Canning Dill pickles, using my Grandma Ella’s recipe, was just one of the many items I canned during the summer months, many years ago. I don’t do much canning anymore… due to time and expense.
However, it’s September, the canning feeling is in the air and I was at Farmer Grant’s produce stand day- before-yesterday… and a peck of cucumbers spoke to me.
In fact, before I knew it… the peck of cucumbers and two bags of fresh dill were in my car before I even had time to think about it. “What the…. I don’t have time for this and there is not one earthly nutritional benefit for having dill pickles in my food storage,” I said to myself.
Then I said, “I want to do this… just for me… for fun.” I never thought I would ever say that canning would be fun after “putting up” hundreds of bushels of produce in the past. But, at this moment in time… it’s fun.
So here we go. I want to share with you, my Grandma Ella’s Homemade Dill Pickle recipe. Mmmmm… they’re so good!
Here’s what you need:
A. 1 peck of cucumbers. Now I never buy the ones the farmer says are “Dills.” I go the next size smaller. They fit better in the bottle and are “cruncher.”
B. 1 gal. of white vinegar.
C. Fresh dill. You need a dill head for each bottle which should include stems and pieces. (this recipe will do between 12 and 14 quarts.)
D. Alum (that’s for the pucker.)
E. Salt ( don’t use iodized salt, it will cause the solution to become cloudy.)
F. 1 garlic bud or clove for each bottle.
G. One grape leaf for each bottle. (They say it keeps the pickles crisp. I don’t know if that’s true but Grandma Ella did it… so who am I to argue with success.) I raid my neighbors grape leaves, since I don’t grow grapes.
H. You will need clean wide mouth jars, rims and lids. (12 -14)
Make your vinegar solution: 1 Qt. Vinegar. 3 Qt’s water. 1 C Salt. (This recipe is solution for 6 or 7 quarts.
In each jar, place a grape leave in the bottom. Add one peeled garlic clove, 1 pinch of alum (that’s what grandma said.) but it equates to about 1/8 tes. of alum. At least one dill flower head and a bunch of stems and pieces. It looks like weeds in there but it’s okay. (This is a lousy photo… but you get the drift.)
Now, put the cucumbers in the jar. With these smaller cukes…I can get about 5 or 6 in a jar… just force them in there tight.
I place my bottles on top of my canner bottom and let the steam rise up around them. Or, you can just place the jars in a large frying pan with boiling water and let the steam come up around them. My lids and rims are in a little pan of water… boiling away… and my solution is boiling too. Everything needs to be hot!
Fill one hot jar with the solution.
Take from the boiling water, one lid and rim.
Place it on the filled jar. Tighten the hot jar rim and set your bottle aside.
Repeat the process until you have all the jars filled.
It’s important for you keep everything hot… cause we’re not going to process these bottles. Nope.. No way.. makes the cucumbers soft… and Grandma Ella didn’t do it… and it works… and we’re not dead from any little micro bug. Besides… with all that vinegar and salt… anything bacteria that would have been alive is now… long gone.
There you have it….Homemade Dill Pickles. It’s not hard and they’re so good… BUT…HERE’S THE DEAL… you can’t open a jar until THANKSGIVING. Nope… keep your mitts off until Thanksgiving day. I know it’s tempting. Another reason to celebrate Turkey Day!
It takes that long for the pickles to cure in the brine… but it’s well worth the wait.
Till Later,
Kathy Griffiths
Insightful Nana
P.S. I wonder what else is going to end up in my car… so I can do a bit of canning… just for fun.
P.P.S. If you want a printable recipe for your files, fill in the box below so I can send you the link.
Besides… once you sign in… You’ll be on my freebie list and I’ll be sending you all kinds of fun things… especially for the holidays. You won’t have to sign in again.
FAQs
Giving your fruit or vegetables a salt bath (covering them in salt in a bowl) before pickling them helps to draw out any excess water they may be holding. It helps to preserve the crisp texture through the pickling process. Leave them in salt for 30 minutes – 3 hours, depending on how much time you've got.
What is the ratio for pickling? ›
The classic ratio is super easy to remember and is easily scale-able depending on how many pickles you're making. It's 100% vinegar, 50% water, 25% sugar and 12.5% kosher salt by weight. So for example, 200g vinegar, 100g water, 50g sugar and 25g kosher salt (again, you can scale this up or down!).
How long to let pickles sit after canning? ›
Label and date your jars and store them in a clean, cool, dark, and dry place such as a pantry, cabinet, or basem*nt. Don't store in a warm spot! To allow pickles to mellow and develop a delicious flavor, wait at least 3 weeks before eating! Keep in mind that pickles may be ready to enjoy earlier.
What keeps pickles crisp when canning? ›
Use Calcium Chloride
Calcium chloride (CaCl2), sometimes known as “pickle crisp”, is a type of salt that helps preserve the crunchiness of food. It is used in the food industry to help preserve the texture of canned fruit and vegetables.
Why do you soak cucumbers in ice water before pickling? ›
For a quick and easy way to help ensure crisp pickles: soak cucumbers in ice water for 4 to 5 hours before pickling. This is a safer method for making crisp pickles. Using lime, or calcium hydroxide, in solution for soaking cucumbers changes the amount of acid in the cucumber tissue.
What is the most important ingredient in pickling? ›
Key ingredients include fruits or vegetables, water, salt, vinegar (optional), and flavorings like herbs and spices. For fermentation, produce is submerged in a saltwater brine and left to ferment at room temperature. For quick pickling, produce is submerged in a vinegar-based brine and stored in the refrigerator.
What is the best pickling solution? ›
For quick pickles, a basic brine is equal parts vinegar and water, but you can adjust the ratio to your preference. Any basic vinegar is game — white vinegar, apple cider, white wine, and rice vinegar all work well. You can use these vinegars alone or in combination.
Which vinegar is better for pickling? ›
Most pickle recipes call for distilled white vinegar. This is the clear, colorless vinegar made by fermenting grains. It has a mellow aroma, tart acid flavor and does not affect the color of light-colored vegetables or fruits.
What to avoid when pickling? ›
Use fresh pickling cucumbers, not salad cucumbers. Don't use waxed cucumbers; wax stops pickling liquid from penetrating the cucumber. Don't use bruised or damaged cucumbers. Cucumbers go bad quickly, particularly at room temperature.
Do you turn jars upside down after canning pickles? ›
Inversion Canning
Once secured, the jar is inverted (flipped upside down) and left to cool for several minutes before placed right side up. The thought behind the method is the hot food will sterilize the seal while creating a vacuum by allowing air to escape.
Most fruit preserves and pickles are sufficiently high in acid to be canned via a method called water bath canning, where jars are submerged in boiling water for a prescribed amount of time. This destroys any pathogens in the food, and creates a seal, thereby rendering the jars shelf-stable.
How do you pickle without botulism? ›
Making sure enough vinegar is added to the cucumbers is important to make safe pickles; Clostridium botulinum can grow in improperly canned, pickled foods with a pH higher than 4.6. It is critical to use scientifically tested recipes for making pickles to ensure their safety.
Why do you put grape leaves in dill pickles? ›
Did you know that grape leaves help keep dill pickles crunchy? We usually pick grape leaves off of local vines that grow wild in our area. Grapes leaves are important for making pickles because they release tannins which keep the pickles crisp.
What does alum do for dill pickles? ›
Alum will increase firmness of fermented pickles when used at levels up to ¼ teaspoon per pint, but greater amounts will decrease firmness.
Are you supposed to salt cucumbers? ›
When you salt cucumber pieces or slices and let them sit for 30 minutes in a colander, the salt draws out excess moisture which then drains away. This means that the cucumber will release less water into whatever dish you're adding it to, such as tzatziki, tabbouleh, Greek salad, or potato salad.
Do you rinse cucumbers after salting? ›
After the cucumbers have been salted for a period of time, you'll want to rinse off the excess salt. At this point, you may be thinking 'what the hell, I just spent all this time removing the water!
What kind of salt do you soak cucumbers in before pickling? ›
Pickling Brine
The most basic one uses kosher salt in a base of vinegar and water at a 1 to 1 ratio. I like my pickles on the tangier side, so I add a bit more vinegar to water in this recipe. If you like sweet pickles, you can add sugar to the brine (I personally don't).
What to do with cucumbers before pickling? ›
If you want a skinless pickle, peel it. If you want a seedless pickle, cut in half lengthwise and use a teaspoon to scrape the seeds out. If you are using skin-on, wash well. Remove both ends of the cucumber and make into whatever shape will work best with how you intend to use them.
