Classic Dill Pickles Recipe
Ingredients
| 20 small cucumbers, each about 3 to 3 1/2 inches long | ||
| Garlic | 4 Clove (5gm) | |
| Dill sprigs | 16 Large | |
| Mixed spice | 1/4 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| 2 teaspoons dill seeds | ||
| Water | 2 Quart | |
| White vinegar | 1/2 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| 1/2 cup pickling or noniodized salt | ||
| Sugar | 2 Tablespoon | |
Directions
1. Wash cucumbers thoroughly to remove any sand and grit; drain.
2. With flat side of knife, crush garlic cloves slightly. In 2-gallon crock or wide-mouth jar, place 2 garlic cloves, half of dill sprigs, half of mixed pickling spice, and half of dill seeds. Pack cucumbers into crock to 3 inches from top of crock. Add remaining garlic, pickling spice, and dill seeds. Top cucumbers with remaining dill sprigs.
3. Make brine: In large bowl, mix water, vinegar, salt, and sugar until salt and sugar dissolve. Pour brine into jar to cover cucumbers completely. Cover cucumbers with clean heavy plate to hold cucumbers under brine. Place crock on stainproof surface or plate (brine may overflow as pickles ferment). Keep cucumbers at about 70°F. Let cucumbers ferment about 3 to 5 days for half sour, 6 to 8 days for very sour. Check every day and remove any scum that forms on top. (The development of some cloudiness in the brine is also typical.)
4. When pickles have reached the degree of sourness you like, they can be stored in the refrigerator to use up within 1 month. To store, remove pickles from crock, reserving brine. Pack pickles in jars. Strain brine and pour over pickles to cover them completely. (Do not leave pickles at room temperature after fermentation is complete or they may spoil.)
2. With flat side of knife, crush garlic cloves slightly. In 2-gallon crock or wide-mouth jar, place 2 garlic cloves, half of dill sprigs, half of mixed pickling spice, and half of dill seeds. Pack cucumbers into crock to 3 inches from top of crock. Add remaining garlic, pickling spice, and dill seeds. Top cucumbers with remaining dill sprigs.
3. Make brine: In large bowl, mix water, vinegar, salt, and sugar until salt and sugar dissolve. Pour brine into jar to cover cucumbers completely. Cover cucumbers with clean heavy plate to hold cucumbers under brine. Place crock on stainproof surface or plate (brine may overflow as pickles ferment). Keep cucumbers at about 70°F. Let cucumbers ferment about 3 to 5 days for half sour, 6 to 8 days for very sour. Check every day and remove any scum that forms on top. (The development of some cloudiness in the brine is also typical.)
4. When pickles have reached the degree of sourness you like, they can be stored in the refrigerator to use up within 1 month. To store, remove pickles from crock, reserving brine. Pack pickles in jars. Strain brine and pour over pickles to cover them completely. (Do not leave pickles at room temperature after fermentation is complete or they may spoil.)
Chef
