Description
Learn how to make delicious homemade dill pickles with this easy recipe. These pickles are tangy, crunchy, and full of flavor – the perfect addition to any sandwich or snack!
Ingredients
Scale
Cucumbers
- 12 pounds cucumbers* (approximately), well rinsed with ends trimmed
Peppercorns
- 1/2 tablespoon peppercorns (5 per jar)
Garlic
- 16 garlic cloves (2 per jar)
Fresh Dill
- 2–3 twigs per jar
Pickling Brine
- 12 cups (3,000 ml) water (cold or lukewarm)
- 2 cups (500ml) distilled white vinegar (5% or 6% acidity)
- 2/3 cup (200g) fine salt
- 1/2 cup +1 tablespoon (115g) granulated sugar
- 5 bay leaves
Instructions
- Sterilize Jars: Wash all jars and lids with warm soapy water. Sterilize the lids fully submerged in water for 4-5 minutes after the water starts boiling; carefully paper towel pat dry lids. Preheat the oven to a 215°F and place jars upside down onto oven racks. Dry jars for 20 minutes or until completely dry.
- Make Pickling Brine: In a large pot, combine and stir: 12 cups water, 2 cups vinegar, 1/2 cup sugar, 2/3 cup salt and toss in 5 bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat making sure salt and sugar are dissolved and let it rest 10 minutes, then discard the bay leaves.
- Fill Jars: Wash and cut off both ends of the cucumbers. Fill the bottom of each jar with couple twigs of fresh dill, garlic cloves and black peppercorns. Tightly pack jars with cucumbers. Slowly pour the pickling brine into jars over cucumbers, up to the rim (leaving 1/2-inch of space at the top), and cover with lids, but do not close. A 1/4 measuring cup works great for pouring pickling brine.
- Process the Jars: Line a kitchen towel or a microfiber towel at the bottom of the pot if not using rack. It is very important that the bottom of jars are not touching directly the pot or jars will crack when heated. Place packed jars into the canning pot and fill with warm water, about 2 inches below jars. Cover with lid, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and process/boil jars for about 15 minutes or as soon as cucumbers turn light green.
- Seal the Jars: Carefully remove jars one by one from the water using jar lifter and tightly close lids (use kitchen towel or rubber oven mitt for best results). Flip the jars upside down and cover them with bath towels or blankets as soon as you flip them over (the more layers the better). Allow them to sit at room temperature undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. You may hear a pop when the jars fully seal. Store pickles in a cool place.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer/Snack
- Method: Pickling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pickle
- Calories: 15
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: homemade pickles, dill pickles, easy pickling recipe
