Pickles are a favorite for most people once the summer weather rolls around ~ and just this past week, our CSA had pickling cucumbers in our bag.
My kids were ecstatic – my 9 year old wanted so desperately bad to make pickles at home.
It’s SO fun to make your own and so easy ~ you don’t have to sterilize jars or have any special canning equipment. All you do is slice the cucumbers into discs or spears (or both!) and cover them with brine. Then place in the fridge and they are ready to eat in 24 hours.
My kids tore through one jar in under an hour.
The most important part of making your own cucumbers is using pickling cucumbers (or, if you can’t get those, then start with Kirby cucumbers). Kirby cucumbers are short – they have lots of warts but they make the BEST pickles. If you can’t find them at your grocery store, then check Whole Foods – as they sometimes will have them.
Begin with the brine, then pour that brine over the sliced pickles waiting in jars.
Add coriander and mustard seed, dill and garlic and then pop in the fridge. They will be ready to eat in 24 hours. Within that 24 hours, every time you open the fridge, give the jars a shake ~ it only helps distribute the spices in the jar to give them more flavor.
- 2 1/2 C. White Distilled Vinegar at 5% Acidity
- 4 Tbsp Kosher Salt
- 3 Tbsp Sugar
- 4 C. Cold Water
- 6-7 Pickling Cucumbers, cut into slices or spears
- 3 tbsp Coriander Seeds
- 8 large Garlic Cloves, peeled, and halved
- 1 tsp Mustard Seed
- Optional: 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 15 sprigs of fresh Dill
- Optional: 3-4 drops of Dill Vitality Essential Oil
- Combine the Vinegar, Salt and Sugar into a saucepan on high - whisk until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
- Take off the stove and add the cold water.
- Stuff the cucumbers into your jars - then add the coriander, garlic, mustard, red pepper, dill and cover with brine - divide evenly.
- The brine should cover the cucumbers - if not, then top off with a little cold water until they are covered.
- Put the lids on and pop in the fridge for 24 hours.
- Every time you head to the fridge in that 24 hours, give them a little shake and put them back - it helps distribute the spices.
Do you make your own pickles? Do you have a different recipe that you use? Some people prefer to use Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar – if you have that on hand you can try that, instead!
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