For as long as I can remember, we’ve always had canned dill pickles in our pantry. Some of my earliest memories from family holiday dinners included a two sectioned crystal plate that held sliced homemade dill pickles and olives. The little plate was always prepared ahead of time and everyone would snack on it before dinner. I’m pretty sure my love of grandma’s pickles started from that small appetizer platter.
Now as an adult I love having pickles in my own pantry (bonus the kids also love them). It is my honor to share this precious family recipe with you and a few of our tips and tricks too.
Grandma’s Dill Pickle Recipe
Brine:
– 1 quart Apple Cider Vinegar
– 3 quarts Water
– 1/2 cup Pickling Salt
Boil for 3 minutes
Step 1: As my Grandma would say, just quickly brush off the bumps. Note this isn’t a perfect process but is a nice way to wash the cucumbers* with a rough scrubber.
*Our family likes the small and medium size pickling cucumbers so we order a mixture of sizes from a local farm.
Step 2: Stuff the (wide mouth quart) jar with a full sprig of dill and two pre-peeled garlic cloves, then play tetras and stuff those pickles in the jar.
Step 3: Pour in the hot brine mixture (see above recipe) into the jar, close it with a pre-boiled lid, and place in the oven at 300 degrees in a 9 x 13 in pan with a dish rag at the bottom of the pan filled with an inch of hot water. After 7 minutes rotate the jars, cook for another 8+ minutes until the cucumbers lose their bright green color.
Step 4: Carefully pull out each jar and let it set on the counter for 24 hours, jars will pop and seal (which is such a satisfying sound)!
This process yields about 5-6 quarts so repeat as necessary. Grandma would can pickles in late July or early August and the general rule was we couldn’t start eating the pickles until Thanksgiving, giving it 3 months (at least) to let the flavors cure to perfection. We lovingly refer to Grandma’s pickle recipe as “pure gold!”
Enjoy!
The Salty Exchange 