Senfgurken are traditional German pickles spiced with mustard seed. They’re thrifty little spears, made by peeling and seeding overripe cucumbers at the end of the growing season.
This year, the growing season really got away from me and I found myself with buckets of gigantic overripe cucumbers. I’m not the only one this happens to, surely. At some point in the year, the cucumber patch goes crazy and in the blink of an eye, all those little cucumbers I was going to harvest for tiny French Cornichons are suddenly big as whales and starting to yellow.
Just about every culture that grows cucumbers has a recipe for dealing with what eventually happens to a certain portion of the crop.
There are so many good recipes, including:
- Russian Bear Claw Pickles
- Vermont Cucumber “Tongue” Pickles
- Danish Asier Pickles
- Dutch Pickles
- Ruth’s Pickles (from the American South)
- Sunshine Pickles (Enjoyed everywhere)
The Germans make a simple pickle called Senfgurken, which makes pickle spears in a simple vinegar brine with whole mustard seeds. Some recipes include a pinch of pickling spices as well, but others stick with just mustard. I’ve provided both variations.
Overripe Cucumber Pickles, left to right, starting at top left: Tongue Pickles, Senfrgurken with pickling spice, Sunshine Pickles, senfgurken plain, Bear Claw Pickles, and Ruth’s Pickles.
Ingredients for German Senfgurken (Mustard Pickles)
To make about 4 pints of German Mustard Pickles, you’ll need:
For the Pre-Soak:
- 5 pounds ripe cucumbers (or about 4 large cucumbers)
- 1/4 cup pickling salt
For the Pickling Brine:
- 3 cups cider vinegar (5% acidity)
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 4 tsp mustard seeds (one for each pint)
- 4 tsp mixed pickling spices (optional, 1 tsp per pint)
The pickling spices are optional, and many recipes only use mustard seeds. Feel free to skip them if you don’t have any on hand. I’ve made them both ways, and they’re both good.
Senfgurken with and without pickling spices
How to Make Senfgurken
To make senfgurken, peel the cucumbers completely. Next, slice them in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.
At this point, you have half cucumber boats. Cut the boat in half, leaving a curved end at each end. Next, cut the half boats in half lengthwise, and then repeat.
Each cucumber yields a total of 16 pieces, or 8 from each seeded half.
Mix the cucumber pieces with salt, and then add just enough water to cover. Allow them to sit for 8 to 12 hours, or overnight.
Drain the cucumbers.
Prepare your jars and add mustard seeds (and pickling spices if using) to each jar.
Add the vinegar and sugar to a pot and bring it to a boil. Add the cucumbers and boil for 1 minute.
Load the hot cucumbers into the jars and top with brine, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
Process the jars in a water bath canner for 10 minutes for pints (or 15 minutes for quarts), adjusting for altitude.
Cucumber Pickle Canning Altitude Adjustments
Water boils at a lower temperature at higher altitudes, so jars need to be processed a bit longer as you go up in elevation. Here are the altitude adjustments for canning Senfgurken:
- For 0 to 1,000 Feet in Elevation – Process pint jars for 10 minutes, and quart jars for 15 minutes.
- For 1,001 to 6,000 Feet in Elevation – Process pint jars for 15 minutes, and quart jars for 20 minutes.
- Above 6,001 Feet in Elevation – Process pint jars for 20 minutes, and quart jars for 25 minutes.
Senfgurken (German Mustard Pickles)
Senfgurken are traditional German pickles spiced with mustard seed. They're thrifty little spears, made by peeling and seeding overripe cucumbers at the end of the growing season.
Ingredients
For the Pre-Soak:
- 5 pounds ripe cucumbers (or about 4 large cucumbers)
- 1/4 cup pickling salt
For the Pickling Brine:
- 3 cups cider vinegar (5% acidity)
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 4 tsp mustard seeds (one for each pint)
- 4 tsp mixed pickling spices (optional, 1 tsp per pint)
Instructions
- Peel the cucumbers.
- Slice the peeled cucumbers in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.
- At this point, you have half cucumber boats. Cut the boat in half, leaving a curved end at each end. Next, cut the half boats in half lengthwise, and then repeat. Each cucumber yields a total of 16 pieces, or 8 from each seeded half.
- Mix the cucumber pieces with salt, and then add just enough water to cover. Allow them to sit for 8 to 12 hours, or overnight.
- Drain the cucumbers.
- Prepare your jars and add mustard seeds (and pickling spices if using) to each jar.
- Add the vinegar and sugar to a pot and bring it to a boil. Add the cucumbers and boil for 1 minute.
- Load the hot cucumbers into the jars and top with brine, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
- Process the jars in a water bath canner for 10 minutes for pints (or 15 minutes for quarts), adjusting for altitude.
Notes
Water boils at a lower temperature at higher altitudes, so jars need to be processed a bit longer as you go up in elevation. Here are the altitude adjustments for canning Senfgurken:
- For 0 to 1,000 Feet in Elevation - Process pint jars for 10 minutes, and quart jars for 15 minutes.
- For 1,001 to 6,000 Feet in Elevation - Process pint jars for 15 minutes, and quart jars for 20 minutes.
- Above 6,001 Feet in Elevation - Process pint jars for 20 minutes, and quart jars for 25 minutes.
Cucumber Pickling Recipes
Looking for more ways to make a tasty pickle?
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