Summer harvests are the best part of starting a garden but what to do with all those cucumbers? Make homemade dill pickles of course!
This easy to make homemade dill pickle recipe is sure to please the taste buds of both big and small. We enjoy them on sandwiches, burgers, salads, or straight out of the jar.
You can stick them in the refrigerator and enjoy in a few hours or you can store them on a shelf throughout the winter. In this article, we’re going to teach you how to make easy refrigerator pickles that can be enjoyed a mere two hours after they are made.
The Benefits Of Pickling Cucumbers
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Pickling cucumbers can be a fun and rewarding way to preserve your summer cucumber bounty. Not only does pickling give you delicious, crunchy cucumbers year-round, it also provides many health benefits.
Pickled cucumbers are naturally fermented and therefore rich in probiotics which are beneficial for gut health. In addition to probiotics, pickled cucumbers are packed with vitamins and minerals.
Adding fresh dill is a great way to boost the flavor of your cucumbers and add even more vitamins to your pickles. Dill is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and its high levels of vitamins A, C, and E.
So not only do you get delicious, crunchy pickles from your efforts, but you’re also getting a healthy snack!
Choosing Your Cucumbers
You’ll also want to choose cucumbers that are fresh and have not yet started to turn soft and yellow. When you’re choosing cucumbers, think about the flavor profile you’d like in your pickles; cucumbers with thicker skins will help create a crunchier pickle, while thinner-skinned cucumbers will result in a softer pickle.
In addition to picking the right cucumber, you’ll also need to find some dill. Pickled cucumbers often use fresh dill leaves, which add a subtle yet fragrant flavor to your pickles. Dill also helps preserve the cucumbers and gives them their classic pickle flavor. If you don’t have access to fresh dill, dried dill will work as well.
Our favorite cucumbers to grow in the summer are these Boston Pickling cucumbers from Baker Creek seed company but any small pickling variety such as Kirby or Persian will do. You want a cucumber that has a firm crunchy texture. These will hold up best throughout the pickling process. We also find that this variety holds up best with the brining process.
What if you’re craving pickles and it’s the middle of winter? Easy, any store bought cucumbers will work with this recipe. We love to grow our own, but who are we to keep you away from enjoying these delicious pickles because the season’s not right? Go ahead and buy them up. Try to pick cucumbers that are free of blemishes and bruises.
Other Supplies
This easy to make homemade dill pickle will yield about 3-4 pint sized jars of pickles. Mason jars can be bought at your local supermarket or online. We prefer using the large mouth jars so which ever jar you decide to go with, you may want to consider these as well. It just makes it easier to load your cucumbers into the jar and taking out the pickles when you want to enjoy them.
We also recommend a canning kit. It makes life much easier if you decide you want to process your pickles for a longer shelf life.
Pickle Recipe
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds pickling cucumbers
8 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
2 tablespoons pickling salt or kosher salt
1 cup plus 6 tablespoons distilled white vinegar (5% acidity)
1.5 cups water
8 heads of fresh dill heads or sprigs of fresh dill
16 peppercorns
(You can place jars in refrigerator at this point or continue on for shelf stable pickles)
Final Thoughts
Pickling summer cucumbers is a great way to enjoy the fruits of your garden all year long. Pickled cucumbers are a flavorful and versatile addition to many dishes, and you can always tweak the ingredients and process to create something uniquely yours.
Plus, pickling cucumbers is easy and fun – it’s a great activity for a weekend afternoon. So don’t let your extra cucumbers go to waste this summer – pickle them and enjoy them all year round!
Let us know in the comments below if you gave this homemade dill pickle recipe a try
