Homemade Dill Pickles

Now, those of you who know me well, know that I don't really have a lover affair with pickles. However, my husband and sisters LOVE them, so I decided to give them a try. Making your own pickles is super easy and cost effective. There is an amazing produce stand near my house, which sells local pickling cucumbers for $0.99 a pound, so about 3 pounds produces about 5 pint jars of pickles.

I got this recipe out of "Canning for a New Generation," by Liana Krissoff.



Ingredients:

3 pounds pickling cucumbers
2 cups cider vinegar (5% acidity)
2 tablespoons pure kosher salt
Ball pickling spice
Fresh Dill
4-5 cloves of garlic
Red chili flakes (optional)

1. Wash the jars and keep them hot in the canning bath and put the lids in a small bowl.

2. Cut off the ends of each cucumber and cut into spears.

3. In a small pot, combine the vinegar, 2 cups of water and kosher salt. Bring to a full boil.

4. Ladle boiling water from the canning pot into the bowl with the lids. Using a jar lifter, remove the hot jars from the canning pot, carefully pouring out the water back into the pot. Place the hot jars onto a towel. Drain the water off the jar lids.

5. Working quickly, place about a teaspoon or so, of pickling spice, a dill spring, whole garlic clove and  1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (if you want them spicy) into each jar. Then pack the cucumbers tightly into each jar. Trim off the tops of the cucumbers if you need too. You want them to be submerged with the brine.

6. Next pour the hot brine into each jar and leave 1/2 inch of headspace from the top. Gently tap the jars on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Remove any of the air bubbles with a chopstick. Clean the rims with a clean paper towel. Place a lid on each jar and a ring and tighten to just finger tight. Place the jars in a canning rack and place in the boiling water. Make sure there is at least an inch or two of water over the jars and process for 10 minutes. Then remove from the canning bath and place on a clean folded towel and do not disturb for 12 hours. After an hour, check to see if the lids have sealed by pressing down on the center of each lid. If it hasn't sealed, then refrigerate immediately. Label the jars and store. Most canned goods stay good for up to a year.

Wash the pickles

Cut in half

Cut in half again

Looking good!

Place the vinegar, water and salt in a pot and bring to a boil.

Place the garlic, pickling season and dill in the bottom of each jar.

Tightly pack each jar with the cut cucumbers.

We did a double batch in a quart jar.

Fill with the brine and place lids and rings on each jar.

Process in the water bath for 10 minutes.

Place on a towel and let rest for 12 hours. Enjoy with a nice deli sandwich!