🥒 Choosing the Best Cucumbers for Claussen Style Pickles

The secret to crisp, flavorful Claussen style pickles starts with the right kind of cucumber. Not all cucumbers are created equal when it comes to pickling, so selecting the best variety will make all the difference in achieving that satisfying crunch.

🛒 What Are Pickling Cucumbers?

Pickling cucumbers are smaller, firmer, and have thinner skins than the typical slicing cucumbers you’d use in a salad. They’re bred specifically to absorb brine well and maintain a crisp texture over time. Some popular varieties include:

• Boston Pickling

• National Pickling

• Kirby cucumbers

• Homemade Pickles (yes, that’s a real variety!)

These types are ideal for Claussen style pickles because they hold their shape and texture during fermentation or refrigerator curing.

🚫 Avoid Waxy Cucumbers

Make sure to choose unwaxed pickling cucumbers. Supermarket cucumbers are often coated in wax to preserve moisture, but this wax creates a barrier that prevents the brine from fully penetrating the skin. If you can’t find unwaxed cucumbers, consider growing your own or sourcing them from a local farmer’s market.

🌱 Grow Your Own Pickling Cucumbers

If you’re a gardener, growing your own cucumbers for Claussen style pickles is a deeply rewarding experience. Choose a compact variety for container gardens or go all-out with a trellised row in your backyard. Harvest when cucumbers are 4–5 inches long—young and firm for the best results.

🥬 Pro Tip: Freshness Matters

Whether you’re buying or harvesting, the fresher the cucumber, the crisper the pickle. Look for cucumbers that are firm to the touch with no soft spots or yellowing. Use them as soon as possible after picking or purchase to lock in that signature crunch.

Claussen Style Pickles (Crisp & Garlicky) – Recipe

This easy, no-cook method delivers that classic deli-style crunch—perfect for summer garden cucumbers. No special canning equipment needed!

🥒 Ingredients

For 2 Quart Jars:

• ½ gallon unwaxed pickling cucumbers

• ¼ cup minced onions

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• ¼ tablespoon mustard seeds

• 2 heads fresh dill

• 3 cups water

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar

• ¼ cup canning salt

For 4 Quart Jars:

• 1 gallon unwaxed pickling cucumbers

• ½ cup minced onions

• 6 garlic cloves, minced

• ½ tablespoon mustard seeds

• 4 heads fresh dill

• 6 cups water

• 2 cups apple cider vinegar

• ½ cup canning salt

🧂 Instructions

1. Sterilize Your Equipment
   Begin by sterilizing your jars, lids, and bands. You can do this by boiling them in water for 15 minutes or running them through a hot dishwasher cycle.
2. Prep the Cucumbers
   Wash your cucumbers thoroughly. Slice each cucumber into quarters lengthwise to make spears. Pack them tightly into the sterilized jars, leaving about an inch of headspace.
3. Add Fresh Dill
   Place one head of fresh dill into each jar with the cucumbers.
4. Make the Brine
   In a saucepan, combine the onions, garlic, mustard seeds, water, apple cider vinegar, and canning salt. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the salt completely.
   Important: Remove the brine from heat and allow it to cool completely. Do not pour hot brine over cucumbers—this will cook them and ruin the crisp texture!
5. Fill the Jars
   Once the brine is cool, carefully pour it over the cucumbers in the jars, covering them completely.
6. Seal & Shake
   Seal each jar with its lid and band. Leave the jars at room temperature for 2 days, shaking them gently a few times a day to keep everything distributed.
7. Refrigerate & Wait
   After 48 hours, move the jars to the refrigerator. Your pickles will be ready to enjoy in about 2 weeks.

🧊 Storage Tips

These Claussen Style pickles will stay crisp and delicious in the fridge for up to 6 months. No need for traditional canning—just cold storage and patience!

Click here for a Pickled Beets Recipe