Recipe · brine · New York Jewish / Eastern European

Half-Sour Pickle

The classic NYC deli half-sour. Cucumbers in 3.5% salt brine with dill, garlic, spices. 3-5 days only — still crunchy, bright green, mildly tangy. Never ripens to full-sour because you refrigerate at 5 days. Not shelf-stable long-term; consume within 6 weeks.

Brine %
3.50%
Primary
5.0 days
Temperature
65-72°F (18-22°C)
Vessel
crock or wide-mouth jar

Technique

Prep 3.5% brine: 35g kosher or pickling salt per 1000g water. Wash kirby cucumbers. Trim blossom ends (contains enzyme that softens texture). Pack jar vertical with 2 dill heads + 3 garlic cloves + 1 tsp mustard seed + 1 bay leaf + 1 grape or oak leaf (tannin keeps crunch). Pour brine to cover, leaving 2cm headspace. Weigh down to submerge cucumbers. Loose lid (CO2 escape). Ferment 3-5 days at 68-72°F. Ready when brine clouds, small bubbles form, pickle is bright green but tangy. Refrigerate immediately to stop ferment at half-sour stage.

Source: NCHFP (UGA) — Fermented Dill Pickles.

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