Basic Dill Pickles

My favourite purveyor of pickles closed up shop recently. Their product, while expensive, spoiled the very idea of store bought pickles for my family forever. With their shop shuttered and my kids clammering for decent pickles, I was left to go it alone on a grand pickle excursion earlier this year. Turns out pickles are trivial to get right. Thanks to a short turnaround time it is also trivially simple and cost effective to experiment. There is no secret, no tricks, all that is needed are a combination of the right ingredients in the right amounts. Here is what I’ve found to be a popular dill recipe among my family.

This recipe fills a single 32oz jar. Pickles are usually ready to eat in two days. Will keep for a few weeks.

• 8 mini cucumbers. (I’ve found the most success with Persian cucumbers)
• 1/3 cup vinegar (either white, pickling, or apple cider. I prefer pickling vinegar)
• 2/3 cup water
• 2 sprigs dill
• 1 tsp dill seeds
• 3 small cloves garlic
• 1tsp salt

Directions

1. Boil vinegar and water in a pot for 10 minutes.

2. Add salt to boiling water

3. While vinegar and water are boiling, clean jar, cut the pickles in half, tear the leafy bits from the dill, and prep the garlic.

4. Arrange the pickles, dill, and garlic in the jar.

5. Add the dill seeds.

6. When vinegar/water mixture finishes boiling, dump directly into the jar. (careful to not hold the jar while doing this step)

7. Close the jar lid and place in the refrigerator for minimum two days.