Ogorki Kiszone (Polish Fermented Dill Pickles)
Whole cucumbers fermented in a garlicky dill brine until sour, crunchy and cloudy. Made with salt and patience, with no vinegar.
- Time20 min plus 4 to 7 days fermenting
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.40 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Estimated nutrition per serving
- 52kcal
- 7.3gcarbs
- 4gof which sugars
- 1.4gfat
- 0.3gsaturates
- 3.7gprotein
- 3.5gfibre
- 5.6gsalt
A rough estimate worked out from the ingredients, for the serving size above. It is a guide only and not medical advice. If you count carbs or manage diabetes, check with your own tools and your care team.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Stir the salt into the cooled boiled water until dissolved to make the brine. Wash a 1.5 litre jar well in hot soapy water and rinse.
- 2
Scrub the cucumbers and trim a thin slice off the blossom end (the end opposite the stalk), because it holds enzymes that can make pickles soft.
- 3
Put half the dill, garlic, peppercorns, mustard seeds, bay and horseradish in the jar. Pack the cucumbers upright and tight, then top with the remaining flavourings.
- 4
Pour the brine over until everything is covered. Weigh down with a small saucer or a zip bag of brine so nothing floats above the liquid.
- 5
Cover loosely and stand on a plate at 18 to 22C, out of direct sunlight. The brine will turn cloudy and bubble after 1 to 2 days, which is normal.
- 6
Taste a cucumber after 3 days for a half sour pickle, or leave 5 to 7 days for fully sour. Move to the fridge when you like the flavour, where they keep for 1 to 2 months.
- 7
Safety notes: use clean jars, keep everything under the brine, and throw away the batch if you see fuzzy mould or smell anything rotten. A thin white film can be skimmed off.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
