Messy Farm Zucchini / Cucumber Pickles

At Messy Farm, zucchinis and cucumbers have a habit of appearing all at once and in impressive numbers. When they’re crisp, fresh and straight from the garden, pickling is one of the best ways to make them last and capture that just-picked crunch.

These pickles are tangy, gently spiced and incredibly versatile — perfect with cheese, on sandwiches, alongside grilled meats, or straight from the jar if no one’s watching.

Messy Farm Zucchini / Cucumber Pickles

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Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Ingredients

  

• 5 kg cucumbers or zucchinis
• 30 g mustard seed
• 1 L white vinegar or vinegar of your choice – white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar work well — malt vinegar tends to be too strong
• 10 g black pepper
• ½ cup cooking salt non-iodised
• 10 g turmeric powder
• 10 g coriander seed
• 1 onion thinly sliced
• ¼ cup white sugar – more if needed to taste
• 1 teaspoon chilli flakes optional, if you like a bit of heat

Instructions

 

• Wash the cucumbers and slice them into discs or slices approximately 3 mm thick. Try to keep them reasonably uniform so they pickle evenly.
• Place the sliced cucumbers into a large bowl or tub and sprinkle evenly with the cooking salt. Toss well, cover, and leave for several hours or overnight.
• This draws out excess moisture and helps keep the pickles crisp.
• Rinse the cucumbers thoroughly under cold water to remove excess salt. Drain well and taste a piece.
• If the cucumber still tastes too salty, rinse again and drain before moving on to the next step.
• In a large pot, combine the vinegar, mustard seed, black pepper, turmeric, onion, white sugar and chilli flakes (if using). Bring to a gentle simmer and allow the flavours to infuse, adjusting the sugar if needed to suit your taste.
• Pack the drained cucumbers tightly into sterilised glass jars, filling them to the shoulder of the jar (where the glass starts to curve).
• Pour the hot vinegar mixture over the cucumbers so that it completely covers the slices, with the liquid sitting about 1 cm above the cucumbers. Remove any trapped air bubbles and seal the jars.
• Place the sealed jars into a large pot and add water until it reaches just below the jar lids.
• Slowly bring the water temperature up to 90–93°C and hold it at that temperature for 45 minutes.
• Do not allow the water to boil — boiling will cause the cucumbers to go soft and squishy. This process uses the Fowler’s method of preservation to safely preserve the pickles while maintaining texture.
• Carefully remove the jars and allow them to cool completely. Store in a cool pantry or cupboard. Once opened, keep refrigerated.