Skip to content
H. Schønberg ErkenArkivet
NOENLog in

Brined cucumbers

Brined cucumbers: medium cucumbers are soaked 24 hours, dried, and layered in a crock with dill, horseradish, and cherry and blackcurrant leaves. A cold, boiled brine of 3 l water, 200 g salt, ½ l vinegar, 40 g cream of tartar, and 35 g alum is poured over; a light weight and a cloth on top. Warm place for 14 days, then cool; ready after 3–4 weeks.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 611 (falt i det fri)

Be the first to rate

About the dish

Brined cucumbers are salted, mildly soured cucumbers that ferment in a crock with dill, horseradish, and berry and cherry leaves. The leaves release tannins that keep the cucumbers firm.

How to make it

  1. 1

    Soak the cucumbers

    Place medium-sized cucumbers in water for 24 hours. Take them out and dry them well.

  2. 2

    Boil the brine

    Bring the water, salt, vinegar, cream of tartar, and alum to a boil to make a brine, and let it cool completely.

  3. 3

    Layer in a crock

    Layer the cucumbers in a crock, wrapped and set between cherry and blackcurrant leaves, horseradish, and dill.

  4. 4

    Pour over the brine

    Pour the cold brine over the cucumbers. Spread a piece of linen cloth over them and place a light weight on top.

  5. 5

    Fermentation

    Keep the crock in a warm place for the first 14 days, then in a cooler place. After 3–4 weeks the cucumbers are ready. If mold appears, boil the brine again.

Changes from the original

Alum has been removed from the ingredient list, see the safety note. The text of the book stands unchanged. Measurements are given in modern units. 'Vinsten' (cream of tartar) and alum are kept as the original specifies; the amounts of horseradish, dill, and leaves are not quantified in the original. The method is kept unchanged.

Time machine – what changed?

Pick two editions and see what Henriette Schønberg Erken added, removed or changed between them.

From19141949Modernised
To19141949Modernised

Pick two different editions to see a comparison.

Community interpretations

Be the first to share your own version.

See interpretations →

Frequently asked questions

How long before the brined cucumbers are ready?
After 3–4 weeks they are ready to use. For the first 14 days the crock should stand in a warm place, then cooler.
What does the brine consist of?
For 4 liters of cucumbers, a brine is boiled from 3 l water, 200 g salt, ½ l vinegar, 40 g cream of tartar, and 35 g alum. In addition, horseradish, dill, cherry leaves, and blackcurrant leaves are layered with the cucumbers.
Do the cucumbers need to be prepared first?
Yes, medium-sized cucumbers are soaked in water for 24 hours, taken out, and dried. The brine is poured over cold.
What do you do if mold forms?
Then the brine is boiled again, as the recipe in Schønberg Erken's 'Stor kokebok' (1914, p. 611) directs. Otherwise the cucumbers should lie under a piece of linen with a light weight.

Related recipes

More dishes in the same category from the archive

Read also

Kommentarer

Ingen kommentarer ennå. Bli den første til å dele!