Crunchy Dill Pickles
These homemade crunchy dill pickles reward patience with bright, savory crunch, making them perfect for sandwiches, snacks, and picnics.
Ingredients
For the brine
- 4 cups Water Filtered or tap water
- 1 cup Vinegar (5% acidity) White or apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Salt Pickling or kosher salt; avoid iodized
Main ingredients
- 24 oz Cucumbers Firm pickling cucumbers are best
- 6 sprigs Fresh dill Heads or sprigs
- 3 cloves Garlic Crushed or whole
- 1 tablespoon Pickling spices Optional: bay leaf, peppercorns, mustard seed, coriander
Instructions
Preparation
- Wash jars with hot, soapy water and either boil them for 10 minutes or run them through a hot dishwasher cycle. Keep lids in hot water to soften the gasket.
- Rinse cucumbers well to remove dirt and trim a thin slice off both blossom and stem ends.
- Combine water, vinegar, and salt in a pot. Stir until the salt dissolves and bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
Packing and processing
- Into each hot jar, place a sprig of fresh dill, a clove or two of garlic, and a pinch of pickling spices. Pack cucumbers tightly but without crushing.
- Pour the boiling brine over the cucumbers, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Tap jars gently to remove bubbles and top up with brine if needed.
- Wipe rims with a clean cloth, place lids, and screw on bands fingertip-tight.
- Place jars in a water bath canner and process according to a tested canning guide for your jar size and altitude.
- Remove jars and set them on a towel, leaving space between them. After 12–24 hours, check seals, label, and store.
Notes
Let pickles sit for at least a week before eating to let flavors mature. If a jar fails to seal, refrigerate and consume that jar first.