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How to Make Dill Pickles

How to Make Dill Pickles
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Master the art of homemade dill pickles with our guide for how to create perfectly crunchy, tangy pickles in just 20 minutes of prep time! You can use the refrigerator method (ready in 24 hours), or the traditional canning approach for year-round storage.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 1-pint wide-mouth mason jars with lids
  • 1 1/2 to 2 pounds small cucumbers (like Kirby)
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon sugar
  • 2/3 cup white vinegar
  • 1 1/3 cup water
  • 1 large handful fresh dill (or 2 teaspoons dill seeds)

Instructions

  1. Wash two mason jars and lids in hot soapy water, rinse, and let air dry.
  2. Quarter the cucumbers into four slices lengthwise (cut off tips so they to fit inside the jar). Peel and cut the garlic cloves in half.
  3. In a saucepan, place the coriander seeds, whole peppercorns, sugar, kosher salt, white vinegar and water. Whisk over low heat until fully dissolved, about 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
  4. In the two clean mason jars, tightly pack the cucumbers, garlic and fresh dill.
  5. Pour the brine mixture over the cucumbers. Tap the jars on the counter to release any air bubbles and top off the jar with extra water if any cucumbers are exposed.
  6. Wipe jar rims dry and place the lids on the jars and screw on the rings until they are hand tight.
  7. For refrigerator pickles (our favorite): Leave the jars in the fridge for 24 hours before tasting. The pickles last up to 1 month in the refrigerator (they’re not shelf stable, but they never last that long!).
  8. For shelf-stable canned pickles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and have a canning rack ready. Place the jars in the boiling water with the jars lifted off of bottom of pot with a canning rack (or any rack that keeps them off the bottom). Boil for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to cool in the water for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to cutting board and allow to cool to room temperature. Check the lids for a seal after 12 hours (make sure the lids pop down: if not, store the pickles in the refrigerator like in Step 8). Store in a cool place for up to 1 year.