As I mentioned the other day, I've been using this
recipe from Sharon Spain on Design*Sponge. Its super easy and fast. I always add garlic because I just prefer a garlicky pickle. Its also tasty to throw a little red chile pepper in the jar if you like things spicy. Mustard seeds? Whatever, they are your pickles, go to town! Here is what you need:
20 - 30 pickling cucumbers (small, about the length of your palm or a little bigger)
a big bunch of fresh dill
2 heads of garlic (you need at least one clove per jar)
2 quarts water
1 quart vinegar
3/4 cup salt
10 - 12 pint size canning jars, I prefer wide-mouthed
1 big pot of boiling water to sterilize your jars and utensils (especially tongs to pull the jars, etc. out of the boiling water)
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Make the brine and bring to a boil. (1 quart of vinegar, 2 quarts of water, 3/4 cup of salt). |
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Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water. |
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After washing your cucumbers thoroughly, slice as thin or thick as you'd like your pickles to be, and pack each jar pretty tightly. These are wide-mouth pint jars. There is also a big sprig of fresh dill and a clove of garlic in each jar. |
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Once the brine has boiled and your jars have been packed fill the jars to about a quarter-inch from the top. These are refrigerator pickles, so you can fill the jars a little more than if you were going to pressure can. Clean the edges of the jar and screw on the lids tightly, and refrigerate. |
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The following morning the pickles are already looking good. We got seven pints out of this batch, which takes up a fair amount of refrigerator space. Since they must be refrigerated until opened and eaten you need to plan for storage, or give them away! |
What are your favorite kinds of pickles?
I don't know why I've never made pickles, as much as I love them. So many yummy pickle blog posts this summer, this one included, has me wanting to change my tune.
ReplyDeleteHey, I just made pickles too with the help of my mother on law. I also have a blog post in the works! These look delicious. (Actually, all you meals look amazing - picked out of your garden! So lucky.)
ReplyDelete