Homemade Dill Pickles…Easy as 1,2,3
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Pickling Time1 day d
Total Time1 day d 5 minutes mins
Course: condiment, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cucumbers, Dill, dill pickles, pickles
Servings: 12 spears/jar
Author: GFchow @ gfchow.com
- 2-3 pickling cucumbers, cut into spears, discs or sandwich slices (use medium to large sized cucumbers)
- 5 dill sprigs, most of stems removed (more or less to taste) wash and pat dry
- 2-4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons white distilled vinegar
- 1/2-1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 20 peppercorns, any color whole
- 1/8-1/4 teaspoon hot pepper flakes to taste
- distilled or filtered water enough to top off the jar
Wash and dry cucumbers. Trim ends. After trimming, taste a sliver from each end to make sure the cucumber isn't bitter. (See NOTE below for additional info.)
Cut cucumbers into spears, discs or sandwich slices. If cutting into spears, cut the cucumber in half vertically. Depending on the size of the cucumber you may need to cut each half into thirds or quarters. (See photos above.)
Add cucumbers to the jar and then add remaining ingredients except for the water. (The ingredients should fit snugly in the jar.)
Once all of the ingredients are in the jar, add the distilled water to the very top and then screw lid on very tightly.
Shake jar to distribute flavors.
Leave on counter for 12 hours. Then shake again and turn jar upside down for another 12 hours.
After 24 hours, store you pickles in the refrigerator or start munching immediately.
Eat after 24 hours or refrigerate for months. (But best if eaten sooner!)
Be sure to start with pickling cucumbers that have a good seed to flesh ratio. You don't want to pickle cucs that have seeds that are too big or have too few seeds.
If using home-grown cucumbers, taste a sliver from each end of the cuc before proceeding to make sure neither end is bitter which can sometimes happen with home-grown cucumbers. If one end is bitter, don’t use the cucumber. Use it for a salad and only use the sweet, non-bitter portion.
Experiment with the seasonings. Consider coriander seeds, bay leaf, celery seed, fennel seeds, mustard seed, etc.