Tangy Dill Pickles
Equipment & TooLs
4 16-ounce, wide-mouth glass canning jars, rings, and lids
Water-boiling canning pot
Rack
Jar lifter
Saucepan
Measuring cups and spoons
Knife
Cutting board
Wooden spoon
Ladle
Wide-mouth funnel
Thermometer
Towel or drying rack
Ingredients
Produce:
12 Kirby cucumbers
Brine:
1 ¼ cup filtered water
2 ½ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon canning salt
Place in each jar:
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dill seed
¼ teaspoon black pepper corn
¼ teaspoon mustard seed
⅛ teaspoon allspice
⅛ teaspoon alum
⅛ teaspoon ground mustard
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
2 jar-length stalks fresh dill
Recipe Notes
This recipe is inspired by Grace Wiley, my great grandmother. This is my adaptation of her original recipe.
It’s very important to use pickling, or Kirby, cucumbers. They are about 1 ½ inches in diameter and about 4 to 5 inches long. Wiley often sources Kirby cucumbers from Smiley’s Farm at Nashville Farmers’ Market.
As always, you can make minor adjustments to this recipe to make it your own over time. It is essential to include the sterilization and processing steps. I also recommend leaving the brine as I’ve written it here. However, if you’d like to increase a spice, decrease a spice, add a spice, or remove a spice altogether, I hope you feel freedom to do so! Have fun!
Step-by-Step Process
Yield: Approximately 4 16-ounce jars
Total steps: 12
Take a look around your kitchen. Make sure it’s a space in which you’re ready to spend some time. Turn up your favorite playlist, open a window, or light a new candle.
Prepare your ingredients, and read the full recipe. Set your ingredients out, and make sure you have every item you need before getting started. Read through each step below to learn your landscape ahead.
Prepare your water-boiling canning pot and jars. Fill your canning pot with water. Place your rack inside your canning pot. Do not yet submerge your rack. Place the jars and rings on top of the rack. Submerge the rack, jars, and rings, allowing the jars to completely fill with water. Ensure the water level is ultimately about 1 inch above your jars. Place your lid on your canning pot, and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. This step not only prepares your water-boiling canning pot, or water bath, but it also sterilizes your jars. (Boiling water may harm the sealant on your lids, so sterilize your lids by placing them in a saucepan of 180°-water for 5 minutes.) Ready your sterilized jars. Once your water-boiling canning pot has boiled for 5 minutes, remove your jars and rings from your canning pot. Remove your lids from your saucepan. They’re going to be hot to the touch, so use your jar lifter to protect your hands. Allow jars, rings, and lids to cool.
Wash and cut your cucumbers. As you’re waiting for your water to begin boiling, rinse your cucumbers in cool water. Cut each cucumber vertically into 4 even spears. Trim both ends of each spear enough to fit below the lowest part of the jar’s mouth, about ½ inch below the rim of the jar. Set aside.
Place all ingredients in jars. Begin with spices and herbs, and end with spears. Depending on the size of your cucumbers, you should be able to fit approximately 3 cucumbers (12 spears) into each jar.
Prepare your brine. As your jars, rings, and lids are cooling, wash and rinse the saucepan you used to sterilize your lids. You can re-use this for your brine. Add your water, vinegar, and canning salt to your saucepan. Heat on low to medium until your salt has completely dissolved. Slowly stir with your wooden spoon. This may take 5 to 8 minutes. Do not boil.
Pickle your cucumbers. Carefully pour or ladle your brine into your jars. Allow your funnel to assist you. Fill to the lowest part of the jar’s mouth, about ½ inch below the rim of the jar. Make sure your brine completely covers your cucumber spears.
Tidy your jars. Wipe your jars clean, especially the rim of each jar, with a warm, damp towel.
Add your lids and rings. Tighten.
Process your pickles. Submerge your pickles into your water-boiling canning pot, and place the lid back onto your canning pot. Allow your jars to boil for 10 minutes. Begin your timer once your water is boiling. Adjust for altitude if needed.
Cool. Carefully remove your jars from the water using your jar lifter, and set them on a towel or drying rack to cool.
Ensure they have sealed. Once cooled, ensure your jars have sealed properly. You can do this via 2 ways: listen for your jar to “pop,” an audible indication it has sealed, or push the center of the lid to see if it pops up and down. If it doesn’t, it’s sealed! Date your jar, and store for up to 1 year. Allow to sit for 7 days before opening. If the lid does pop up and down, it did not seal. Simply put that jar in your refrigerator, and enjoy within 1 month.
