Around here my husband (who I always joke is my pickiest eater, because it is true) has become quite famous for his homemade dill pickles. Last year we had an abundance of cucumbers from our garden and, not wanting them to go to waste, he looked up a few pickle recipes, decided he didn’t really like any of them, but combined several as the basis for one of his own. Now that cucumbers are back in season, I have people calling the house asking for his pickle recipe.
These are refrigerator dill pickles. That means that you do not have to can them in a waterbath or pressure canner, but they won’t last quite as long as other pickles. You should eat these within two months of making them. That is never a problem at our house because all of our kids love pickles and we give away the jars as gifts or take them to summer barbecues as well. I like that they stay crunchier than the pickles you buy from the store and there aren’t any chemicals or artificial colors or flavors in them. (The next time you are at the store take a look at the ingredient label on your favorite brand of pickles. It can be very eye-opening!)
- 7 cups water
- 2.5 cups white vinegar
- 2.5 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- cucumbers, sliced
- 1 or 2 peeled cloves of garlic, depending on the size of the jar
- a small pinch of mustard seed
- a small pinch of whole black peppercorns
- a pinch of dill seed or one sprig of fresh dill
- 1. Mix ingredients for brine in a large pot on the stove. Heat just until the mixture comes to a boil, then remove from heat immediately and allow to cool to room temperature.
- 2. Place the herbs, spices, and garlic in the bottom of each glass jar.
- 3. Fill the jars with cucumber slices.
- 4. Use a large, heat-safe glass measuring cup to carefully fill each jar with brine, covering the cucumbers.
- 5. Top each jar with a rim and lid and refrigerate for at least three to five days before eating.
Linking to The Frugal Family.
If you are looking for more recipes to try with your fresh cucumbers, check out my 3-2-1 Cucumber Salad.
Isaac would swoon over this–he LOVES dill pickles! đŸ™‚ They look great!
We will have to bring him a jar if ever we make it to your house again!
Yum! I love pickles but have not tried making my own yet! I need to make these asap!
They are surprisingly not hard to make. But I have to warn you, it is one of those things, like garden fresh tomatoes, where once you get used to the homemade/homegrown version, going back to the store bought brand at the end of the season can be a little rough!