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dill pickles

(1 rating)
DeeDee2011 avatar
Recipe by
Diane Atherton
@DeeDee2011
PINE MOUNTAIN, GA

It's that time of year! Cucumbers are making and I'll soon be canning some dill pickles. These are simple to make, and a really nice dill pickle. Hope you enjoy!

►
(1 rating)
yield 14 to 16 pints
method Canning/Preserving

Ingredients For dill pickles

  • 8 lb
    pickling cucumbers
  • 4 c
    white vinegar (5%)
  • 12 c
    water
  • 2/3 c
    pickling salt (do not use table salt)
  • fresh garlic cloves
  • fresh hot pepper pods
  • fresh dill (if you can't find fresh dill, use 1/4 tsp of dried dill per pint jar)
  • grape leaves (help keep pickles crunchy)
  • pickle crisp granules (by ball)

How To Make dill pickles

  • 1
    Make sure you use a pickling cucumber that is firm. Clean cucumber, cut off blossom end. The blossom end can cause your pickles to become soft and dark if left on.
  • 2
    Soak cukes in an ice water bath for about 4 hours, adding ice as needed. This will help keep the pickles crunchy.
  • 3
    Sterilize 14 to 16 pin jars or 7 to 8 quart jars.
  • 4
    Cut cucumbers into slices or spears if desired.
  • 5
    In a large stock pot, combine the vinegar, water and salt. Bring brine to a rapid boil.
  • 6
    Meanwhile, place garlic, hot pepper and dill to taste (I use 1 or 2 large cloves garlic per jar, 1 pepper and 2 heads of dill) and 2 small grape leaves (the grape leaves are optional but if you have them available – don’t leave them out – they will keep your pickles crunchy!). Also, when I can not find fresh I use about 1/4 tsp dried dill per pint jar. Add 1/8 tsp of Pickle Crisp Granules per pint jar. This also helps keep the pickles crisp and crunchy.
  • 7
    Fill jars with the cucumbers and then add brine (it should be boiling as you add it). Using a spatula, remove air bubbles, clean the rim of the jars and seal.
  • 8
    TO PROCESS OR NOT PROCESS: These pickles can be processed in a hot water bath for 10 minutes, which makes them shelf stable for around a year. The downside is that the hot water processing will cook the cucumbers a bit and can sometimes give the pickles a softer texture. If super-crunchy pickles are your aim, skip the processing step and just keep the jars in the fridge, they will keep refrigerated for several weeks.
  • 9
    Store jars in a dark space for 6 to 8 weeks before opening. The longer you can wait to open the pickles, the better tasting they will be. Sometimes they get opened much quicker and they still taste wonderful!
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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