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Schmickles' Pickles

Updated: Mar 11

  • Difficulty: 8th Grade / Requested by: Everyone /

  • Time Donation: Total 35 min, 10 min prep, 20 minute process, 5 min cleanup

  • Yield: 2 jars large enough to fit 3 Japanese cucumbers each


Choose Your Own Adventure...



Complex. Tangy. Crunchy.
Complex. Tangy. Crunchy.


ESSENTIAL GEAR:


  • wooden cutting board

  • a really sharp chef knife

  • stainless steel pot or stainless steel kettle w/ spout

  • precision digital gram scale (accuracy 0.1g)

  • (2) large enough, glass jars w/ sealing lids



SUFFICIENT GEAR

  • a sharp knife

  • small pot

  • way too many measuring cups and spoons

  • a ceramic bowl w/ some plastic wrap



MISE EN PLACE



INGREDIENTS

  • 6 Japanese cucumbers (3 per jar, sliced into jar-length spears and chips)

  • 190g high-quality vinegar, not white distilled (3/4 cup)

  • 176g high-quality beer, preferably craft (6 oz or 1/2, 12 oz can or bottle)

  • 20g sea salt (1 Tbsp)

  • 2g calcium chloride (1/4 tsp)

  • 10 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced (5 per jar/20g per jar)

  • 1 tsp fresh or dried dill (1/2 tsp per jar)

  • 2 tsp black peppercorns (1 tsp per jar)

  • 2 dried chilis or 1/4 tsp red chili flakes (1 chili or 1/8 tsp per jar)


*NOTE: the calcium chloride provides the signature, Schmickles' Pickles crunch!



PROCESS

  1. Add beer, vinegar, salt, and calcium chloride to a kettle, stir to dissolve, ensuring that most of the carbonation is released from the beer. This is now pickling solution. Bring to a boil, watching carefully to ensure that the solution does not boil over. If it begins to boil over, remove it from the heat, then try again.

  2. While the solution is coming to a boil, add all other ingredients to the jars, layering this as follows, from bottom to top: peppercorns, dill, red peppers or flakes, garlic, cucumbers.

  3. Once the solution has come to a boil, turn off the heat, and let cool for 5 minutes.

  4. Pour the pickling solution over the cucumbers in the jars until the cucumbers are completely covered.

  5. Rest the lid on the jars or cover the ceramic bowl with plastic wrap. Do not tighten the lid on the jar, or you'll have much difficulty getting to your delicious Schmickles' Pickles.

  6. After an hour, tighten the lid and place the jar or bowl in the fridge for up to three weeks.

  7. Share and Enjoy!


*VARIETY NOTE: add some carrot slices to the jar, or replace the cucumbers all together.




FEATURED INGREDIENTS (optional)


  • Really good, Japanese apple cider vinegar

  • Japanese Lemon Beauty Vinegar

  • Sea salt from the coral-filled seas of Yoron Island (near Okinawa, Japan)

  • Ball Pickle Crisp Granules (calcium chloride)

  • Dried Dill from Otaki Herb Garden

  • Rainbow Peppercorn Medley



STORYTIME

Sometime back in 2012, my friend and I happened upon a pickle recipe using Saranac's White IPA and we fell in love with it. We had found it on some random food blog.


Over the years, I've changed and enhanced the recipe using different ingredients. This is it's final form. At one point, I wanted to start a pickle business, but quickly realized that I stunk at business. There were a few co-workers who actually used to buy jars of these for $20 each. You know who you are.


On an outing in Southern California, a bartender suggested that my friend and I rethink my pickle business idea. She said that we should call it Schmickles' Pickles, and thus the name was born. Thanks random bartender!


SHOUTOUT

A special thanks goes out to some random food blog dude!



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