Earl Grey Tea Pickles
One of the secrets to getting crunchy pickles is to add leaves, such as oak or raspberry, that have tannins in them. You might be thinking, "But how do I know which leaves have tannins? And how do I get ahold of some?" Well don’t worry – tea leaves have tannins too, and you can use them to make your pickles crunchy and flavorful. Earl Grey is one of my favorite teas to use because it adds a unique and delightful flavor to these pickles. I can hardly wait for you to try them. We might start a whole new movement of pickles made with different types of tea!
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Servings: 24 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 package Cutting Edge Starter Culture – plus 1 cup water; or ½ cup Kefir Whey
- 24 pickling cucumbers – depending on size
- 4 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 3 tablespoons Celtic Sea Salt
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 bags Earl Grey tea
- ¼ teaspoon Calcium Chloride – optional see note*
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Instructions
- If using the starter culture, stir together the culture and water. Let the mixture sit while you prepare the ingredients—around 10 minutes.
- Cut the blossom ends off the cucumbers.
- Combine the peppercorns, salt, and garlic in a small bowl.
- Tightly pack the cucumber and peppercorn mixture into jars evenly. Add the starter culture or kefir whey and the tea bags. Fill the jar with filtered water to cover the cucumbers but leave 1 to 2 inches of headspace for them to bubble and ferment.
- Seal the jars and let them sit on your kitchen counter, out of direct sunlight, for 3 days.
- After 3 days, remove the tea bags and place them in the refrigerator.
- You can let them slowly continue fermenting in the fridge for an additional 3 days for a more intense flavor if desired!
Notes
Storage note: They are ready to eat after three days but will keep fermenting and age much like a fine wine. I like them at about 1 to 2 weeks, but they will last nine months in your refrigerator.
Calcium chloride is a helpful ingredient that helps pickles stay crunchy and preserve their texture. I love how it helps my pickles stay crisp and adds a salty taste to pickles and other foods without increasing their sodium content. I noticed it in many popular fermented pickles in stores and decided to research it and try it myself with great results.Calcium chloride is an inorganic compound—a salt with the chemical formula CaCl2. It has a long history of safe use in food and is widely recognized as a safe food additive by major regulatory bodies worldwide. FDA Approval: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted calcium chloride Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status for its intended uses in food.
