easy peasy dill pickles

★★★★★ 1
a recipe by
Andy Anderson !
Wichita, KS

I love dill pickles; they’re cool, crunchy and wonderfully sour… And they are a cinch to make… no special tools required. As a matter of fact, you can whip up a batch of dill pickle pints in thirty minutes or less. And they make excellent gifts to give out during the holidays. So you ready… Let’s get into the kitchen.

★★★★★ 1
serves Bunches
prep time 15 Min
cook time 10 Min
method Stove Top

Ingredients For easy peasy dill pickles

  • PICKLE BRINE
  • 1 c
    cider vinegar
  • 1 c
    filtered water
  • 2 Tbsp
    salt, kosher variety, or 1 tablespoon if using table salt
  • 1 tsp
    sugar, granulated variety
  • 1/2 tsp
    red pepper flakes, for kick (optional)
  • 2 tsp
    dill seed
  • THE PICKLES
  • 2 clove
    garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 4 sprig
    fresh dill weed
  • 1 lb
    cucumbers (i prefer kirby or persian)

How To Make easy peasy dill pickles

  • 1
    PICKLE BRINE
  • 2
    Gather your ingredients.
  • 3
    Thoroughly, clean out the containers that you are going to use for your pickles.
  • 4
    Chef’s Note: These are not “canned” pickles. These are keep ‘em in the refrigerator and eat within a week or two pickles.
  • 5
    Place all the brine ingredients in a saucepan, and bring to a slow simmer, allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.
  • 6
    Chef's Note: If you want Bread-and-Butter type pickles add 1-1/2 cups sugar, or honey. Skip this for dill pickles.
  • 7
    While the brine is simmering, wash and dry the cucumbers, and cut off the blossom end.
  • 8
    Chef’s Tip: The blossom end of a cucumber contains enzymes that, over time, cause your pickles to go limp. And if there’s anything that I hate… It’s a limp pickle.
  • 9
    Slice the pickles into spears or ovals… Up to you.
  • 10
    Remove the brine solution from the heat and allow it to cool to about 110-115f/43-46c.
  • 11
    Chef's Note: You can fully cool the brine down, and then add it to the cucumbers, but then you'll need to put them in the fridge for a couple of days before digging in. If you use really hot brine, you'll wind up making limp pickles... And you KNOW how I feel about limp pickles. 110f/43c is a balance between waiting a few days or a few hours...
  • 12
    Divide the dill weed, and garlic between two 1-pint containers. Or whatever container you choose to use.
  • 13
    Chef's Tip: Dill isn't all you can make! Swap out the dill seed for tumeric, black peppercorns, mustard seeds, or any other spices that sound good to you.
  • 14
    Put as many sliced cucumbers into the jars as can fit without smashing.
  • 15
    Pour in the brine, making sure that you cover all the cucumbers, and then allow the containers to cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
  • 16
    Chef's Tip: A handful of fresh grape, raspberry, oak, blackberry or cherry leaves (these types of leaves supply tannins, which help keep the pickles crispy and crunchy)
  • 17
    Chef’s Note: They should last in the refrigerator for about two weeks… assuming they don’t get gobbled up first.
  • 18
    Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
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