If you’re a pickle enthusiast in Minnesota, growing your own cucumbers for pickling can be a rewarding and flavorful experience. Freshly picked cucumbers make the best pickles, and with a few gardening tips, you’ll be on your way to producing delicious homemade pickles right from your backyard. We have added a quick refrigerator pickle recipe at the bottom of this article.
Choosing the Right Cucumber Varieties
For pickling purposes, opt for cucumber varieties that are crisp, firm, and ideally suited for preserving. Some excellent choices for homemade pickles include:
Straight Eight
A cucumber Superstar, this classic has excellent flavor and is widely adapted
Boston Pickling
Another great pickling variety, Boston Pickling cucumbers are known for their consistent size and texture, making them ideal for jarred pickles.
County Fair
This heirloom variety produces short, blocky cucumbers that are excellent for pickling. They have a crunchy texture and hold up well in brine.
Growing Cucumbers Successfully in Minnesota
Cucumbers thrive in warm weather, so plant them outdoors after the danger of frost has passed, typically in late May or early June in Minnesota. Choose a sunny spot with well-drained soil enriched with compost. Provide support for vining varieties with trellises or cages to save space and encourage straighter cucumbers.
Why Grow Peppers and Garlic for Pickle Brine
To elevate your pickle game, consider growing your own peppers and garlic to add flavor and heat to your pickling brine. Peppers like jalapeños, serranos, and banana peppers are popular choices for homemade pickles. Garlic adds a robust, savory note to pickles and complements the flavors of cucumbers and peppers beautifully.
Popular Pepper Varieties for Home Gardens
Jalapeño
The Jalapeno is Known for its medium heat level and versatility in pickling, cooking, and fresh eating.
Banana Pepper
Mild and sweet, banana peppers are great for pickling and adding color to your pickle jars.
Serrano
Serrano peppers pack more heat than jalapeños, adding a spicy kick to your pickles.
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Cayenne Slim
The versatility of Cayenne Slim peppers combined with the abundant yields make this pepper variety a must have for spice lovers; perfect for containers or gardens; produces long thin, hot fruits; emerging green and maturing to wrinkled red; ideal for sauces, pickled, dried or fresh in salsas.
Other Vegetables and Herbs for Pickling
Expand your pickling repertoire by growing these additional vegetables and herbs:
Dill
Essential for making dill pickles, this herb adds a fresh, aromatic flavor to your homemade pickles.
Cauliflower
Pickled cauliflower florets make a delightful addition to pickle jars, adding crunch and texture.
Carrots
Sliced or whole carrots can be pickled alongside cucumbers for colorful and flavorful pickles.
Onions
Pickling onions along with cucumbers and other vegetables adds variety to your pickling repertoire, offering a tangy and flavorful condiment that complements a wide range of dishes.
Tips for Pickling Success
Once your cucumbers, peppers, and other vegetables are ready for harvest, follow safe pickling practices to preserve them. Use a vinegar-based brine seasoned with herbs and spices of your choice. Experiment with different flavors and ingredients to create unique pickle combinations.
By growing your own cucumbers, peppers, and garlic, you can enjoy the freshest ingredients for homemade pickles right from your Minnesota garden. With a little effort and creativity, you’ll savor the satisfaction of enjoying homemade pickles that are bursting with flavor and made with love.
Happy pickling and gardening!
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Quick Refrigerator Pickles
1 medium/large cucumber
½ cup water, at room temperature or cooler
½ cup rice vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup or sugar
1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
20 twists of freshly ground black pepper
2 leafy sprigs of fresh dill, roughly chopped (about ¼ cup)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 bay leaf
- For pickle rounds (“chips”), slice the cucumber(s) into thin rounds, about ⅛-inch thick. Or, for spears, slice them in half lengthwise, then slice the halves lengthwise into quarters, then slice the quarters lengthwise into eighths.
- In a liquid measuring cup or bowl, combine the water, vinegar, maple syrup or sugar, salt, red pepper flakes (if using) and black pepper. Stir until most of the salt has dissolved into the liquid, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Set aside.
Place the cucumbers into a wide-mouth jar about 3 to 4 inches in diameter, tall enough to offer at least 1 inch of extra space on top (for pickle spears, it’s important that all the pickles fit snugly, vertically—a wide-mouth pint-sized mason jar would work well). - Top the cucumbers with the dill and garlic. Tuck the bay leaf into the side of the jar. Pour the all of the liquid over the cucumbers so they’re fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (for pickle rounds) or at least 3 hours (for pickle spears). The flavor will continue to develop over the next couple of days. These pickles will keep for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.