Dill Pickles

This recipe makes an old-fashioned dill pickle in almost the blink of an eye.

Attribution Link

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 3 quarts or 6 pints

Prep Time: 30 minutes   Cook Time: Cooking time: 5 minutes Processing time: Quarts, 15 minutes; Pints, 10 minutes  

Ingredients

4 pounds pickling cucumbers (I used regular cucumbers out of garden, not pickling ones)
6 TBSP kosher or pickling salt
3 cups distilled white vinegar
3 cups water
1 TBSP whole mixed pickling spices
18 black peppercorns
3 TBSP dill seed (or use fresh dill sprigs instead)
Fresh dill sprigs (optional)
2 (one whole clove) halved peeled garlic cloves to each jar (optional–I didn’t use)

Directions

1. Wash cucumbers, leave them whole if they’re smaller than 4 inches in diameter. For larger cucumbers, cut them in slices or lengthwise, in halves or quarters.

2. Prepare your canning jars and two-piece caps (lids and screw bands) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Keep jars and lids hot.

3. Combine the salt, water, and vinegar in a 3 to 4 quart saucepan. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the salt. Keep the liquid hot.

4. Snuggly pack the cucumbers into your prepared jars. To each quart jar, add 1 tsp of pickling spices, 6 peppercorns, and 1 TBSP of dill seed. To each pint jar, add 1/2 tsp of pickling spices, 3 peppercorns, and 1-1/2 tsp dill seed. If you’re using fresh dill, add a sprig or two to each jar in between the inside edge of the jar and the cucumbers.

5. Ladle the hot liquid into your filled jars, leaving head space of 1/2 inch in the quart jars and 1/4 inch in the pint jars. Completely submerge the cucumbers in the liquid. If they protrude from the jar, adjust them until you have the proper head space. Release any air bubbles. Add more liquid to the jar if needed.

6. Wipe jar rims; seal the jars with the two-piece caps, hand-tightening the bands. Process your filled jars in the water bath – for quart jars, 15 minutes; for pint jars, 10 minutes; both from the point of boiling. Remove jars with lifter. Place them on a clean kitchen or paper towel away from drafts. After the jars cool completely, test the seals. If you find jars that haven’t sealed, refrigerate and use them within 2 months.

The recipe didn’t say how long these must sit or cure before eating. I have seen 3 weeks to 3 months before eating in other recipes…guess that is up to you!

Categories: Boiling Water Bath, BWB Pickles & Pickled Stuff, Canning, Condiments, Other Condiments, Preserving

Submitted by: nataliecyphers on August 5, 2010