There’s nothing that compliments a fresh made sandwich quite like a crunchy dill pickle. Or a charcuterie board with a beautiful display of olives, crackers, and an array of sliced meats and cheeses. Have you ever wanted to make pickles yourself? Well, today I’m going to share my Quick and Easy Crunchy Dill Pickles recipe with you and you don’t even need an expensive canner to make them! They are pickled while they rest in the brine in your refrigerator. This process is so simple and keeps them good and crunchy for months.
If you have littles in your family and are looking for a fun recipe to make with them, this is a great one to try. Cooking and baking together isn’t just a fun activity, it’s also a great way to make memories together and teach important life skills. Plus, everyone gets to enjoy the fruits of their labor once the pickles are ready in a few days.
In this blog post, I’ll be teaching you the entire process of making this pickle recipe with tips and videos!
Picking the Right Cucumber
Cucumber Skin
It’s no secret that pickles are made from cucumbers. But did you know that you can’t just use any old cucumber to make pickles? That’s right, choosing the right cucumber will make all the difference when making pickles. Why? Because regular cucumbers have thick skin, while cucumbers grown for making pickles have thin skin.
The thin skin allows the brine to be absorbed and aids in the pickling process. In addition to picking cucumbers with thin skin, you want them to be firm with dry flesh so that they stay crunchy after a long brine.
Cucumber Size
The size of the cucumber also matters. Cucumbers grown for pickling are smaller so they easily fit into the jars. When shopping for your pickling cucumbers, keep in mind what size jar(s) you will be using and choose your cucumbers accordingly.
If you garden and plan ahead, you can find pickling cucumbers to grow and pickle as you harvest. Cucumbers are a vining plant and tend to be an easy produce item to grow. When planning to grow pickling cucumbers, start seeds indoors four weeks before the last frost date. If you are limited on space, or want to keep the fruit off the ground, you can grow the cucumbers vertically. Mike and I use hog panels to grow our cucumbers.
Preparing Your Cucumbers
The best way to keep your pickles crisp is by taking an extra moment to remove the blossom from the end of the cucumber. By adding this extra cut, you have a crisper pickle. Other ways to ensure a crisp pickle is by adding grape leaves to your jar. I tend to cut off both ends of the cucumber as I quickly process them.
Quick and Easy Crunchy Dill Pickles
Equipment
- Heavy bottom sauce pan
Ingredients
- 1 c. Water
- 1 c. Vinegar
- 3 tsp. Canning Salt or Sea Salt (must be Iodine free salt)
- ½ tsp. Sugar
- 6 Cucumbers, cut lengthwise into spears
- 3 sprigs Fresh Dill, or 1 T. dried dill
- 3 cloves Garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1 tsp. Mustard seeds
- 1 tsp. Black peppercorns
- 1 Grape leaf, optional
Instructions
- Place water, vinegar, sugar and salt in a heavy bottom pan to create the brine.
- Warm on Medium-Low heat until the sugar and salt dissolve.
- In a clean quart jar, add the remaining ingredients.
- Using a canning funnel, pour the brine into the jar until the pickles are covered.
- Cover the jar with the canning lid and ring.
- Store in the refrigerator for seven (7) days to allow it to pickle.
- After seven (7) days, enjoy your delicious pickles.
Video
Notes
- These Crunchy Dill Pickles are good for a few months. The pickling flavor will get stronger the longer they are stored in brine.
- Adding a grape leaf to the jar is optional, but will keep your pickles crunchier for longer.
Nutrition
Other Pickling Projects
This recipe can be used for a variety of other vegetables such as asparagus, carrots, cauliflower, green beans, etc. Whatever extra produce you may have either from the garden or from the produce stand, give it a try!
Pro Tip: Since this recipe is both pickled and stored in your refrigerator, keep in mind how much refrigerator space you have available. I may not have looked before I started the process a time or two and made a few too many jars myself. This is why I’ve created this recipe for only one quart size jar. If you have the space to make more than one quart, you can easily adjust the recipe to suit your needs using the adjustment calculator. You can also add more or less garlic and dill depending on your preferences.
If you’re interested in learning about my other canning recipes, I have a few blog posts and videos available for you; however, these recipes do use either a pressure canner or a water bath canner. Here are just two of my most popular:
Or you can watch the videos.
Canning your own food is one of many great ways to help build food security in your home. I invite you to join my online course, The Grocery Solution, Stop Throwing Your Grocery Budget Away! Building a good working pantry is another great way to battle the ever-rising food prices in our current economic climate.
Have you made pickles before? If so, what kind have you made? Are you going to try my Crunchy Dill Pickle recipe? Leave a comment below and let me know, I’d love to hear what you’re making or answer any questions you have.
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