PICKLING CUCAMELONS: THE COOLEST PICKLES YOU’VE EVER SEEN

So one of the things that I really wanted to plant in our allotment, was cucamelons. I’m not even that big of a fan of cucumbers, but these just looked so cute! And of course, I love pickles, so growing cucamelons just pretty much means turning them into cucamelon pickles!

Here in the UK, I find pickles to be a bit sweet for my North American tastes. I like my pickles mostly tangy garlicky dill rather than sweet, so I thought I should just make my own! My mom used to always buy those “yum-yum” pickles and I used to refer to them as “yuck-yuck”…

I used this recipe from The Kitchn as inspiration. I only made enough for two half-pint jars, as that was the amount of cucamelons that I had. Just adjust the recipe for the amount you need. As mentioned in the original recipe, I trimmed the blossom end of the cucamelons to prevent them from softening.

One thing mentioned in the original recipe is to use dill seeds as opposed to dill leaves. While this is probably a useful tip, I used the leaves (as I couldn’t find the other nearby) and still found the dill taste to be quite strong. Feel free to use whatever you have on hand as seasoning – I just used what I had in the pantry. Dill leaves, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and garlic were the flavors that I chose.

If you’re planning on storing your pickles for a long time, use the hot water bath mentioned in The Kitchen, otherwise, you can just store them in the fridge. Wait at least a few days before opening the pickles, for a stronger flavor. If you don’t have cucamelons on hand, no worries! Pickle any kind of cucumbers or other vegetables like green beans – the options are endless. Have fun experimenting with yours!

Pickled Cucamelons

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • Enough pickles to fit one pint jar
  • 125 ml cider vinegar
  • 125 ml water
  • 2.25 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 garlic cloves smashed
  • 2 tsp dill leaves
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp black mustard seeds

Instructions
 

  • Prep the jars by washing, then sterilizing both lids and jars with boiling water. Allow them to air dry, or speed it up by putting them in a low temp. oven
  • Wash and dry the cucamelons. Trim away the blossom end of the cucumber, and leave whole or cut as desired.
  • Add the spices to the jar(s) then pack the pickles into the jars. Leave a little room at the top of the jar.
  • Bring the pickling brine to a boil – combine the vinegar, water, and salt in a small pan over high heat. Pour it over the pickles, leaving a little room at the top. Depending on the type of pickles, and room available, you may have extra brine.
  • Gently tap the jars against the counter a few times to remove all the air bubbles. Top off with more pickling brine if necessary.
  • Screw the lids on tight, and then let the jars cool to room temperature. Once cool, refrigerate if you’re not processing for longer storage.

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