I made my homemade pickled gherkins at the beginning of September, using the classic recipe with white vinegar and spices. But now, after 6 weeks, they're starting to get pretty soft. Is that normal or did I mess something up? The jars are sealed properly and I sterilized them correctly.
The problem is probably from the vinegar content or the salt-to-vinegar ratio not being high enough to keep them firm. Pickles get soft when the acidity is too low or when bacteria start breaking down the cell walls, even in a properly sealed jar. Make sure you're using at least 5-6% acidity (straight white vinegar works fine) and that you're completely covering the pickles with the brine - if some are sticking up in the air in the jar, they're done for. Also try adding a bit of tannin (oak leaf, grape leaf, or even some black tea) next time, it really helps keep them crispy.
You probably didn't add enough salt directly to the jar when canning. A lot of people forget that salt plays just as big a role as vinegar in keeping the texture firm. If you followed a recipe that doses the salt at 2-3% of total weight, try bumping it up to 4-5% next time. That's really what makes the difference between pickles that stay crispy and ones that get mushy after a few weeks.
The other thing is, if you left the pickles at room temperature too long before refrigerating them, that speeds up the softening. You gotta store them cold as soon as possible after sterilization, don't let them sit around. And also make sure you're starting with small, firm pickles - the bigger ones or ones that aren't quite as fresh lose their texture way faster.
It's true that salt and vinegar are important, but if your jars are getting soft after only 6 weeks, it's often because you used cucumbers that were too ripe or too big to start with 🥒 Small fresh cucumbers keep their crunch way better. Also, make sure you actually put oak or grape leaves in each jar - it's not just a minor detail, they contain tannins that really help keep them firm. Then yeah, acidity plays its role, but generally the classic recipe is enough if you stuck to the proportions.
One thing people often forget is that pickles soften up too if you pack them too tightly in the jar and there isn't enough liquid to circulate everywhere. Try spacing them out a bit more next time and make sure the vinegar really covers everything all the way to the top.
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