Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

mother's old fashioned dill pickles (sallye)

Recipe by
sallye bates
Austin, TX

I can remember a big ceramic crock pot of these setting on the counter almost constantly during the summer months. I hope you have plenty of cukes in your summer garden to utilize this recipe. These authentic dill pickles will bring back fond childhood memories

prep time 1 Hr
method No-Cook or Other

Ingredients For mother's old fashioned dill pickles (sallye)

  • 50 + sm
    cucumbers
  • 2 oz
    whole mixed pickling spices
  • 2 c
    apple cider vinegar
  • 2 lg
    whole garlic bulbs
  • 4 sprig
    fresh dill
  • 2 c
    coarse kosher or sea salt
  • 2 qt
    water
  • 1
    5 gallon ceramic crock ***

How To Make mother's old fashioned dill pickles (sallye)

  • 1
    ***If you don't have a ceramic crock you can sometimes find them at thrift stores or Ikea has them for sale. If that fails, use glass jar (gallon size or larger) MAKE SURE THE CUCUMBERS ARE SMALL AND FIRM (4-5 INCHES LONG)
  • 2
    PREPARATION: Separate cloves of garlic from whole bulb; peel but do not cut. Set aside Thoroughly wash cucumbers and set aside in colander to drain. Lay dill sprigs out on paper towel within easy reach Open jar of pickling spices and set within easy reach You'll want to make this a sort=of assembly line
  • 3
    ASSEMBLING: Place a layer of dill, several garlic cloves and half of the pickling spices on the bottom of crock Arrange 25 of the cucumbers on top of the dill & garlic layer Place another layer of dill and garlic cloves over the cucumbers Then place the rest of the cucumbers over this second layer of garlic and dill. Allow approximately 6" of room to the top of crock
  • 4
    In a medium mixing bowl combine the vinegar, salt and water. Whisk until well blended, Pour over the cucumbers Place the balance of the spices, dill and garlic cloves on top of the cucumbers
  • 5
    Cover with a large ceramic plate with a weight such as a cast iron pan on top to hold the cucumbers under the brine, then place the crock in a cool, dark location (not cold)
  • 6
    When the pickles begins to ferment and foam appears, remove the foam (scum) every day. When the pickle solution is clear, you can pack them in smaller jars and place in the refrigerator. If you are not storing all the pickles in the fridge, it is best to sterilize the small jars in a hot water bath for 15-30 minutes. Then they can be stored in pantry.
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