• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
✮ The Food Dictator ✮

The Hirshon Russian Dill Cucumber Pickles – Малосольные Oгурцы

September 8, 2019 by The Generalissimo 4 Comments

547
SHARES
FacebookTwitterPinterestRedditWhatsappYummly
Light Dark Dark Light
()
The Hirshon Russian Dill Cucumber Pickles - Малосольные Oгурцы
Russian Salted Cucumber Image Used Under Creative Commons License From gastronom.ru

My Citizens! To Russians, the art of preservation is far more than just a way to extend the life of fruits and vegetables beyond their allotted lifespan – no, it is a ritual fraught with memory, tradition and history that is to be treated with utmost respect and gravitas. I for one salute this perspective and being of Eastern European descent, the enjoyment of pickles is practically hard-wired into my DNA and few make a better version than the people of the Rus‘!

As outlined in an excellent article on russia-ic.com:

For centuries people have had to store food and stock up for the cold Russian winter. Our ancestors fermented, brined, soused and pickled some of the harvested vegetables. Modern pickle recipes present the tradition of the national Russian cuisine.

The concept of canning was inherent not only to the Eastern Slavs, but to many of the peoples who lived in Europe and Asia. The Russian cuisine stood out for the fact that national pickles were vinegar-free, as vegetables and fruits were fermented and soused. Moreover, no other country but Russia had the tradition of brined vegetables.There are some evidences preserved that in the territory of our state, the Slavs soured cabbage and brined cucumbers as far back as the XII century.

In the XII-XIV centuries, pickling veggies and fruit for the winter time turned into a real family celebration. As soon as a family got to making sauerkraut, all girls from the village would put on festive sundresses and get together in that particular house. They would chop cabbage and sing songs all together. In the evening, guys would come and bring gifts for the hostess and all the girls.

After completing the ritual of pickling, the hostess would offer a large cabbage pie for all her assistants. After eating it, everyone would walk around the fire and sing songs. In that way, the ancestors cajoled the nature powers so that the products were preserved for the whole winter.

Nowadays three-liter glass jars are the most common vessels for Russian pickles, whereas in the past, those were wooden barrels, tubs, earthen pots, and birch bark containers. Stored for up to several months in such traditional homemade vessels, pickles preserved their strong and hearty taste perfectly.

The recipes of modern Russian pickles were not invented every time anew. Long time ago, they were handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, until published in the Russian Domostroy, aka the Household Management Code in the era of Ivan IV the Terrible. Lots of Russian families have inherited and preserved their ancestors’ recipes, which cannot be found in any book or on the Web. These secrets make an integral part of the family heritage.

In Russian cuisine, the procedure of canning vegetables falls into four types: fermenting, brining, sousing and marinating. Each type has its major components. A similar approach has come down to us. The most typical Russian pickles are sauerkraut, brined cucumbers, pickled tomatoes, soused apples, and marinated mushrooms. Our homemade pickles are usually served as appetizers or vodka chasers.

TFD has listed other pickled Russian fruit and vegetable recipes before, including watermelon and tomatoes, but it is now time to list a recipe for the ‘ne plus ultra’ of Russian pickles – the cucumber! Having sampled the full-spectral glory of Russian pickles when I was in Moscow 2 years ago, I can personally attest to their superiority!

Now, for these cukes, first realize that this is a ‘quick pickle’ – they only ferment for a day or two (up to 5 maximum) before being refrigerated to stop the fermentation process – in American terms, they are ‘½ sours’. Second, there is no vinegar in a true Russian pickle – this is a lactic acid ferment, meaning the natural lactobacillus in the air will cause fermentation via the acetic acid production of these good bacteria.

The other things differentiating a true Russian pickle from a pretender is the fact they are very spicy (from horseradish leaves + root, chiles, pepper and garlic) and they are pickled with the leaves of certain trees high in tannic acid, which helps keep the pickle crunchy and contributes their own flavors. These leaves are traditionally oak, black currant and cherry, but I recognize these aren’t the easiest to obtain. As such, I recommend either canned/rinsed grape leaves or a seemingly strange addition – ASPIRIN.

Why, you might ask – and with good reason! No, it’s not to prevent hangovers – in olden times, aspirin was used to help pickle many ingredients when supplies were low and this recipe holds on to that tradition! Read more about it here in this article from 1942. This technique is also used in my recipe for Georgian pickled grapes.

The cukes best suited for this type of pickling are very bumpy and small – the picture gives you a good idea what they look like. Do NOT use Persian cucumbers, however, as they are spiny. The ends are traditionally cut off as the end where the fruit was attached to the vine can contain an enzyme that causes the cukes to go soft. This step is, however, optional.

Now, I know it is very difficult if not impossible to find fresh horseradish leaves – but it’s not hard at all if you grow it yourself! You can buy horseradish starter roots for growing here and instructions for growing them are here. You can substitute fresh wasabi leaves if you’re so inclined – plants can be purchased here.

Citizens, these pickles are delicious and truly good for you, thanks to the natural probiotic nature of the pickle making. I hope you see fit to unleash your inner Russian and try these forthwith! 🙂

Battle on – the Generalissimo

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
The Hirshon Russian Dill Cucumber Pickles - Малосольные Oгурцы

The Hirshon Russian Dill Cucumber Pickles – Малосольные Oгурцы


★★★★

3.9 from 12 reviews

  • Total Time: 0 hours
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 4 cups bottled water
  • 1 heaping Tbsp. coarse sea salt
  • 2 lbs. small bumpy cucumbers
  • 1 head fresh heirloom garlic
  • 60 g (2″ piece) fresh horseradish root
  • 4 sprigs thyme
  • 6 flowering dill heads
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 slices red jalapeño or fresno chile
  • 2 tsp. black peppercorns
  • 1/2 tsp. allspice
  • 2 horseradish leaves (preferred) or wasabi leaves – if unavailable, use a small amount of mustard greens
  • 2 black currant leaves, 2 cherry leaves and 2 oak leaves or some variant thereof (optional but recommended) – if they are unavailable, use 1 1/2 aspirin tablets (uncoated) or a few washed brined grape leaves from a can
  • 2 l or 68 fl oz canning jar

Instructions

  1. Sterilize the jar and its lid by washing them in the dishwasher.
  2. Boil water and dissolve sea salt in the water. Put it in the freezer so it becomes ice-cold!
  3. Wash the cucumbers and optionally, you can trim the ends off.
  4. Peel the garlic. Cut bigger garlic cloves in half.
  5. Cut about 2 inches off the fresh horseradish root (about 60 g). Peel using a potato peeler. Cut into small pieces similar to the size of garlic cloves.
  6. In a clean 2 liter jar, lay 2 flowering dill heads, 1 black currant leaf, 1 oak leaf, 1 cherry leaf, 1 grape leaf (if using), a thyme sprig and 1 horseradish or wasabi leaf, a few pieces of garlic and horseradish. Add the cucumbers standing vertically. Add the aspirin tablets now, if using.
  7. Repeat dill, leaves and another layer of cucumbers.
  8. Scatter the allspice and horseradish around and cover the cucumbers with the remaining flowering dill and leaves.
  9. Pour the brine over the cucumbers making sure that all the ingredients are fully covered.
  10. Place the jar on a plate to catch spills if the jar is very full.
  11. Cover the jar with cheesecloth and keep on the counter to ferment for 48 hours.
  12. After 48 hours the brine will start turning cloudy and there will be a bit of foam at the top. It is exactly what you are looking for. It does NOT mean that there’s anything wrong – the pickles are NOT spoiled.
  13. Refrigerate and eat within 2 weeks or so.
  • Prep Time: 0 hours
  • Cook Time: 0 hours
  • Category: Recipes

Nutrition

  • Calories: 80.57 kcal
  • Sugar: 4.92 g
  • Sodium: 1241.77 mg
  • Fat: 0.73 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.15 g
  • Trans Fat: 0.0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 18.51 g
  • Fiber: 3.4 g
  • Protein: 3.81 g
  • Cholesterol: 0.0 mg

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @thefooddictator on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook and hashtag it #TFD

How useful was this post, Citizen?

Click to rate My Recipe, Citizen - 5 hearts are ALWAYS appreciated!

Average rating / 5. Vote count:

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

As you found this post useful...

Follow us on social media, Citizen!

We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!

Let us improve this post!

Tell us how we can improve this post?

Related posts:

André Soltner’s Lutèce Vinaigrette
The Hirshon Sardinian Sa Fregula Con Vongole
The Hirshon Belizean Jerk Chicken
The Hirshon Georgian Beef Stew - ხალია
The Hirshon Lebanese Lamb Shawarma - شاورما لحم
The Hirshon Super Bowl ‘Pigskin’ Cracklins
The Hirshon Tahitian Ceviche - E’ia Ota
The Hirshon Indonesian Stir-Fried Rice - Nasi Goreng

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: Condiments

About The Generalissimo

The myth of the Generalissimo is far more interesting than the reality.

Previous Post: « The Hirshon Hawaiian Okinawan Miso Glazed Pork Belly Rafute – ラフテー
Next Post: The Hirshon Bulgarian Sudzhuk Sausages – Горнооряховски Cуджук »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Joanna

    September 24, 2020 at 10:06 AM

    Hi there Generalissimo,

    I am wondering if you would care to give me your take on recipes that suggest this method of pickling can be stored at room temperature without processing rather than storing in the fridge? I have read more (American and litigation averse) sources prohibiting this, but have also heard from those whose culture this is handed down in that it is not necessary. Any intel would be appreciated. I enjoy your content immoderately and eagerly await more podcasts, should you find the time and resources to make more.

    Warmly,

    Joanna

    Reply
    • The Generalissimo

      September 24, 2020 at 4:19 PM

      You’re very kind, Citizen Joanna and more podcasts are planned soon – I’m so glad you enjoy them! 🙂

      If you have room in the fridge, it’s safest to keep them in there. That said, room temp is probably ok but the second you see a weird foam or off-smell, discard them!

      Reply
  2. Joanna

    September 25, 2020 at 8:32 PM

    Hello General,

    I have assembled most of the items to get cracking on this worthy undertaking. I am, however, curious about the discrepancy between the listing of ingredients calling for allspice while the instructions broken down into steps mentions cloves. Could you point me in the right direction? I am assuming given it’s cultural providence that it calls for cloves rather than allspice, but I have been wrong once or twice before.

    Thank you for your generosity with your vast knowledge and with your time.

    All My Best,

    Joanna

    Reply
    • The Generalissimo

      September 30, 2020 at 5:09 AM

      It should be allspice, I’ll
      Fix the recipe now – great catch and thank you!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

Primary Sidebar

➤ Citizens – Please Support TFD Nation!

Donate to Help TFD!

⇔ Search, And Ye Shall Assuredly Find!

✮ Citizens ✮

TFD currently has a total of 1,363 posts and 1,159,134 words written since December of 2014! Add your voice to My 50,000+ dedicated readers, comment on My recipes and thus become an active member of TFD Nation! Looking for a particular recipe? Search for it in the box above or via the category tags below - there are THOUSANDS of the finest in world and historic recipes here!

❧ TREMBLE Before Our Categoric Zeal!

Appetizers (145)Beef (143)Beverages (24)Bread (111)Cheese (64)Chicken (132)Chinese (121)Chocolate (16)Condiments (262)Dessert (166)Drinks (23)Duck (20)Egg (47)Fish (56)French (56)Game (30)Georgian (34)Indian (60)Italian (58)Jewish (84)Lamb (73)Manifestos (1)Pasta (90)Pork (147)Salad (40)Sandwich (42)Seafood (84)Shrimp (53)Soup (109)Spices (12)Tofu (7)Turkey (15)Veal (18)Vegetables (108)

✺ Click to Follow Us Across Social Media!

Facebook   

    instagram

☥ TFD SPEAKS!!!

https://www.thefooddictator.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/TFD-Avatar-Cold-Open-FINAL.mp4

 Enjoy TFD’s Mellifluous Podcasts, Citizen!

Listen on Apple Podcasts

© 2023 · The Food Dictator is abjectly served by WORDPRESS

✮ The Food Dictator ✮
Manage Cookie Consent
Citizens!

Be advised that as an enlightened Dictatorship here at TFD, we are indeed on the side of right when it comes to protecting the privacy of TFD Nation!

We do use technologies such as cookies to store and/or access device information, solely to improve your browsing experience and to show personalized ads.

Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions - trust us, we really ARE on your side!

YOUR LOYALTY IS NOTED! 🎖️
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}
547
SHARES
FacebookTwitterPinterestRedditMailYummly