CORNICHONS (PICKLED GHERKINS)
About 8 pint jars
Please read about pickling and How to Process.
Wash:
- 5 ½ pounds 1 ¼- to 2 ½-inch-long gherkins or baby pickling cucumbers
Cut a thin slice from the blossom ends, but leave ¼ inch of the stems. Mix together in a large bowl:
- 8 cups water
- ½ cup pickling salt
Stir until the salt is dissolved and add the cucumbers. Place a plate on the cucumbers to keep them submerged and let stand at room temperature for 12 hours.
Drain, rinse, and drain again. Pat dry with a clean towel. Prepare a water-bath canner or prepare a water bath for low-temperature canning, gather all your canning equipment, and have ready 8 clean, hot pint jars.
Tightly pack the cucumbers into the prepared jars, adding to each jar:
- 5 peeled pearl onions (40 total)
- A few sprigs tarragon (16 to 24 total)
- (½ teaspoon mustard seeds [4 teaspoons total])
- 5 white or black peppercorns (40 total)
Combine in a large saucepan and bring just to a boil, stirring until the salt is dissolved:
- 5 ¼ cups white wine vinegar
- 4 ¼ cups water
- ⅓ cup pickling salt
Ladle over the cucumbers in the jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Remove any trapped air from the jars and adjust the liquid level if needed. Wipe the rims. Place lids on jars and screw on rings until fingertip-tight. Process for 10 minutes. Let cool completely and store as directed.