This time of year our garden starts to produce a plethora of cucumbers. We can only eat a limited amount of cucumbers and salads in one day, so I went searching for the best tasting and easiest dill pickle recipe. I stumbled upon this recipe which took a whole 10-15 minutes to make. The pickles only need to sit in the brine for 48 hours in the refrigerator, and BAM! Best tasting (and still crunchy!) dill pickles I’ve ever had. This recipe will make one 32oz jar or two 16oz jars of pickles. Feel free to double or triple the recipe if needed.
Ingredients:
- 2-3 pickling cucumbers
- 2 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
- 1 teaspoon dill seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons pickling salt or kosher salt (table salt will also work in a pinch)
Instructions:
1.) Wash and dry your cucumbers and trim away the blossom and stem end of the cucumber. (Leaving these ends connected can lead to limp pickles). Slice the cucumbers into spears.
2.) Add your garlic, dill seed, and red pepper flakes to your jar. (It also doesn’t hurt to add a fresh sprig of dill as well)
3.) Pack the cucumbers tightly into the jar (without crushing them). The top ends should sit approximately 1/2 inch below the top of the jar.
4.) Prepare the brine. Bring your vinegar, water, and salt to a rolling boil. Pour the brine over the cucumbers. Gently tap the bottom of the jar to release any air bubbles. Add more brine if necessary. All of the pickles should be fully submerged in the brine.
5.) Tighten the lid(s). Let cool to room temperature then transfer to your fridge. The process of the brine cooling will seal the jars for refrigerator use. Let sit at least 48 hours before enjoying your pickles. These pickles will keep for several weeks.
6.) OPTIONAL: For longer storage (Canned pickles can keep for approximately one year on the shelf) place your jars of pickles in a boiling pot of water (Fully submerged). Boil jars for approximately 5 minutes and remove. Make sure the lids pop down after they have cooled in order to safely store them. Note: I have found that canning pickles for long term storage sometimes leads to softer pickles. I prefer to use the refrigerator method so they stay crispy.
