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.
April J Harris says
Oh I love pickles too! Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe with us at The Hearth and Soul Link Party. I love how you crush your spices – great idea! Scheduled this post to pin. Hope to ‘see’ you at the party again this week.
Janice Wald|MostlyBlogging says
Thanks for bringing your post to the Blogger’s Pit Stop last week.
Janice, Pit Stop Crew
Mary says
These pickles look so yummy. I can just smell the burger and slap these babies on there. A New York minute for sure.
Christy Roppel says
HI!
In your description/instructions you say:
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.
So, when we put in our spices with the minced garlic, do we only use half of them? You mention additional….
If you could further explain, that would be great.
Oh, do you think you could ferment these with this recipe?
Thanks so much!
My hubby hates Vinegar….we call it the “V” word! haha!
Leslie says
My one-year-old LOVES pickles, so I think that we’re definitely going to have to give this recipe a try when cucumbers come in around here. Thanks so much for sharing at the #happynowlinkup!
Sandra L Garth says
Oh my these look good and there’s nothing like the smell of fresh dill.
Sandy says
My daughter and I truly love Half Sour Pickles! Going to try your recipe, it sounds great and easy to do. By the way, your “tool” is called an adjusting wrench. 😉 But, I think I’ll try a heavy weight Wine Bottle? 😀
Jess says
Yum! These sound amazing! Pinned!
I would love for you to share this with my Facebook Group for recipes, crafts, tips, and tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pluckyrecipescraftstips/
Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
kristin mccarthy says
I am obsessed with these! Definitely doing this. Hoe long will they stay without going through the canning process.?
Larry brody says
I love pickles !!!!! I’m going to Rein’s deli in Connecticut and buy a 5 gallon bucket of half sour pickles cause I love half sour pickles but in California and there is no such thing as a real half sour pickle. Once I eat all the pickles can I just add kerby cucumbers to the bucket to make more using the old brine. If I can how long will it take. Also doi have to skim them? Or just let them sit then eat?
Pamela says
Hi Larry, you can reuse the brine (I wouldn’t use it more than twice) if you are going to keep them in the refrigerator. Also if the brine is cloudy at all – I wouldn’t use it as it’s probably not good anymore. I would let them sit in the brine for 5 days (in the fridge) before you eat them. Obviously the brine is going to be a bit weaker than fresh pickles. Once you’re done with those pickles – I recommend that you make this recipe – I think you’d enjoy it!
Arthur says
I just mixed up 2 batches of the brine/spice mix and I am pickling red peppers, green tomatoes and cucumber spears. I will let you know how they come out.
Pamela says
Yum – that sounds delicious! Enjoy Arthur!
Jamie Wilson says
Hi Pamela How do you make the sea salt water ?
Pamela says
Hey Jamie, dissolve the sea salt in the water – this is done by just adding the salt to water and stirring.
Mel says
I grew up on Long Island and loved the half sour pickles you could find in almost any deli. These remind me of home. So good! Thank you 🙂
cklequ interior says
I’ve been looking for this pickle recipe for years. These are amazing.
I even went out and bought a mortar and pestle to speed things up.
Now all I have to do is remember to make another batch more often. I always seem to wait until they run out. Thanks for this!
Pamela says
This makes me so happy to hear! Enjoy your new mortar and pestle, here’s to many more pickles in your future! 😉 Enjoy!
Denn Russell says
I was in NY ~ 25 years ago, & had the best lunch in a deli near the launch for the “Statue of Liberty”. They had the greatest pickles – they said they were “half sour”. I’m Living in Minneapolis, and have never found any as good – until your recipe! Thanks! Denn Russell
Pamela says
Hey Denn, your comment makes me so happy to hear! Glad you’re enjoying these pickles and remembering NY! Take care.
Ronoc says
These were a little too salty.
Pamela says
Hey Ronoc, sorry to hear they were too salty for your tastes. Since they’re a fan favorite here I hope you give them a another shot and try a little less salt for your liking. Thanks for stopping by.
Rose Reinhardt says
Hi Pamela,
I have made these pickles and they are amazing. I tried halving the recipes and it did not turn out well. So I tried again following your recipe exactly and they were great, and when we tasted them I realized you have to make the whole recipe because you want to eat all of those wonderful pickles. Thanks for that great recipe
Pamela says
Hey Rose, I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the pickles! And I agree about the whole batch because they don’t last very long! 😉
Heather Anderson says
Have you ever tried leaving them out t o ferment rather than putting them in the refrigerator right away? Also, do you recommend cutting off a small end part first? Thanks! I have such fond memories of the Rascal House in Miami. I want to be able to replicate their pickles.
Pamela says
Hey Heather, the recipe is based on putting the pickles in the refrigerator so I’ve never left them out. If you do try, I’d love to hear how it goes! I just throw the cucumbers in whole, no cutting off a end. Hope you enjoy!
LBeth says
Hi, We are very excited to try this! We just finished making the pickles and put them in the fridge. I realized though that we used coarse sea salt instead of fine. Do you think that will affect the pickles? Should I add some salt? Thanks!
Pamela says
Hey LBeth, they should be fine! Hope you enjoy the pickles!
Calvin says
Two questions for you:
How do you dissolve the salt in the water?
Why Dill? Won’t that give them a dill taste?
Thanks!!
Pamela says
Hey Calvin, to dissolve the salt simply stir the water. Dill helps give them that authentic half sour flavor, but if you aren’t a dill fan you don’t have to add it. Enjoy!
Deepika says
Hi, I love your recipe. I have a question, instead of putting the jar right away in the refrigerator, can I leave it on kitchen counter so cucumbers can ferment for few days and then put it in refrigerator? Do u think it will make it soggy if I add the picking granules to keep it crunchy?
Pamela says
Hi Deepika, the recipe is based on putting the pickles in the refrigerator immediately so I’m not sure if it will make them soggy or not. If you do try, I’d love to know! Good luck!
Heather Anderson says
How did they turn out, leaving them on the counter?
Ch says
Can you reuse the brine when you finish the pickles?
Pamela says
I usually don’t for full effectiveness of the recipe, but you can reuse it if you want. Don’t reuse if the brine is cloudy though! I would also only reuse if you are making refrigerator pickles (like this recipe), I wouldn’t reuse for canning.
Shannon says
I made 3 batches of these pickles last week. The first batch I made just as prescribed and set the 1/2 gallon jar in the fridge for 4 days. It turned out pretty well. The cucumbers were still white and fleshy on the inside and very salty, but tasty. The second and third batch I combined in a gallon jar covered in wax paper that was secured with a rubber band. Instead of placing directly in the fridge, I set the jar out on the countertop in a warm kitchen (82 degrees during the day) for seven days. After the week of fermentation the cucumbers had a nice yellow/green hue and a satisfying sour bite to balance the saltiness! My husband has eaten nearly the whole jar. Thank you for the great recipe. The spices were just right. I will be making these every year, but definitely fermenting mine.
Joe says
If you want some sour/tart, but you don’t want vinegar or things that have that sort of smell, use some citric acid. It’s odorless and it will give your pickles a slight citric flavor–and be tart. And it’s cheap! Get it from amazon in huge quantities for a few bucks.
Good for colds, too!
Jeff says
Pam, I love half-sour pickles. The prices are very high in the supermarket and most are in a cloudy liquid which are a little bitter. Every blue-moon you might be able to find a jar with bright crisp looking pickles, but I can’t be playing around. So when I came upon this recipe, I said I have to at least give it a shot. And I did. I am having my first pickle right now while I type. I am very glad I tried this recipe. I followed it exactly and it yielded the best bunch of half-sours I have ever had. I used the pickle crisp. It makes the pickles have a nice fresh “snap”. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I will make more to give to my 86 year old Dad. He’s a charter member of Pickleholics Unanimous.
Christoper says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I first tried half sour pickles in Napa, instant love affair. Decided to finally make. I teach preschoolers a seed to plate program, and since we grew cucumbers, I decided we needed to make these. They loved assisting in the process, and can’t wait to taste them next week in class. Wish we could post photos here. Will report back with the tasting results. Thanks again.
Pamela says
Thanks for stopping by Christopher! I love the seed to plate program that you’re teaching, I bet the students are having a blast! Feel free to email me photos if you’d like to share, I’d love to see them!
Jacob Archer says
Greetings Pam, like you, I love my half sour pickles but felt the need to make my own after seeing the supermarket prices…lol. I have to tell you that I made 4 gallon jars of them and my friends are raving over them. I am happy that I found your recipe and I will continue to make more. I have one question, I grow various vegetables in my backyard in bklyn (crown heights) but last year wasn’t great for cukes. Did you have any problems growing them last year and if not, did you allow your kirbys to grow on a trellis or on the ground? I seem to have better crops of cukes when they are on the ground compared to being grown on netting. Maybe I might swap you some hot peppers I grow, the “ghost pepper” and the Moruga Scorpion, 2 of the hottest peppers in the world.
Pamela says
Hey Jacob. First, I’m glad to see someone else from Brooklyn here – welcome! We grew less cucumber plants last year compared to previous years, but we still got a pretty good yield from each plant. We grow them in containers and then we let them grow on the containers and on the ground (we like to let them roam). It sounds like you have quite a collection of veggies you’re growing in Crown Heights!
Jacob Archer says
You know Pam, being retired, I have a peach and pear tree in my backyard that I make wine with as well as strawberries. The soil here in Bklyn is quite good. I am getting ready for this years production, waiting for the nighttime temp to get over 40 degrees before I turn my soil over. I don’t seem to have much luck growing in containers and I have been growing many things for over 25 years. You have to let me know the secret to container growing, I am looking to use every bit of space in my backyard….lol. Thanks for your time and dialog.
Arthur Heroux says
Raised in Providence area worked in several Delis, what more can I say. Thirty years in Phoenix with only one authentic deli that is now a 150 miles away and I stumble onto a Half-Sour pickle recipe on line that has me smiling again. If I were only 40 years younger, keep bringing sunshine into other people’s lives.
Pamela says
Your comment made my day Arthur! I’m happy you visited and let me know. Holding up a pickle for you… cheers! 🙂
Jennifer says
If I want to use ball jars and make many to can and have for the winter, what is your recommendation?
Thanks!
Pamela says
Hey Jennifer, I don’t can mine, so I’d recommend reading the comments above as a few people have and their feedback might be helpful. You can also check out the Ball website for canning pickles help. Have fun!
Bill says
Two more questions and I should be done.
My first question relates to my earlier one. I see several accounts on making these pickles which suggests you cut the ends off to keep an enzyme out that will soften the pickles, or that you use Bay leaf for that purpose. You don’t mention this, I assume because you use the pickle crisp, correct?
Also, some accounts on making these say they should be kept at room temperature at the beginning and only refrigerated when they reach the level of souring that you want, as they will not get any more sour once they are refrigerated. But you refrigerate right away, correct?
I tried making these already and left them at room temperature (I also live in Brooklyn, and even with A/C, my apartment is pretty hot this time of year). They were pretty much full on sour after 2 or 3 days, and some of them were pretty soft, so I am thinking of doing this totally refrigerated this time.
Pamela says
Hey Bill,
The recipe calls for bay leaves but I don’t cut the ends off.
I refrigerate the entire time.
Stay cool in Brooklyn!
Bill says
Thanks for the quick responses!