Crunchy and bursting with flavor, these Pickled Armenian Cucumbers are the perfect accompaniment to your meal —whether eating sandwiches or shish kebab, or something else that calls for a bit of pucker!
While my grandpa Moe was often the one credited for creating these hot pickles, my grandma Alice also claimed them as her family's recipe. Now my own dad carries on the tradition in our family, which starts every spring when he plants his Armenian cucumber seeds.
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What Ingredients Do I Need to Make Pickled Armenian Cucumbers (and Other Pickled Veggies)?
- Armenian cucumbers: (You'll probably have to plant your own Armenian cucumber seeds unless you are lucky enough to buy some at a Farmer's market or an Armenian grocery store.)
- White vinegar, water, salt and sugar: Heat these ingredients together on the stove.
- Pickling spice, minced fresh garlic and hot yellow chili peppers: Add these directly to each jar.
You may also decide to pickle other vegetables. This recipe will work great for your other garden veggies: zucchini, string beans, carrots, cauliflower, etc.
How Do I Make Pickled Armenian Cucumbers?
Stir vinegar, water, salt and sugar in pan until the salt and sugar dissolves. Wash and cut cucumbers into strips. You might also want to peel any brown spots if your cucumbers have sat a few days. If desired, you can cut up other veggies to pickle.
Score a "plus" sign into the tip of each yellow chili pepper. You will use two peppers per jar.
Arrange the cucumbers (and/or other veggies) into quart jars, along with two, hot yellow chili peppers. Pour the vinegar solution in each jar until a ½ inch from top. Add a teaspoon of pickling spice and 1 minced clove of garlic to each jar. Allow the jars to cool down a bit (approximately 1-1 ½ hours) first.
Push down on lid in center with finger and then screw the ring around the jar tightly.
Since the jars of pickles are not shelf stable unless you have properly canned them with a pressure cooker, you will need to store them in the refrigerator. They should be consumed within 3-4 weeks. If you are processing them, you will want to use a brand new lid and follow instructions here.
(Some home pickle recipes say they last for 2 months. Just keep an eye and nose on them! And remember that commercially canned pickles have a longer storage life...although they can't compare in taste!)
For the best flavor development, hold off on eating your newly pickled cucumbers for 7 days.
📖 Recipe
Pickled Armenian Cucumbers
Ingredients
- 3 Armenian cucumbers average-sized
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pickling spice
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 2 hot yellow chili peppers
Instructions
- Wash and cut cucumbers into strips. Score the tip of each yellow chili pepper with a plus sign. (See picture above.) Arrange cucumbers and peppers in quart-sized jars.
- Heat vinegar, water, salt and sugar in pan until it boils and then lower temperature. Stir the solution until the salt and sugar dissolves.
- Pour solution in jar until ½ inch from top.
- Add a teaspoon of pickling spice and 1 minced clove of garlic to each jar.
- Allow the jars to cool down (approximately 1-1 ½ hours). Then, press a mason jar lid down on the top and screw on ring tightly around it. Store in refrigerator immediately. Ready to eat in 7 days for full flavor. Keeps for about 3-4 weeks.
Barbara says
How long will they keep in the fridge
The Stuffed Grape Leaf says
If you don't process them (a.k.a. pressure canning), but you DO keep them in the fridge the whole time, they should be good to eat for 3-4 weeks.
JM Wells says
4 star instructions, 5 star pickles.
Your recipe instructions don't say what to do with the pickling spice and garlic.
A few years ago we grew Armenian Yard Long cucumbers in our garden. They turned out to be prolific bearers. We now grow them every year. In an effort to find new ways to use them, we found your recipe. I made a jar of pickles using your recipe. We liked the flavor (a little sour, a little sweet and a little spicy) and especially like that the pickles stay crunchy! We will be adding these pickles to our summer rotation of recipes.
One question. Do you know what kind of peppers the yellow hot peppers are?
The Stuffed Grape Leaf says
Thank you so much for pointing out where there were gaps in the recipe card. (I had only included the instructions for the garlic and spices in the narrative section.) I have updated the instructions and added ingredient information specifying that you use yellow "chili" peppers. Also, thank you for trying out the recipe. I am glad that you enjoyed them and have aptly described them!