I was going to name this recipe “Jewish Cucumber Salad” but I don’t know if this recipe is expressly Jewish. I do remember my grandmother having this at her house and I know another friend’s Jewish grandmother also used to make it. But both of our families came from Eastern Europe. So, who knows?
Most pickles are made by boiling vinegar, spices, salt, and sugar and pouring the hot liquid over your fruits/vegetables. This is true for both refrigerator pickles or for pickles you store for long term. The way I was taught to make this recipe does not include any boiling. So, instead of this being ready an hour after assembly, the veggies are better at least 24 hours post assembly. This has the advantage that there isn’t a whole lot of mess involved and you can adjust the taste over the the 24 hours. But it does require some forethought.
Cucumber Salad
- 2 cucumbers
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 tbsp dill
Slice cucumbers into fairly even slices and discard the ends.
Slice onion half into half and chop onion in small rings.
Add salt, sugar, dill, and vinegar to the veggies. Try to submerge as many of the cucumbers as possible.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Enjoy!
Options: I’ve also made this without the onions and really enjoy it as well. Fresh dill is awesome as well. If you are diabetic and want to make this without sugar, my mom has made hers with splenda or the splenda mix and that has worked fine as well.
An easy way to make this is to put everything in a big plastic baggie and just leave it in the fridge. You can also add fresh cucumbers to the pickling liquid as you eat the ones already in there.