What better way to use some of your cucumbers from the garden or farmers market than to make pickles. I believe that the secret to a crisp, fresh tasting pickle starts with 2 things, fresh cucumbers and cold brine. The mistake some people make is pouring warm/hot brine over the cucumbers. By keeping the cucumbers cold from the start, they retain their texture and flavor better. While I’m not a big fan of cucumbers in most of their other forms, dill pickles are almost a daily staple for my Son and I. I can’t remember ever having a “bad” store bought pickle, but some have just been better than others. Almost all of the home made pickles I’ve had in my life have been mediocre at best. Most of them are rubbery and unappealing. I came across a recipe last Spring and have made several batches of these pickles since then. Garden fresh cucumbers will give you the best results. Here’s how I make my favorite pickles.
Cucumbers
1 bunch fresh dill
5 Tbsp kosher salt
2 Tsp dill seed
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
2 Tsp peppercorns
1 Tbsp pickling spice
5 cups water
2 cloves garlic (minced)
Quart canning jars (3)
You can make pickles out of whole baby cucumbers or you can make spears from larger cucumbers. Do whichever you prefer.
Let’s start by adding the salt, dill seed, vinegar, peppercorns, pickling spice, and garlic to our water and bring it to a boil. Let it boil for a couple of minutes and remove from heat. Refrigerate the brine until cool. Rinse your canning jars well and make sure they are clean. Pack about 1 pound of cucumbers into the jar and stuff some of the fresh dill in with them. I usually use 1 plastic container of fresh dill for 4 quart jars. Pour in the cold brine and fill the jar as full as it will go. This will eliminate air space and prevent mold growth. Make sure to get all of the spices from the brine into the jars. Put pickles into the refrigerator and let them cure for a minimum of 30 days. Check them in 30 days for flavor, if necessary allow them to cure an additional 2 weeks.
What better way to use some of your cucumbers from the garden or farmers market than to make pickles. I believe that the secret to a crisp, fresh tasting pickle starts with 2 things, fresh cucumbers and cold brine. The mistake some people make is pouring warm/hot brine over the cucumbers. By keeping the cucumbers cold from the start, they retain their texture and flavor better. While I’m not a big fan of cucumbers in most of their other forms, dill pickles are almost a daily staple for my Son and I. I can’t remember ever having a “bad” store bought pickle, but some have just been better than others. Almost all of the home made pickles I’ve had in my life have been mediocre at best. Most of them are rubbery and unappealing. I came across a recipe last Spring and have made several batches of these pickles since then. Garden fresh cucumbers will give you the best results. Here’s how I make my favorite pickles.
Cucumbers
1 bunch fresh dill
5 Tbsp kosher salt
2 Tsp dill seed
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
2 Tsp peppercorns
1 Tbsp pickling spice
5 cups water
2 cloves garlic (minced)
Quart canning jars (3)
You can make pickles out of whole baby cucumbers or you can make spears from larger cucumbers. Do whichever you prefer.
Let’s start by adding the salt, dill seed, vinegar, peppercorns, pickling spice, and garlic to our water and bring it to a boil. Let it boil for a couple of minutes and remove from heat. Refrigerate the brine until cool. Rinse your canning jars well and make sure they are clean. Pack about 1 pound of cucumbers into the jar and stuff some of the fresh dill in with them. I usually use 1 plastic container of fresh dill for 4 quart jars. Pour in the cold brine and fill the jar as full as it will go. This will eliminate air space and prevent mold growth. Make sure to get all of the spices from the brine into the jars. Put pickles into the refrigerator and let them cure for a minimum of 30 days. Check them in 30 days for flavor, if necessary allow them to cure an additional 2 weeks.