Homemade Dill Pickles

I think there is something special about making something yourself that you could easily buy at the store, like pickles! This is my second year with making my own pickles and canning them, it makes me feel so sustainable, especially when using my own produce. Canning to me is a lost skill, mostly something my grandparents and those before them did, so I am excited to start learning this for myself and fill up my shelves! Foodie with Family helped me with the canning basics. I was going for a super garlicky-dill pickle here and I revamped the recipe a little from last year, as it takes 6-weeks before I can try them out I will comeback with a flavor-update. I made 2 quarts worth, so edit this recipe as you need.

Ingredients

You’ll need pint-sized Mason jars and a large pot with a lid and rack in order to seal the jars, it is helpful to have the rack but not necessary.

• 8 Garlic Cloves, smashed, 2 per jar
• 16 Black Peppercorns, 4 per jar
• 1/8 TSP Allspice, per jar
• Bunch of Dill, about 4 small stalks per jar
• 1/4 TSP Mustard Seeds. per jar
• 1/8 TSP Red Pepper Flakes, per jar
• 1 1/2 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/2 White Vinegar
• 4 Cups Water
• 2 TBSP Pickling Salt
• 4 Bay Leaves, 1 per jar
• 1 LBS Pickling Cucumbers, washed, ends cut off, halved then quartered

Let’s Get Canning

First things first you need to sanitize your jars & lids. I submerge my jars & lids in boiling water for 5 minutes, then safely remove and let cool.

Prep all your ingredients, cut your cucumbers, peel and smash your garlic.

Prep the jars: to each jar add, 2 smashed garlic cloves + 1 bay leaf + 4 stalks of dill [ go crazy with it ] + 4 peppercorns + 1/8 TSP Allspice + 1/4 TSP Mustard Seeds + 1/8 TSP Red Pepper flakes. Add in the cucumbers on top, I went about 10 cucumbers per jar, they can be a little packed, but don’t force them in.

To make the brine, scale it according to the amount you’re making. In a saucepan, combine Apple Cider Vinegar + White Vinegar + Pickling Salt + Water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, pour into your prepared jars, making sure you leave 1/2″ headspace at the top.

Place the lids on the jars and gently tighten the ring around the jar, just enough that it has some resistance. This is when your huge canning pot comes in handy.

Bring the water to a rolling boil in your canning pot. Once boiling, add in your sealed jars, since I used pints, Foodie with Family noted I needed to boil for 15 minutes before removing and letting cool. The popping sound you may hear while cooling is completely normal! Allow to cool overnight before checking the seal. If the lid bounces back after pushing in the middle then be sure to move to the fridge, if there is no give they are good to sit on the shelves! Be sure to date the lids with the date the pickles were made. The pickles are ready in 6 weeks, so see you then for the taste test!

Made with Love,

Hannah