Pickling veg using brine

I made some brine pickles a couple of week ago. I made it using a traditional recipe,of 1 pint of water and 2 teaspoons of sea salt, placed a heavey lid on top, then left it in a warm place for 2 weeks, but they just don't taste that good.


Any ideas why?

many thanks,
Fiona. in a bit of a pickle.

I use a much stronger bring than you describe. I use 5 Tablespoons per Quart, as per Sandor Katz. This way the food you ferment is very well preserved.

If I want my pickles to taste less salty when I eat them, I just rinse them in fresh water briefly before serving. I dont eat any processed food, so salty ferments are a good way to get my salt. I use good quality sea salt or mineral salt to ensure optimum mineral content and not just sodium.

Can you be more specific about "they just don't taste that good?"

Too salty? Too acidic? Or not enough of something? Have you made them before with better results?

I prefer my pickles very well fermented, with lots of strong acidic taste, but I prefer the taste from fermentation that happens in cool places like basements or even refrigerators. Almost any variable you can think of will have some effect on the flavor.

They tasted 'undercooked' if that makes any sense. Kind of too sour and too bitter.
I have made the same pickles using the same method and they turned out fine though before.
I reckon I never left them long enough. <<<<<<derrr

will try the cooler version of fermenting next and see what happens.

thanks guys

Good luck and keep fermenting! Don't be afraid to taste your pickles as they go, to see what level of fermentation you like best.

More salt can remove and/or mask bitterness, as well as slowing down fermentation (reducing sourness)

Maybe you let them go too long?

Yeah, I was going to say that sounds more like fermentation than pickling and should have been posted in the fermentation forum.

To me pickling involves spices and vinegar.