Making and Canning Cornichons
Cornichons are those tiny French sour pickles that are delicious when served
with a pâté, fish or salad. They are made very similarly to how we make dill
pickles.
Pickles should be brined to optimize
their crispiness, which spreads the
preparation time over the course of
a few days. This sounds time
consuming, but the brining step just
takes a few minutes over the course
of each day. If you want to can the
pickles on Saturday morning, then
begin on Wednesday evening. After
canning, pickles are best if they are
left to cure for about three months
before being eaten.
Ingredients for 6 pints:
 Canning:
 Notes:
Cucumbers, 2-1/2 inches or less in length
 1 quart or about 2-1/2 pounds
  
Kosher or Natural Sea Salt for Brine
 1 cup
  
White Wine Vinegar (5% acid or more)
 2 cups
  
Garlic
 2 cloves, peeled and sliced
  
Fresh Tarragon
 2 sprigs
  
Water
 2 cups
  
Sugar
 2 cups
  
1. The first evening, Cover clean cucumbers in
boiling water, then let stand overnight.

The next morning, drain and cover with fresh
boiling water containing 1/2 cup of kosher salt.

The second morning, drain and cover with fresh
boiling water containing another 1/2 cup of  
kosher salt.
 2. The third morning (canning day), drain, but do
not rinse, cucumbers and pierce with a fork.
3. Bring vinegar and all other ingredients to a
boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.
 4. Cold pack cucumbers in jars then pour
hot liquid over them, following steps below.
For canning use the following techniques:
Canning using cold pack method, using jam jars with 1/2” of headspace.  
Processing with a Water Bath Canner for 5 minutes
For elevations above 1,000 foot level see Altitude Time Adjustments.  
Labeling and Storing
Return to Main Table of Contents for other recipes and canning information
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© 2004 David G. Blackburn
CanningUSA.COM
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Note: Brining should be done using glass or ceramic
bowls to ensure the container does not react with the salt
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