My friend Kirsten, told me about a great dill pickle recipe a couple of summers ago.Last year I grew pickling cucumbers for the first time. Having just moved here, the garden was quickly thrown together and just as quickly overgrown. I couldn’t find the pickling cucumbers through all the perslane. By the time I found them they were much larger than I would have preferred. I still made pickles with them but they were softer than I would have liked.
Since then I have learned some important information about making great pickles.
One thing is to pick them while they are still small enough to have prominent “warts” (bumps). You also want to pick them while they are dark green. Cucumbers get lighter in color as they get older. Also, you want to pickle those cucumbers the same day you pick them or the next day at the latest. You also want to cut off each end of the cucumber. I just sliced a little off each end.
The recipe I have been using, and will probably always use is called “Jan’s Damn Good Garlic Dills.” I like them not only because they are so good, but because they are refrigerator pickles they are pretty quick and very easy.
I hope you give them a try. Everyone that has tried them loves them
Karen
Refrigerator Garlic Dill Pickles
Ingredients
- 4 quarts Pickling Cucumbers rinsed of any dirt
- 4 heads Fresh pickling dill halved
- 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 quart Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 quart Water
- 1/4 cup Pickling Spice Mix
Instructions
- Pack each quart jar with four sliced cloves of garlic. Add to that one head (halved) of dill and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- In a 2.5 quart or larger kettle mix the vinegar, water, pickling spices, pickling salt, sugar, turmeric, and fresh pickling dill. Bring mixture to a boil and boil for five minutes.
- While that is boiling, start packing your cucumbers into the jars.
- Remove the pickling brine from the heat and strain. Pour liquid into jars leaving 1/4 head space. Put your lids on and let them cool to room temperature then refrigerate.
Notes
If you like your pickles a bit on the spicy side you can add more red pepper flakes.
When packing the cucumbers into the jars I usually start out with the smaller cucumbers and put them in whole. Then I quarter (spears) the others and fit them in the nooks and crannies of the jar.
You can make extra brine, cool it, and put it in a jar in the refrigerator. When you get another batch of pickling cucumbers picked. Just re-heat the brine, put the spices in the jars and fill them.
The pickles need to sit for a month before the flavor is great. They can stay in the refrigerator for more than a year.
Yummy!! Save a jar for me please.
These look and sound delicious. Our cucumbers had been harvested about six weeks ago. I’ve lacto-fermented three buckets and several gallon jars of pickles and pickle relish. We’ve already ate a couple of large jars. I’ll have to bookmark your recipe for the next year. We like spicy food. Thank you.
Kimberly
I would love to know how you lacto-ferment them. I’m anxious to give that a try.
I think you will really like these pickles.
Have a great Thursday,
Karen
Dear Karen, these pickles look absolutely mouth-watering! And great tips about when to pick. I’ve always wondered. I learn so much here…thanks for another great recipe! xo
They are really delicious. Hopefully you can make them some day.
I like that they are easier to make. I don’t know how many pickling cucumber plants I would need to be able to pick a canner load in one to two days.
I make the brine up ahead of time and then just do a quart at a time.
Thanx for following along in our crazy journey,
Karen
Pickles!!! I love pickles and have always wanted to make them. My great-grandmother was famous for her dill pickles! I will absolutely have to give yours a try too!
I’m glad you will try them Lindsey. I think you will like them. Very easy to do as well,
Take care,
Karen
Keeping in the fridge for a year or more recommends them highly. Finding room in said fridge is another story!
YES! I quite making pickles and either gave away my pickling cucumbers or I let them just stay on the vine because, between half gallons of goat milk and all the pickles, there is no more room.