Super Easy Dill Pickles
This summer we grew cucumbers specifically so I could pickle them.
I’ve never made dill pickles before and wanted an easy recipe.
A couple years ago I bought a canning magazine and it had the perfect recipe!
I’m happy to say the pickling process was easy and the dill pickles are tasty!
I had enough pickles to make 6 small jars of pickles.
A sandwich always tastes better with a crunchy, sour pickle.
We’ve picked all the cucumbers and removed the plant from the garden.
We wanted to give the melon vines room to spread out.
To make the dill pickles, cut the ends off the cucumbers and quarter the cukes lengthwise.
If your cucumbers are big, just make sure you cut them short enough to fit in the jar.
I think the key to quality dill pickles is to use fresh cucumbers.
These were just picked fresh from the garden.
You have to wait one week after canning before eating the pickles.
It wasn’t an easy wait, but it was definitely worth it!!
If you’d like to try a pickle recipe that doesn’t involve the canning process,
try this refrigerated pickle recipe from House of Hawthornes.
Super Easy Dill Pickles
3 pounds cucumbers
4 cups water
4 cups white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup pickling salt
6 tablespoons dill seeds
Wash cucumbers and cut off ends, then quarter the cucumbers lengthwise. In medium non-stick pot, combine water, vinegar, sugar, and pickling salt. Bring to boil stirring frequently to dissolve sugar. Pack cucumber spears loosely into 6 hot sterilized pint canning jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Add 1 tablespoon dill seeds to each jar. Pour hot vinegar mixture over cucumbers, maintaining the 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims and put lids and screw bands on jars.
Process the filled jars in a boiling water canner or large, deep soup pot (you want the water to cover the tops of the jars). When water starts to boil, time the process so jars are in gently boiling water for just 10 minutes. If you leave the jars in longer, the pickles won’t be as crunchy. Remove jars from the canner or pot and cool on wire racks. Let stand at room temperature. Wait one week before eating. Once you open the jar, keep the pickles in the fridge.
These pickles sound wonderful but in the list of ingredients you list 1/3 cup pickling spices but in the directions you say add the pickling salt and don’t mention pickling spices. Could you clarify this please. Your blog is a new find for me and I am really enjoying it. Thank you.
Thank you for catching that, Tricia! It was a typo on my part … it should be pickling salt listed in the ingredients. I corrected this. 🙂
Those look YUMMY!
I love pickles on sandwiches too, your’s look delicious.
They are totally making me hungry. I can just imagine that delicious salty crunch. I don’t grow them but there is a great new farmer’s market near me and I think you just sold me on making some pickles. Thanks.
I totally agree, home packed pickles are so DELISH!! After years & years of pickling w/ my mom a few things that I learned include: pickling cukes rather than regular “salad” or English ones make for crunchier pickles; they are smaller & look almost unripe in color but don’t be fooled they are. Also, you can add fresh dill sprigs & garlic for an extra fresh & garlicky flavor!! Anyway . . . you did make me want to can some pickles this year . . . for every reason you listed!!! Thanks!
Can these be stored in a dark space and use later? Yours look very tasty. Thank you for sharing 🙂
My garden is small this year. I get a few cucumbers at a time. I already have 3 jars in my fridge of pickles. How can I do this with one jar at a time?