Dill Pickles????

[stumprat]

Anyone have any good dill pickle recipes and processes? Will swap a great dry rub recipe.

[AL WORRELLS KID]

I like easy!... So here's a couple of different Dill Pickle Recipes... and they both Taste Great! 

 Anyone here, been around long enough to remember the signature smell of Pickle's Brining that once wafted through Tacoma's "Nalley Valley Pickle Factory 
 We used to watch the Seagulls roosting on the Giant Pickle Barrels (Outside) and swore we would never eat another Nalley's Pickle. 

Easy Refrigerator Dill's

▢ 10-12 pickling cucumbers
▢  4 Cups Water
▢ 2 cups White Vinegar
▢ 2 tablespoons Kosher Salt
▢ 1 teaspoon Sugar
▢  2 Heads of Fresh Dill per Jar
▢  2 Garlic Cloves (smashed and put into each Jar)
▢ 6 peppercorns per Jar

Prepare ingredients: Thoroughly wash cucumbers. Slice cucumbers into ¼-inch thick slices or spears. Set aside. Smash garlic cloves and separate dill from thick stems. Also, sanitize mason jars by running them through the dishwasher.
Prepare brine: To make the brine, combine water, vinegar, salt, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil ensure the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove the pan from heat and cool to room temperature.
Make the pickles: Layer the prepared cucumbers with the fresh dill, smashed garlic, and peppercorns in the jars. Do not pack them super tight as you you'll want room for the brine. Finish by adding enough brine to cover the cucumbers. Seal with an airtight lid and store in the refrigerator. The flavor is best if stored for at least one week, but they can be eaten at any time. Pickles should be good for at least 4-6 weeks after that.
(This recipe made enough for me to fill one pint and fill two quart jars.)


For those Folks who don't like Vinegar in their Dill Pickles you will love these!

[Timberstalker]

@Twispriver

[boneaddict]

Similiar recipe as AWKs, but we cooked em.  Put in water bath, bring to boil for 5 mins. Turn off let sit in water for one hour, then bake on low(275) upside down in oven for 15 minutes.  Wait 1 month before eating.

[Twispriver]

Keep your cukes fresh and cold - wash thoroughly in cold water.
Start by placing your clean jars in the oven at 200 degrees and your lids and rings in a pan of water over medium heat.
Combine one quart of white vinegar and three quarts of water with 3/4 cup canning salt and bring to a full boil.
Remove two jars at a time from the oven using tongs and as quickly as possible fill them with:
1 large head of dill or 1 teaspoon of dill seed
2 or 3 (or more) whole garlic cloves
1 dried red pepper (add another if you like them hot)
As many cukes as you can fit leaving at least an inch at the top of the jar
Pour boiling brine over the cukes filling to an inch or inch and a quarter from the top. Don't over fill.
Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean wet cloth or paper towel to remove any salt brine residue.
Place the lid and tighten band and place the jar where it can cool, contract and seal, or;
When you have finished the batch of brine place in a boiling canner for ten minutes and remove to a cooling place.

For this recipe one batch of brine will make seven quarts of pickles
I don't use the water canner method as it will soften the cukes but the pickles are not considered pasteurized unless you do.
It will take approximately six weeks for the cukes to become pickled.

If you have any questions just send me a message - I'm happy to help

[boneaddict]

I overfilled on two quarts.  I knew better but got greedy.   Paid the price, one broke and one didnt seal.   Like I said, I knew better.

[boneaddict]

@Twispriver   No sugar in your brine?    I prefer not to use it but seem to see it in most recipes

[Twispriver]

I have a few ways I make pickled vegetables - that is the recipe I use for garlic dills - another recipe I've kind of arrived at uses a 50/50 vinegar and water mix, a 1/2 cup of sugar and 3/4 cup of salt along with pickling spice and mustard seed for more of a hot and sweet pickle.

[boneaddict]

I’d prefer more dilly than sweet.   I raised a bunch of dill and garlic for the occasion. 

[Southpole]

I have a few ways I make pickled vegetables - that is the recipe I use for garlic dills - another recipe I've kind of arrived at uses a 50/50 vinegar and water mix, a 1/2 cup of sugar and 3/4 cup of salt along with pickling spice and mustard seed for more of a hot and sweet pickle.

That’s close to how I make mine as well. I’m all over the place when it comes to spices added. Mustard seed and turmeric are my go to base, dill is an occasional option for me and red pepper flakes are very complementary. I’ve noticed I get way more garlic flavor if I chop them at least 4 times and I put one grape leaf on the bottom and one at the top to help keep the pickles crispy. I keep my cucumber sizes way down, anywhere from an 1 1/2” to 2 1/2” ish and I only use pint jars. Hot boiling brine and no more than 5 minute max time in boiling water bath to get the lids sealed. Whatever you have to do to not cook your pickles is best.

[Igor]

I like easy!... So here's a couple of different Dill Pickle Recipes... and they both Taste Great! 

 Anyone here, been around long enough to remember the signature smell of Pickle's Brining that once wafted through Tacoma's "Nalley Valley Pickle Factory 
 We used to watch the Seagulls roosting on the Giant Pickle Barrels (Outside) and swore we would never eat another Nalley's Pickle. 

Easy Refrigerator Dill's

▢ 10-12 pickling cucumbers
▢  4 Cups Water
▢ 2 cups White Vinegar
▢ 2 tablespoons Kosher Salt
▢ 1 teaspoon Sugar
▢  2 Heads of Fresh Dill per Jar
▢  2 Garlic Cloves (smashed and put into each Jar)
▢ 6 peppercorns per Jar

Prepare ingredients: Thoroughly wash cucumbers. Slice cucumbers into ¼-inch thick slices or spears. Set aside. Smash garlic cloves and separate dill from thick stems. Also, sanitize mason jars by running them through the dishwasher.
Prepare brine: To make the brine, combine water, vinegar, salt, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil ensure the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove the pan from heat and cool to room temperature.
Make the pickles: Layer the prepared cucumbers with the fresh dill, smashed garlic, and peppercorns in the jars. Do not pack them super tight as you you'll want room for the brine. Finish by adding enough brine to cover the cucumbers. Seal with an airtight lid and store in the refrigerator. The flavor is best if stored for at least one week, but they can be eaten at any time. Pickles should be good for at least 4-6 weeks after that.
(This recipe made enough for me to fill one pint and fill two quart jars.)

That's the same recipe we use.  But, we put the finished jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes......that really helps to get a good seal.

And, this same recipe is great for green beans and asparagus.  Dilly beans are fantastic !!!

[boneaddict]

Bay leaves....we added bay leaves

[Southpole]

Bay leaves are good!

[Tenkara]

Twispriver's recipe is awesome. 

[Southpole]

If you don’t want a lot of sugar you can cut it in half to a 1/4 cup, I do that on some of my pickles depending on the style I’m making. I do believe some amount of sugar makes a big difference in flavor.

[boneaddict]

Does anyone slice their cucs? 

[Southpole]

Does anyone slice their cucs? 

Unless I’m making a rare batch of bread and butter pickles I never slice any of mine, they’re usually too small for that. There was a few times I tried picking spears but they never would stay crunchy, probably due to their size. They never passed my crunch standard test which is pretty high.

[Tenkara]

I cut a fresh jalapeño in half and added it a jar last year for a test, it gave the pickles a little bit of heat and had really good flavor.

[jeffro]

I cut a fresh jalapeño in half and added it a jar last year for a test, it gave the pickles a little bit of heat and had really good flavor.

I was going to say the same thing
But I leave the jalapeños whole and add 2-3
Spicy dill sand
Pickled jalapeños yum

[salish]

I appreciate the recipes and tips for pickles. I used to have a recipe for spicy kosher dills that my mom made but I lost if decades ago. Last summer I decided to get back into making pickles and I used this cold-pack recipe from the Duris Cucumber Farm, in Puyallup. I followed the process and recipe to a T, but only half of the jars turned out well. Half of the jars were not done, even several weeks after the due date, and some were just vinegary. I don't know what I did wrong. The ones that DID turn out were delicious, though.

Recipe: Duris Cold-Pack Refrigerator Dills
To each quart jar, add in order:

1 grape leaf
1 stalk fresh dill wound in a small circle
3 peeled cloves of garlic
1/8th (sliced) white onion
3 teaspoons of pickling salt
2 teaspoons of mustard seed
15 whole black peppercorns (1/4 tsp)
½ to 1 dried hot red chili pepper
¼ teaspoon of alum
¼ fresh jalapeno pepper, sliced
1 slice of sweet red bell pepper (place on jar wall)
5 medium cucumbers, blossom end removed
2-3 small cucumbers, blossom end removed
½ cup of 5% apple cider vinegar
Fill jar w/tap water to within ½ inch of top screw on a new lid
Shake well to dissolve powders
Store in refrigerator
Pickles will be ready to eat and enjoy in 3 -4 weeks
Enhanced flavor is achieved by allowing them to cure in the refrigerator longer.

[Twispriver]

Dill pickles are like a gateway drug - after making them you might wonder if I can make that why not other kinds of pickles, why not other vegetables and before you know it you are hitting garage sales for jars and expanding the garden space.

[boneaddict]

Asparagus is on my bucket list for sure.    That is done for our season, but now I am staring at a whole bunch of beets coming on.

[OutHouse]

Haven't actually craved a dill pickle in a long time until reading this. Thanks for all the good info everyone!

[mcrawfordaf]

Does anyone slice their cucs?

I've done some sliced vertically and they still held up fine. I was kind of worried the "meat" would be soggy or too tender but was just fine. I use Weissman's "pickled everything" recipe but usually just go with the vinegar solution ratios he has then eyeball all the aromatics.

I also like to make a lot of escabeche carrots with jalapeno and onion.

[Alchase]

The wife and I got so tired of trying to find a decent Garlic Dill pickle in Oklahoma, stores have whole rows of the same boring pickles, made by 10 or so manufacturers, not one garlic dill pickle. 
So we tried our neighbors cold pickling recipe last summer. We made three batches, Garlic full pickles, baby dills, hot Garlic dills.
The garlic, had some garlic flavor, the hot garlic were hot and a little garlicy. All three had the same nasty metallic taste 

About a week later we were over at our friends house, and I had one of their dill pickles. it had the same nasty metallic taste mine did using his recipe. On the way home, my wife asked what i thought about their pickles, I replied, "at least I know how to follow instructions" 

[wadu1]

Haven't actually craved a dill pickle in a long time until reading this. Thanks for all the good info everyone!

Peanut Butter and dill pickle samich now your talking.

[Tenkara]

Haven't actually craved a dill pickle in a long time until reading this. Thanks for all the good info everyone!

Peanut Butter and dill pickle samich now your talking.

That sounds terrible, lol.

[Southpole]

Haven't actually craved a dill pickle in a long time until reading this. Thanks for all the good info everyone!

Peanut Butter and dill pickle samich now your talking.

That sounds terrible, lol.

It’s good!

[Southpole]

The wife and I got so tired of trying to find a decent Garlic Dill pickle in Oklahoma, stores have whole rows of the same boring pickles, made by 10 or so manufacturers, not one garlic dill pickle. 
So we tried our neighbors cold pickling recipe last summer. We made three batches, Garlic full pickles, baby dills, hot Garlic dills.
The garlic, had some garlic flavor, the hot garlic were hot and a little garlicy. All three had the same nasty metallic taste 

About a week later we were over at our friends house, and I had one of their dill pickles. it had the same nasty metallic taste mine did using his recipe. On the way home, my wife asked what i thought about their pickles, I replied, "at least I know how to follow instructions" 

Wonder what the metallic taste was? It’s not homemade but Nalleys finally makes a small, garlicky dill pickle that’s pretty decent.

[wadu1]

What can cause the metallic taste.
Salt can cause aluminum to pit and vinegar will react with both metals and give the pickles a metallic taste. Reactive cookware includes raw aluminum, unlined copper, and cast iron, meaning they react to acidic ingredients and can impart a metallic taste into your pickles.

[Southpole]

What can cause the metallic taste.
Salt can cause aluminum to pit and vinegar will react with both metals and give the pickles a metallic taste. Reactive cookware includes raw aluminum, unlined copper, and cast iron, meaning they react to acidic ingredients and can impart a metallic taste into your pickles.

That’s for sure a reaction but who would use such things together?

[Badhabit]

I use Mrs. Wages dill pickle packages from Walmart. Sure is easy and good.

[Angry Perch]

Dill pickles are like a gateway drug - after making them you might wonder if I can make that why not other kinds of pickles, why not other vegetables and before you know it you are hitting garage sales for jars and expanding the garden space.

Do you use the same basic brine and process for everything?

[Twispriver]

The basic brine is really only used for the garlic dills. For a lot of other things the brine mix is:
Two quarts white vinegar
Two quarts water
3/4 cup canning salt
1/2 cup white sugar

For everything other than cukes I use a hot water bath but very briefly - the jars are placed in the water and then removed in five to seven minutes without waiting for it to resume boiling. I do this just to get the perfect tenderness on the vegetables (beans,asparagus, etc) - it's not about sealing the jars - I have found that hot jars with boiling brine, an adequate head space with a clean lid placement will seal every time.

[Angry Perch]

The basic brine is really only used for the garlic dills. For a lot of other things the brine mix is:
Two quarts white vinegar
Two quarts water
3/4 cup canning salt
1/2 cup white sugar

For everything other than cukes I use a hot water bath but very briefly - the jars are placed in the water and then removed in five to seven minutes without waiting for it to resume boiling. I do this just to get the perfect tenderness on the vegetables (beans,asparagus, etc) - it's not about sealing the jars - I have found that hot jars with boiling brine, an adequate head space with a clean lid placement will seal every time.

That makes sense. Thanks.

[Angry Perch]

Keep your cukes fresh and cold - wash thoroughly in cold water.
Start by placing your clean jars in the oven at 200 degrees and your lids and rings in a pan of water over medium heat.
Combine one quart of white vinegar and three quarts of water with 3/4 cup canning salt and bring to a full boil.
Remove two jars at a time from the oven using tongs and as quickly as possible fill them with:
1 large head of dill or 1 teaspoon of dill seed
2 or 3 (or more) whole garlic cloves
1 dried red pepper (add another if you like them hot)
As many cukes as you can fit leaving at least an inch at the top of the jar
Pour boiling brine over the cukes filling to an inch or inch and a quarter from the top. Don't over fill.
Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean wet cloth or paper towel to remove any salt brine residue.
Place the lid and tighten band and place the jar where it can cool, contract and seal, or;
When you have finished the batch of brine place in a boiling canner for ten minutes and remove to a cooling place.

For this recipe one batch of brine will make seven quarts of pickles
I don't use the water canner method as it will soften the cukes but the pickles are not considered pasteurized unless you do.
It will take approximately six weeks for the cukes to become pickled.

If you have any questions just send me a message - I'm happy to help

For a rookie canner, can you explain this?

[Southpole]

I don’t think you have to worry about pasteurization with picking with vinegar do you? Never heard of that.

[Angry Perch]

So do the finished jars go into the water bath for 10 minutes?

[Tenkara]

So do the finished jars go into the water bath for 10 minutes?

I used his recipe last year and did not water bath, every jar sealed.

[Angry Perch]

This was where my question centyers.

Place the lid and tighten band and place the jar where it can cool, contract and seal, or;

When you have finished the batch of brine place in a boiling canner for ten minutes and remove to a cooling place.

So all the finished jars go in for 10 minutes? I've only pressure canned, so know nothing (obviously!)

[Twispriver]

Hot water bath finishing for pickles is intended to bring the entire contents of the jar up to a temperature that will kill anything bad that might be in the jar. It is heat pasteurization and I don't do it because I don't like soft pickles. Some recipes call for using alum or calcium chloride to toughen the skin of the cucumber but  only the skin remains crisp. I wash everything thoroughly and trust that the low acid properties of the vinegar will kill off anything I might have missed.

Most published recipes will call for water bath finishing for liability reasons and if you ever wanted to sell them your insurance company would require either heat or UV pasteurization for the same reason.

[salish]

Hot water bath finishing for pickles is intended to bring the entire contents of the jar up to a temperature that will kill anything bad that might be in the jar. It is heat pasteurization and I don't do it because I don't like soft pickles. Some recipes call for using alum or calcium chloride to toughen the skin of the cucumber but  only the skin remains crisp. I wash everything thoroughly and trust that the low acid properties of the vinegar will kill off anything I might have missed.

Most published recipes will call for water bath finishing for liability reasons and if you ever wanted to sell them your insurance company would require either heat or UV pasteurization for the same reason.

This sounds similar to the "cold pack" method I used last summer. I got the recipe from the Duris Cucumber Farm, in Puyallup. It was easy and really simplified things, but only about 1/3 of the jars (12 total) came out ok. The others were either very "vinegary" or not done.
https://www.duriscucumberfarm.com/coldpack.html

[Twispriver]

Most cold pack recipes are what I would call refrigerator pickles and I've had poor results with that as well.

[salish]

Most cold pack recipes are what I would call refrigerator pickles and I've had poor results with that as well.

Yeah, I think I'll try a different recipe for spicy kosher dills this summer. Thanks.