It’s Time to Meet the Hot Summer With Pickled Cucumbers
In what science fiction scientists call “it’s really not that surprising,” I became obsessed with making cucumbers, both pickled and plain. First I cooked the last one over charcoal , then I turned my attention to the ranch- roasted pickles , and now I am all – and I mean all – fried pickles.
Roasted pickles are good for roasted cucumbers as corned beef is for smoked brisket – they both benefit from my Weber’s smoky heat, but only one is in brine. But unlike brisket – corned or not – grilled pickles can be cooked in minutes.
I previously wrote about grilled pickles, but the procedure was slightly different. Grilling vegetables and then marinating them certainly adds a little volume (and charcoal), but marinating and then grilling creates an even more fun flavor. The sugar in the liquid brine is caramelized and charred and the result is fantastic. The astringency of the marinade is slightly softened, the piquant taste is enhanced. It’s a nice pickle.
How to cook pickled cucumber
It takes about three minutes to grill the marinade, so I prefer to toss it after (or just before) grilling the steak or chicken while the grates are still very hot. Remove the pickles from the brine, blot them to remove excess moisture, then brush or sprinkle with a thin layer of neutral oil. Grill over very hot coals (or over high heat on a gas grill) until the skin is bubbling and there are small grill marks on the fleshy side.
Let the pickles cool slightly, then eat them whole like any pickles, or chop them up and toss them into a salad – any salad. Green salads, potato salad, pasta salad, tuna salad, or chicken salad will all benefit from the addition of these charred salted counterparts. If you don’t eat them all in one sitting – and that’s a big “if” – you can store them in brine in their original jar along with un-fried pickles, so don’t be afraid to do “too many.”