Photo: J.hagelüken, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Fermentation · From Bladwijzer

Fermented gherkins with oak leaves

Updated on 9 October 2026

• Makes: ± 1 jar of 1.5 litres
• Time: 30 min + 5–10 days fermenting
• From: English oak

Ingredients

• 700 g small, firm cucumbers or gherkins
• 750 ml water
• 40 g coarse sea salt, non-iodised
• 4 young oak leaves (picked in May–June, rinsed and frozen)
• 1 bunch dill
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns

Method

1. Pick the oak leaves in May or June from a tree without oak processionary caterpillars or their nests. Rinse them well and freeze them until the cucumbers are ripe.
2. Warm a little of the water, dissolve the salt in it and top up with the rest of the water. Leave the brine to cool to room temperature.
3. Scrub the cucumbers clean and cut off the small end where the flower was: this keeps them firmer.
4. Rinse a large jar with boiling water. Put half of the dill, garlic, mustard seeds, peppercorns and 2 oak leaves in the bottom.
5. Pack the cucumbers upright and tightly into the jar. Put the rest of the flavourings and the other oak leaves on top.
6. Pour in the brine until everything is completely covered. Hold the cucumbers under the brine with a small, clean saucer or a bag filled with brine. Rest the lid loosely on the jar.
7. Leave to ferment for 5–10 days at 18–22 °C, out of direct sunlight. Skim off any white film or foam and start tasting from day 5. When they are sour enough, close the jar and move it to the fridge.

Storing: 3–4 months in the fridge, under the brine. The oak leaves keep the cucumbers crunchy. If the brine smells rotten, turns slimy or you see mould on the cucumbers, throw everything away.