American · side, sauce
Fermented Kosher Dill Pickles
Video by Food Network on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Low carb (1.6 g net carbs) but not keto: 8% of the energy is from fat, and keto meals get about 60% or more
- Vegan
- Gluten-free ingredients
- Nut-free
Contains: none of the common allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
A crunchy, almost calorie-free pickle — about 8 kcal a serve — soured by lactic-acid fermentation instead of vinegar, with no sugar. Like all brined pickles it is very salty (about 420 mg sodium a serve).
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Ingredients 7
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Stir 5½ oz (about ½ cup) pickling salt into 1 gallon filtered or bottled water (chlorinated tap water can stop the fermentation) until dissolved. Scrub the cucumbers and trim off the blossom ends. 0:05
- Put the dill seed, fresh dill, garlic, peppercorns and pepper flakes in a 1-gallon crock and stand the cucumbers upright on top. 0:44
- Pour in brine until it is about 2 inches below the rim. Fill a zip-top bag with more brine (not plain water, in case it leaks), seal it and lay it on top so every cucumber stays submerged. Discard the leftover brine. 1:22
- Keep the crock at about 68–70°F (20–21°C), no warmer than 75°F. After 3 days bubbles should rise; from then on skim any scum from the edges daily or every couple of days and rinse the bag in clean water. 2:04
- When the bubbling stops and the pickles taste sour (about 6–10 days), cover loosely with a plate and refrigerate for about 3 days, skimming as needed. 4:04
- Pack the pickles into jars, cover with the strained brine and keep refrigerated for up to 2 months. Throw them out if they turn soft or smell off. 4:28
Tip. Makes about 3 lb (1.4 kg) of pickles, roughly 27 half-pickle serves (our estimate). Use small, firm, very fresh cucumbers. If the brine bag leaks, top up with brine, never plain water.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One portion, ½ pickle (50 g), gives you 1 of 27
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 72%
- Protein 18%
- Fat 10%
For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
No vitamin or mineral reaches 10% of a day in one serve.
Show the other 15
Vitamin K7%
8.3 µg a serve, mostly from pickling cucumbers (99%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Vitamin C3%
2.4 mg a serve, mostly from pickling cucumbers (60%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Potassium2%
80 mg a serve, mostly from pickling cucumbers (88%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Magnesium2%
7.3 mg a serve, mostly from pickling cucumbers (90%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Calcium1%
11 mg a serve, mostly from pickling cucumbers (74%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Iron1%
0.2 mg a serve, mostly from pickling cucumbers (63%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Zinc1%
0.1 mg a serve, mostly from pickling cucumbers (88%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Vitamin A1%
7.8 µg a serve, mostly from fresh dill (55%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Folate1%
5.2 µg a serve, mostly from pickling cucumbers (68%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Vitamin B61%
0 mg a serve, mostly from pickling cucumbers (85%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Vitamin D0%
0 µg a serve. Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Vitamin E0%
0 mg a serve, mostly from fresh dill (42%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Vitamin B120%
0 µg a serve. Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Selenium0%
0.2 µg a serve, mostly from pickling cucumbers (94%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Omega-30%
0 g a serve, mostly from red pepper flakes (48%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Food Network; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.