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Kuhlyk
CucumbersEasypickled cucumberscucumber preserves

Classic Pickled Cucumbers for Winter – Step-by-Step Recipe & Practical Tips

This classic pickled cucumber recipe produces crisp, flavorful cucumbers with a balanced brine, perfect for everyday meals and long-term storage.

Best in season: Summer • Autumn
Time
35 min
Yield
3 jars
Difficulty
Easy
Updated
March 28, 2026
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Kukhlyk recipe
Recipe at a glance

Crispy pickled cucumbers with garlic, dill, and a balanced tangy marinade.

Ingredients

What you will need

Below is the ingredient list for this recipe with the base proportions. It is convenient to prepare everything you need in advance so the cooking process goes more smoothly and without rushing.

Before you start

There are 10 items in the list. It is convenient to check that everything is ready first and only then move on to the cooking steps.

  • small cucumbers
    1.8 kg
  • water
    1.5 l
  • rock salt
    2 tbsp
  • sugar
    3 tbsp
  • vinegar (9%)
    120 ml
  • garlic
    6 cloves
  • dill umbels
    3 pcs
  • bay leaves
    3 pcs
  • black peppercorns
    18 pcs
  • currant leaves
    6 pcs
Step by step

How to make it

The recipe is broken down into clear steps so it is easy to follow right in the kitchen. Move through them in order to keep the process under control and avoid missing important details.

Preparation path

This recipe has 6 steps. It is easiest to follow them in order without jumping between stages.

Recipe time: 35 min
1

Prepare the Cucumbers

Wash the cucumbers, soak in cold water for 2 hours, then trim the ends.

2

Prepare the Jars

Place dill, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, and currant leaves into sterilized jars.

3

Fill the Jars

Pack cucumbers tightly but without crushing them.

4

Prepare the Brine

Bring water, salt, and sugar to a boil. Add vinegar at the end.

5

Pour and Seal

Pour hot brine over cucumbers, seal jars tightly, and invert.

6

Cool Down

Wrap jars and let them cool completely.

What to watch for

Common problems for this recipe

These pages help with situations that often come up during preparation, drying, or storage. Each one opens a separate page with an explanation.

soft cucumbers that are no longer crispwhy cucumbers in a jar become cloudyOverly sour cucumbers
Helpful nearby

What may help after this recipe

A strong recipe page does not end with ingredients. The next step should be logical: a calculation, an explanation, a troubleshooting page, a guide, or a closely related section.

Marinade calculator

Quickly recalculate water, salt, sugar, and vinegar for a different jar count.

Open

Vinegar converter

Useful when the recipe calls for one vinegar strength and you have another.

Open

Problems and solutions

Cloudy brine, soft vegetables, lids, mold, and other frequent situations.

Open
Broader topic

Topic pages that fit this recipe

Sometimes people need more than one recipe. These topic pages help widen the view with related preserves, storage guidance, common issues, and useful next steps connected to the same ingredient or pantry method.

Broader topic

Safe Fermentation

Fermentation, salt, temperature, normal fermentation signs, and problem situations for a safer home process.

Open topic
Broader topic

Early Spring Greens

Wild garlic, sorrel, dill, spinach, green onion, and other early seasonal greens with related recipes, guidance, and problems.

Open topic
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Important for safety

Home preserving always depends on cleanliness, correct proportions, sterilization, and storage conditions. If the result seems doubtful, it is safer not to take risks and to open the related troubleshooting pages and explanations.