody marys as a swizzle and snack. One caveat, though; I reduce the garlic by one third, 4 clove instead of six. While I live garlic and eat it nearly daily, the six cloves in this recipe really puts it over the top and stifles the other flavors.
Enjoy!
Debbie Raine says
Reminds me of my mom’s Kosher half dones. Best recipe if ound and have been making these for a while. The whole family loves them.
Randi Zwilling says
I’ve made these pickles three times already love the way they taste but instead of pickling them whole I cut them into spears to soak up the flavor more and they come out amazing.
Lisa Gitelson says
My son and I love pickles and are always searching for the perfect half sour. Search is over, this is it. My great grandfather made his own pickles for the dairy counter that he worked at and these taste exactly like them. So delicious. Sent a jar to my son in college and he called to tell me that it was the most delicious pickle that he had ever eaten. I agree!!!! Thanks so much for the recipe!!!!
:D says
What about using Persian cucumbers? How long can ypu keep in the brine?
Sharon says
I just made this recipe but used Himalayan salt rather than sea salt. Do you think it is okay or will it not ferment? I am excited to try these in 4 days.
William Handelman says
For a crispy pickle you use the ball pickle crisp. Did you add it when you put the pickles in the jar of after the 4 days in the refrigerator?
Pamela Reed says
Yes, add the ball pickle crisps into the jar when you add the cucumbers in the jar. I like to add them in right after the spices. Enjoy the pickles! 🙂
Skip says
How can I make this to have a longer shelf life
Tommy Heffr says
Best pickles ever! Reminds me of old fashioned Jewish deli. Corned beef sandwich and half sour. Never thought I’d taste one again until now. Thank you!!
J says
Do you use fresh Bay leaf or dried bay leaf?
Pamela Reed says
I use dried bay leaves.
Eileen says
Hi! Can you use pickling salt in this recipe instead of sea salt?
Joe says
Good morning! Just curious why no one (I don’t think) has mentioned that not using vinegar but salt water instead is actually using fermentation to “pickle” the cukes. This method is SUPER healthy for you!
Virginia L. Corcoran says
If you use the same salt/water ratio as the recipe calls for, what difference does it make what size container you use? If smaller than a half gallon, there will just be extra salt water, correct? Would it be too much garlic and spices if you just use a quart container?
Estelle Berry says
Your half sour pickles sound like the ones my Ukrainian grandmother used to make. She never used vinegar, just kosher salt, and they were the best! Can’t wait to try your recipe!
Pamela Reed says
Hope they’re just like your Grandmother’s! 🙂 Enjoy Estelle!
Marilyn says
Salt question…. Which brand of salt did you use? As you are aware, different salts weigh different amounts. Do you know the weight of your salt for this recipe? I want yo use enough but not too much. I’m dying to make them!
Joe Wageri says
Holy cow what a jerk!
It’s a legitimate question, as the recipe calls for 1/4 cup sea salt and doesn’t specify weight. Coarse vs fine sea salt will have very different weights for 1/4 cup.
Joe Wageri says
Ps. Diamond vs. Morton’s kosher salt also have very different weights/granule size despite both being kosher. There is much discussion about it. I guess I’m steamed because unlike most of the internet, you can normally count on friendly comments when looking at recipes.
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskCulinary/comments/4ruini/kosher_salt_diamond_or_mortons/
Mitch says
I thought OK….here comes yet another person who thinks they have the ‘magic’ half-sour recipe. I had my doubts. I precisely followed Pamela’s recipe. However, I did not have fresh dill on hand, so I went 1T with the dill seed. I used my favorite pickling cukes (Pick a Bushel Hybrid Cucumber Seeds | Park Seed). Ones that I am very familiar with over the years. I sampled them after 6 days and was disappointed in how tough the skins were and resampled them on day 14 and the skins were PERFECT! I have been making pickles for 7 years/75 quarts and have never been dazzled with my half-sours. Always trying different spins and only reaching a “10” on 2 batches.
I AM STUNNED AND OVERJOYED with how close to the half-sours I grew up with in Detroit Deli’s.
Pamela Reed says
Mitch, comments like this make my day. Seriously. I am so happy that you’re so happy. Keep on enjoying the pickles! 🙂
KPJ says
BEST 1/2 dour recipe ever! First time making any pickles and these are a keeper! Does NOT disappoint!!
Pamela Reed says
Yay, so happy you’re loving the pickles!! 🙂