Canning – Dill Pickles

Dill pickles are the easiest thing in the world to make. Most of the prep time is in washing the cucumbers and preparing them. Once that’s done the rest is smooth sailing.This year I got 20 pounds of locally grown cukes from the green grocer. They were all the perfect size for pickles and I got 15 quarts of regular dills and 5 quarts of sweet dills from them.

I used recipes from Saving the Seasons.

Dill Pickles

Yield: This is the basic recipe from the book that yields 4 pints. I increased the amounts to correspond with the volume of cucumbers I had.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds of small pickling cucumbers
• 2 cups white vinegar
• 2 cups water
• 2 Tbsp. pickling salt (I use Kosher salt)
• Fresh dill – enough to provide 1 head per jar
• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp. for each quart jar or 1/2 tsp. for each pint jar
• Garlic cloves – 1 clove per jar

Instructions

Wash cucumbers and cut a thin slice from the ends of each one.

Combine vinegar, water, and salt in pot and bring to a boil.

Place 1 sprig fresh dill, and 1 garlic clove in each jar. Add mustard seeds.

Pack cucumbers tightly in jars.

Pour boiling vinegar mixture over cucumbers leaving 1/2 inch head space.

Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes for pints or 15 minutes for quarts.

For my altitude here in Kamloops I need to increase the processing time by 5 minutes. You need to check the altitude for your location and adjust accordingly.

Sweet Garlic Dill Pickles

Yield: This is the basic recipe from the book that yields 4 pints. I increased the amounts to correspond with the volume of cucumbers I had.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds medium-sized cucumbers sliced 1/4 inch thick
• Fresh dill – enough to provide 1 head per jar (I was out of fresh dill so used 1 Tbsp. of dried per jar instead)
• Garlic cloves – 1 clove per jar
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup vinegar
• 3 cups water
• 2 Tbsp. pickling salt (I used Kosher salt)

Instructions

Pack sliced cucumbers tightly into jars.

Add 1 garlic clove and dill to each jar.

Combine sugar, vinegar, water, and pickling salt in pot and bring to a boil.

Pour liquid over cucumbers in jars leaving 1 inch of head space.

Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes for pints or 15 minutes for quarts.

For my altitude here in Kamloops I need to increase the processing time by 5 minutes. You need to check the altitude for your location and adjust accordingly.