Description
Learn how to make perfectly crunchy homemade dill pickles using fresh cucumbers, spices, and herbs for a delightful snack.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 pounds fresh pickling cucumbers
- 3 quarts fresh water
- 1 quart pickling vinegar (7%)
- 3/4 cup pickling salt
- 7 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 7–14 cloves fresh garlic
- 7 teaspoons Sriracha or red pepper flakes (optional for heat)
- 7–14 sprigs fresh dill
- 2 teaspoons Pickle Crisp
Instructions
- Clean and prepare your cucumbers by washing them thoroughly and soaking them in cool water for an hour.
- Set up your workspace by preparing the mason jars and your canner. Bring your water bath to a boil.
- Add two cloves of garlic, a sprig or two of fresh dill, and 1 teaspoon of peppercorns into each mason jar, along with 1/4 teaspoon of Pickle Crisp.
- Prepare the brine by combining water, vinegar, and salt in a large pot. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
- Cut off the blossom end of your cucumbers to help preserve their crispness. Begin packing the jars tightly with cucumbers—whole or speared—leaving at least 1-inch of headspace at the top.
- Ladle the boiling brine carefully over the cucumbers in each jar, ensuring to leave 1/2 inch of headspace.
- Use a spatula to press against the pickles inside the jar gently, creating a path for trapped air to escape. Repeat this step several times around the inside of the jar.
- Wipe the rims of the jars, place the lids and rings on top, and twist until they’re finger-tight.
- Process your jars in the water bath for 15 minutes for quarts or 10 minutes for pints.
- Once processed, remove the jars from the bath and let them rest on a dishcloth or cutting board without disturbance.
- After 24 hours, check for a proper seal. Those that sealed correctly can be stored up to a year. If some jars do not seal, refrigerate them for up to four weeks.
Notes
Experiment with spices like Sriracha for heat and adjust the amount of garlic according to your preference. Storing jars in a cool, dark place can enhance their shelf life.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Condiments
- Method: Canning
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pickle
- Calories: 30
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 7g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: dill pickles, homemade pickles, canning, preserving, crunchy pickles