Pickled Gherkins is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic method of preserving gherkins by brining and then storing in spiced vinegar. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Pickled Gherkins.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
PICKLED GHERKINS.
428. INGREDIENTS.—Salt and water, 1 oz. of bruised ginger, 1/2 oz. of whole black pepper, 1/4 oz. of whole allspice, 4 cloves, 2 blades of mace, a little horseradish. This proportion of pepper, spices, &c., for 1 quart of vinegar.
Mode.—Let the gherkins remain in salt and water for 3 or 4 days, when take them out, wipe perfectly dry, and put them into a stone jar. Boil sufficient vinegar to cover them, with spices and pepper, &c., in the above proportion, for 10 minutes; pour it, quite boiling, over the gherkins, cover the jar with vine-leaves, and put over them a plate, setting them near the fire, where they must remain all night. Next day drain off the vinegar, boil it up again, and pour it hot over them. Cover up with fresh leaves, and let the whole remain till quite cold. Now tie down closely with bladder to exclude the air, and in a month or two, they will be fit for use.
Time.—4 days.
Seasonable from the middle of July to the end of August.
Wash the gherkins, place in a large bowl then make-up a strong brine with sea salt (200g salt per 1l water). Pour over the gherkins to cover, cover the bowl and set aside in a cool place to brine for 3 to 4 days.
After this time, remove the gherkins from the brine, wipe dry, then pack into cleaned and sterilized jars. In the meantime, combine the ginger, horseradish, vinegar and spices in a pan. Bring to a boil then simmer for 10 minutes, take off the heat and pour over the contents of the jars so they are covered. Seal securely with vinegar-proof lids then set aside in a cool place to mature for at least two months before use.
