The #1 Best Homemade Claussen Pickles Recipe - (2024)

FAQs

What makes Claussen pickles so good? ›

Fresh cukes, every time: Unlike other pickle brands, Claussen cucumbers go from vine to brine in 10 days or less,and are pickled under refrigeration, meaning they are never heated or pasteurized. With minimal processing, Claussen refrigerated pickles deliver superior color, taste and crunch every time!

Use Calcium Chloride

Sea salt is sodium chloride. In this case, we're talking about calcium chloride! These little granules, which dilute quickly in water, are THE trick to crunchy pickles, as they prevent the enzymes from softening the pickle during lacto-fermentation.

(And technically store bought Claussen pickles have white vinegar, so you do you!) And ya'll. These homemade half sour pickles are so easy to make it's almost criminal. The hardest part is the 2 to 4 day wait for them to be done.

Unlike many other brands, Claussen pickles are uncooked and are typically located in the refrigerated section of grocery stores. U.S. Claussen is advertised as having superior crunchiness to other brands.

McClure's came the closest to offering the perfect pickle. These pickles manage to infuse the cucumber with a deeply savory tang without compromising the crunch. The combo of dill and garlic keeps the flavor classic and adaptable for just about any application.

Fermented pickles made with fresh cucumbers, salt and herbs and spices will create wild probiotics in time, usually after four days or so. Wild ferments create probiotics that vary depending on the crop and season. So wild fermentation is best for gut microbiota diversity!

It's no surprise that the reused Claussen pickles were my kids' favorites. We often reuse pickle brine just by sticking sliced cucumbers straight into the leftover brine, but the Cook's Illustrated method of salting the cucumbers and boiling the brine infused far more flavor. We'll be making these again.

When it comes to the Claussen Pickles specifically, According to Food & Wine, their shortage is due to increased demand for groceries, decreased manufacturing schedules, and a 30 percent decrease in glass recycling. The COVID pandemic is the root of the majority of these issues.

Calcium chloride is easier to use: You add 1/8 teaspoon along with the fruit or vegetable pieces and the pickling liquid to a pint jar, or 1/4 teaspoon to a quart jar. (Jarden has tested Pickle Crisp only with fresh pickles, not with fermented ones.)

Why do you soak cucumbers in ice water before pickling? ›

For a quick and easy way to help ensure crisp pickles: soak cucumbers in ice water for 4 to 5 hours before pickling. This is a safer method for making crisp pickles. Using lime, or calcium hydroxide, in solution for soaking cucumbers changes the amount of acid in the cucumber tissue.

Using too weak a salt brine or vinegar solution may cause soft or slippery pickles, as can using moldy garlic or storing the pickles at too warm a temperature.

"Pickles are a low-calorie food and rich in probiotics, which support a healthy balance of gut bacteria—a healthy gut microbiome is associated with improved digestion, reduced inflammation, and enhanced immune response," she says.

Typically soft pickles are a result of boiling them too long in your hot water bath canner or from having the water too hot. The temperature for the hot water bath shouldn't be higher than 185° F (keep the temperature between 180F to 185F) or it may cause softening in your pickles.

Pickle juice may help with muscle cramps or stabilizing blood sugar. Fermented pickle juice can help support a healthy gut microbiome. But because pickle juice contains so much salt, it's not a healthy food. "These products are high in sodium, so use sparingly," Black says.

While drinking pickle juice occasionally is generally safe for most people, consuming it regularly in large amounts might not be ideal due to its high salt content. Excessive salt intake can contribute to health issues like high blood pressure. It's essential to maintain a balanced diet for overall well-being.

“The pickles that are beneficial for your gut health are the fermented ones, made by brining them in salt rather than vinegar,” says Dr. Oppezzo. “While vinegar pickling is a common method, true fermentation in brine enriches them with beneficial probiotics for your gut.

Warm temperatures cause pickles to soften and lose their crunchy texture. Keeping them cool keeps them crisp. Fridge-cold temperatures prevent mold and yeast from forming in the pickle jar, but other factors can affect the contents, too.