Homemade Dill Pickles
Turning fresh cucumbers into crispy dill pickles is an art that combines simple ingredients with careful techniques. This recipe guides home cooks to create tangy, crunchy pickles in their kitchen.
Equipment
- Clean glass mason jars with secure lids
- Large stock pot with a canning rack
- Canning jar lifter tongs
- Wide-mouth funnel
- Clean kitchen towels
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pickling cucumbers about 4 inches long
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup rice vinegar or white/apple cider vinegar with 5% acidity
- 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup or sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 3 dill heads or 1 tablespoon dill seeds
- 2 cloves garlic peeled
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Wash cucumbers thoroughly and trim the blossom ends.
- Slice cucumbers into spears, chips, or sandwich slices as desired.
- In a pot, combine water, vinegar, salt, and sweetener. Bring to a simmer until salt dissolves.
- Sterilize canning jars and lids by boiling them for 10 minutes.
- Place dill, garlic, and spices into the sterilized jars.
- Pack the cucumbers tightly into the jars.
- Pour the hot brine over the cucumbers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
- Seal jars and let them cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
- Allow pickles to chill for at least 3 hours before serving. For best flavor, let them sit for 24 hours.
Notes
Pickles will last up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.
For water bath canning, process pint jars for 10 minutes and quart jars for 15 minutes.
Ensure all equipment is sterilized to maintain food safety.
Nutrition
Serving: 200gCalories: 25kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 0.5gSodium: 450mgPotassium: 200mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3g
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