I grew up in a household that appreciated a good garlic dill. As a kid, one of my very favorite after school snacks was a chunky pickle. I would fish one out of the jar with a fork, stabbing until I could get get traction and then drop it into a plastic cereal bowl. I’d slowly nibble away at the pickle over my book of the moment, until all I had left was the stem end of the cucumber and wrinkly, vinegar-scented fingers.
We also believe that no good sandwich is complete without a pickle. My parents take sandwich construction very seriously, and often buy jars of pickles that have been pre-sliced lengthwise just for this purpose (prior to being stacked between the lettuce and the cheese, these pickles are blotted on papertowels, so that the sandwiches aren’t made soggy by too much additional liquid).
However, up until recently, the idea that a homemade pickle was actually the best kind of pickle didn’t occur to any of us (even taking into account the fact that my father has spent the last 30 years hunting for a pickle to replicate his beloved Polski Wyrob that he hasn’t been able to find since they left Chicago in 1978). I began my pickle enlightenment sometime back in the early spring, when I first started combining asparagus with a vinegar-based brine. I’ve been spreading the pickle gospel out west to my parents in Oregon for sometime now, and it appears that the indoctrination is complete.
My mother and I just spent the last hour on the phone and more than half our conversation revolved around homemade pickles (she now keeps a jar of brine in the fridge, and consistently replenishes the cucumber supply). I can’t tell you how proud I was tonight when she said, “I don’t think I’ll ever buy another jar of pickles again, when making them at home is so easy and so much better.” She’s also got her sights set on making these zucchini pickles (I admit, I sent her the link with a note suggesting they’d be a good way to use up the stampede of garden squash that is coming her way).
And, while I don’t think that my dad will ever find a pickle to compare to the Polski Wyrobs of yore, these garlic dills may just give his taste memory something to get excited about.
Ingredients
- 2 overflowing quarts of pickling cucumbers, sliced into fat coins*
- 4 cups apple cider vinegar
- 4 cups water
- 5 tablespoons pickling salt
- 16 garlic cloves, peeled (2 per jar)**
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper per jar*** (2 teaspoons total)
- 1 teaspoon dill seed per jar (8 teaspoons total)
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns per jar (4 teaspoons total)
Instructions
- Wash and slice the cucumbers.
- In a large saucepot, combine vinegar, water and salt. Bring to a simmer.
- Arrange jars on counter and dole out the spices to each. Pack the cucumber slices firmly into the jars. You don’t want to damage the cukes, but you do want them packed tight.
- Pour the brine into the jar, leaving ½ inch headspace.
- Wipe rims, apply lids and rings and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
- When 10 minutes are up, promptly remove the jars from the pot and allow them to cool on the countertop. When the jars are cool, check the seals (by pushing/tapping on the lid).
- Pickles can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to a year.
- If you want to skip the boiling water process, these pickles are also wonderful as refrigerator pickles. Just pop the jars into the fridge once they’re cool.
Notes
*I use slices because I find that they are easiest to pack into jars. However, you could also choose to make spears, halves or pickle the cucumbers whole.
**I like to peel the garlic by leaning on it ever so slightly with the side of a chef’s knife. This bruises the garlic a bit and gets its pungent flavor into the brine/cucumbers more effectively.
***Some people have reported that this level of spice leaves their pickles far too spicy. If your red chili flakes are particularly fresh or potent and you’re not a huge fan of spice, consider reducing the amount.
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I just made ~20 pounds of these and they were great!!! The only “problem” I encountered was that they attracted fruit flies!!! They were literally coming in from outside! I had none (that I know of) inside my house before hand but afterwards… OMG, they were everywhere! I know fruit flies are attracted to ACV so I made a trap (ACV with liquid dish soap). It’s working, but talk about a pesty situation! LOL
THATS SO FUNNY! FRUITFLIES ARE ATTRACTED TO THE APPLECIDER VINEGAR. THEY WILL ACTUALLY LAND IN IT AND EVENTUALLY DIE. THATS HOW WE GOT RID OF THEM IN MY HOUSE LAST YEAR .
A quick question: when you say water, do you mean (filtered) tap water or do you mean the pickling water that one can buy at the store? I always buy the water, but as I do not have much storage space, it would be great to learn that I can simply use tap water….
When I call for water, I just mean tap water (filtered is best). The only time I’ll call for or use bottled water when canning is when I’m making a fermented pickle and want to make sure there’s no chlorine in the product.
[...] I get excited about everything. But seriously, these are some fantastic pickles. I used the Garlic Dill Pickle Recipe from Food in Jars. Food in Jars is a great website to read if you are interested in canning [...]
[...] you might want to after making these ones. When I made my batch a couple weeks ago I was concerned I might be testing the stability of [...]
I love your blog. And find myself doing more and more canning (cannot wait to try the tomato jam). But need help, I have hit my first canning dud. I tried this recipe for garlic dills (what i not to like about the flavor combo!!)
I sliced the cukes to 1/4 inch thickness and followed the rest of the recipe. We waited 2 weeks and tried them last night…they we incredibly mushy and were not good at all. any suggestions?
Thank you!!
Yikes, a quarter inch? Unfortunately, that’s way too thin for this recipe. By slicing them that thin, you cut across most of the cell walls of the cucumber, releasing all the liquid and leaving the pickle with no internal structure. When I do these as chips, I slice them nearly an inch thick. Additionally, pickle crunch is also helped when you use the freshest cucumbers and keep the processing time as short as possible while sticking to the recommended time, of course.
[...] spices–tossing whatever looks good into a jar. This time I roughly followed the recipe for Garlic Dill Pickles from Food in Jars. I don’t have chili flakes, so I added a whole chili to the jar. I also [...]
[...] were good, but they were not what I had in mind. This year, I decided to try again, using the Garlic Dill Pickle Recipe from Food in Jars. I like making pickles largely because it is so nice to get something done. [...]
[...] of course, I love all her recipes. I want to have a picnic and bring my own canned pear butter and garlic pickles, and would love to start making my own stock for fall soups. If you need yummy gift ideas this [...]
[...] Garlic Dill Pickles from Food in Jars [...]
Do you think it would be OK to substitute fresh dill for dill seed?
Travis, you can substitute fresh dill, but it doesn’t store as well as the dill seed. It can sometimes get a little murky after a while in the brine.
I just made these as refrigerator pickles. After about a week they are fantastic! Great site by the way.
Found it.. excellent.. I love a simple recipe. I will also pop a grape leaf in each jar (I hope the Japanese beetle left me a few!) and I will let you know how that goes. Though I will be using the water bath as a finisher. I like them on the shelf. The ‘fridge gets a bit crammed this time of year! Thanks again c
I am a little confused . . . re: how thick to slice the pickles (55.1) you note “When I do these as chips, I slice them nearly two inches thick.” But in the picture at the top the slices appear much thinner then that – maybe not 1/4 inch but not 2 inches. Since I am new to pickles I am curious what is appropriate. Also, does anyone have any experience with a product called “pickle crisp” made by Ball?
I do sometimes slice my pickles two inches thick. You can do them to your preference though. Just know that the thinner you slice them, the soggier they’ll be.
We made a batch of these the other day and are loving them! Such a delicious recipe!
I have grapes growing in my garden and I was wondering if it had to be a specific kind of grapes that you could use there leafs for theses pickles? Also is there anything other than washing them do I have to do to them before jarring them? And I can use the leafs in the boiling method right? Thank you for your help, I just want to be safe
Any kind of grape leaf will do. And yes, you can use them in the boiling water bath.
[...] my second ever foray into the art of pickling! I used a recipe for garlic dill pickles I found at Food in Jars (which appears to be a stellar blog re all things canning! I can’t wait to peruse it more [...]
Hi,
I really like your website and i’ve done a number of recipes from it. However, I, like Joanne (comment 63), have a problem with your comment 55.1 on the pickle thickness. One inch is about 2.5 cm. So when you say you slice the cukes two inches thick, i think you must be missinterpreting the units. Most of pickling cukes are 2 to 3 inches long. Tere’s no way your slices are 2 inches thick.
Another concern i have is your definition of pint. In the recipe above you keep calling for pint jars, but those in the pictures are clearly half-pint jars (or one-cup jars). The problem also is that this isnot the first time i see this disrepancy in your blig and now i doubt every time you call for a particular type of jar. Do you mean pint jars or half-pint jars in this recipe? How about in the one for dilly beans? Or whole canned tomatoes?
Thanks!!
I’ve changed that comment to say an inch. However, I do sometimes cut my pickles two inches thick. And, as far as jars go, those are indeed pint jars. They are wide mouth pints. They hold two cups. I frequently use wide mouth jars, which if you are unfamiliar with them, can look like half pint jars, but I promise, they are pints. I mean pints with the dilly beans. And I use quarts (often wide mouth quarts) for the whole canned tomatoes.
I’m going to try these pickles for my FIRST attempt at canning. When you say process in a boiling water bath, do you mean put them in boiling water–or put them into the water and bring it to a boil? I’m “new & confused.”
I hope you’re having fun on your vacay! When you’re back, can you possibly do a post about “never ending” refrigerator pickles, like you mention in this post (keeping a jar of brine to replenish in the fridge)? I keep seeing this mentioned all over the place, but no one seems to explain it! I love the canned version of this recipe (just made another batch today!), but the hubster likes his pickles extra super duper crunchy. Thanks!
Thank you so much for this website! I grow vegetables, make bread, spin wool, knit, sew, change tires and rope and ride, but I had never canned until this summer. And you have been my trusty guide! So now my pioneer-woman-skills toolbox is complete. I made seven pounds of lovely little cucumbers (or they might have been gherkins) into pickles with this recipe and they are just wonderful. I halved the cukes lengthwise for the pint jars and kept them whole for the quart jars. I also added a slice of lemon to some of the jars because I had a lemon that was about to go soft and I thought it would be pretty. Turns out it added just a tiny lovely flavor, too! I have also made the red onion pickles and the dilly beans and the sweet cherries from your site –all fantastic. I found some early okra at the farmers market last weekend and pickled that with a recipe from the LBJ Ranch (Ladybird’s recipe, supposedly). I waited 4 days before tasting them and they were pretty good, but lacked a little depth or complexity. Do you have any okra suggestions? Or did I just jump the gun on opening them?
I think you definitely just jumped the ball on opening the okra. I’d give it at least a month in order to allow the flavor to develop and deepen.
[...] time I decided to use the Garlic Dill Pickle recipe from a blog that I love – Food in Jars. I know my hubby loves strong flavors in his pickles and I liked this recipe because it uses cider [...]
Hello, if you can’t find Pickling Salt anywhere, would you reccomend substituting fine sea salt, or fine kosher salt? And if so, will the recipe call for the same amount.
Thank you.
I have a whole post on substituting salt: http://www.foodinjars.com/2010/08/canning-101-on-substituting-salt-in-pickling/
Wow, that was a quick response. Thanks so much!
I just made these last night – how long do they have to sit before I can try them?
Thanks!
Theresa
I’m dying to try this recipe. I’ve been looking for a dill pickle recipe that is simple to make for the longest! I’m not a fan of the sweet style pickles. I’m having a hard time finding dill seeds though……can I substitute dried dill weed or would that not work with this recipe? Thanks in advance.
It is better if you can use dill seed. Dried dill weed will make your brine murky.
[...] adapted from Food in Jars [...]
I would love to try this recipe! Can you give me an idea of what two overflowing quarts translates into pounds roughly. My market sells loose cukes and I am not sure how much to buy to make this recipe. Thanks!
First, love your site! Second, I made these pickles today as I have been on a canning bender the last few weeks (tomatoes, applesauce-yum!). I made them exactly as written, put a few in the fridge and water bathed the rest. Because I simply could not wait, I have already sampled one of the fridge and one of the processed pickles. Honestly, they are so HOT (spicy) from the crushed red pepper they are almost inedible. I love (love!) spicy things, and even for me these are on the line….there is no way my kids could eat them and I will have to be very picky who I give them to.
sad! I would imagine they would only get *hotter* as they sit in the brine, correct? Or do the other spices catch up and compete with the hot pepper flakes for flavor? Is the recipe correct (1/4 tsp. per pint)? Just so bummed!!
Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear that you’re disappointed with those pickles. I could be that your red chili flakes were more potent than mine. I used this amount and found that it wasn’t at all overpowering, but the power of spices can vary greatly.
Do you believe they will only get hotter as they sit? (If so, they will be in the compost pile unless I have friends that have already scalded off their tastebuds with Ghost Peppers or something!). I guess the variability of spices may be to blame…. only a tiny pinch next time, for sure.
I think it’s worth giving them some time to mellow. A month or two in the jars can really help smooth things out.
Ok- I’m back! You were right, they did mellow a bit– I think what acutally happened is the other flavors caught up with the heat of the peppers! Now I have another quandry I hope you can help me with…
I have decided to give out several jars of preserved food to all my friends for Christmas. I imagine canning everything in half pint/wide mouth jars, stacking them, tying them with a ribbon (they look gorgeous in my head!). Thinking of doing a jar of these pickles (with half the hot pepper!), lemon curd, a mustard and a strawberry jam. A stack of four wonderful preserves for everyone! So here are my questions: 1) Will pickles in half pint jars that are BWB processed for 10 min be too cooked/mushy? I know 10 min is the minimum for safety. 2) Have you ever used/do you have an opinion about Pickle Crisp (calcium chloride) to help keep the pickles crispier? I liked the texture of my fridge pickles better, but the flavor of the BWB pickles better and am hoping to get the best of both worlds. Last time I used grape leaves (we have grapes) in each jar. I am an experienced jammer, but not pickler, so don’t know if this made a difference or not, or if it would be better than Pickle Crisp. Also, I highly value organic produce/process/products, and am still deciding if calcium chloride works philisophically. Opinion?
Thanks so much for being willing to share your wisdom!
And one more…..
sorry!
Another dill pickle recipe that I was looking at had a ratio of 8 c. water to 2 c. vinegar— a very different ratio than your 1:1 in this recipe. While the recipe had RAVE reviews, they also suggested an unsafe BWB method (jars only 3/4 covered in water, bringing just to boil and then taking out jars– many of the reviewers followed the FDAs recommendation for correct BWB method, and still raved about the recipe). However, I am not inclined to trust the safety of the recipe submitter. What is the minimum safe ratio of water to vinegar for pickles? (can’t seem to find this info anywhere!)
[...] Image via Pinterest from foodinjars [...]
[...] Adapted from Food In Jars [...]
[...] recipe from Food in Jars [...]
This recipe worked perfectly; the garlic taste is great. However, I find that any brine made with 5% vinegar in a 1:1 ratio with water is just too vinegary! Is it still safe from a bacteria-killing point of view to use vinegar and water in a 1:2 ratio? Thanks.
Unfortunately, you can’t dilute the vinegar any further for a safe, shelf stable pickle. If you need something less vinegar-y, it would have to be made as a refrigerator pickle.
How long would refridgerater pickles last in that scenario? Still are year?
I’m using this recipe for whole baby cucumbers. Picked some up yesterday, they have a great crunch. I’m going to create a brine and soak them in the fridge. I guess I will test taste everyday to see how long it takes but do you know a general idea of how many days it will take to pickle? They’re whole about a few inches in circumference and about 3-4 inches long. Also after they are pickled should I pour out some brine so they don’t get mushy? Thanks!
If you’re planning on making refrigerator pickles, this is probably the recipe you want to follow: http://www.foodinjars.com/2011/06/urban-preserving-refrigerator-dill-pickles/
What is the correct amount of time to hot water bath dill pickle slices in half pint jars? Is 5 minutes enough?
You never reduce processing time when the jars get smaller. It’s still 10 minutes. You only increase the processing time if you use larger jars.
Thanks so much!! Daughter is making Dill Chips in half pint jars for guests at her backyard wedding. We just were not sure about the timing.
I live in Okinawa and I only have access to english cucumbers, the typical grocery store waxed kind and Japanese cucumbers. Would i have the best success with the Japanese cucumbers? These are typically less than an inch in diameter, pretty long and much drier than the typical cuke. Thanks!
Sarah, you’ll have best success with the Japanese cucumbers. They’ll give you the best finished texture.
I am wondering how long to wait before trying these pickles. Made them today and I am very excited about the possibilty of having a taste. I did the boiling method. Please help.
Sandie, give them at least a week to get really pickly.
THANKS!!
[...] Creole Sauce. The corn was made into corn salsa and corn relish. I made seven pints of the garlic dill pickles from Marissa at Food in Jars. Go check out her site. It is an amazing canning and preserving [...]
I recently purchased your book and love just about every recipe in it. I’m new to canning and find it to be very helpful.
My project for this afternoon though is these pickles. My daughter and I would eat a jar a day if my husband didn’t give us such funny looks at snack time. I hope they turn out as good as the others say they are.
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[...] Whites and Lemon Cukes. I’m thinking I’ll parcel them out, some to be sweet, some to be Garlic Dill. The Garlic Dill recipe is from Food in Jars. Check them out! The [...]
One quick question… I’ve always done refrigerator pickles because I like them super crunchy. If I process them in a water bath they will loose that right? How long can unprocessed fridge pickles keep in the fridge?
Love your site!
So I have been doing research on canning (I just can’t seem to jump into anything without over researching it, must be the historian in me) and came across your site. I have been going month-to-month reading all of your entries
thanks for taking the time to create this for us! I think that these garlic pickles will be my first real attempt, and I think I will make them as refrigerator pickles so I can dazzle a house guest when she gets here on the 22nd. I also would like to know how long they can be kept in the fridge once opened and if I cut the recipe in half, does the processing time stay the same (I would assume so)?
Thanks!!
If you slice the cucumbers, is the process time decreased considering that the brine doesn’t have to soak through the skin?
Nope. The processing time is about the heat of the boiling water penetrating to the interior of the jars. It’s not about brine soaking through.
If I make quart jars instead of pints how would I figure out how muchto increase the spices for each jar. Can’t wait to try these pickles!
Great pickle recipe! Made 1st batch last weekend, could not wait anymore. Broke the seal on 1st pint tonight. Not too spicy, or too much garlic. Very good. i will make a second batch this weekend, our garden is producing lots of patio cukes. just the right size. thanks for the on line recipe. i sent the link to a friend for his pickles.
Hi Marisa,
I’ve made the B&B pickles with great success using gherkins. I’m going to try the dills but I want to keep them whole and use the 1q jars instead. 1. Can I get away with using a wide mouth jar? (easier to get at those yummies with a fork) 2. How much spice/garlic do I put in each jar? (I’m wondering if doubling it is correct but somehow it worries me that it’s too much) and 3. By how much do I increase the processing time?
By the way, just FYI, the pickles I’m using are 5 inches…. SERIOUS pickles!
Jenn, you can get away with wide mouth jars, but regular mouth jars do help keep the finished pickles submerged in the liquid better than the wide mouth ones do. I’d increase the spice by half so as not to overwhelm. And processing time increases by five minutes.
Thank you ma’am! I’ll go for the regular sized jars. I had read that about the jars keeping things submerged better. Thanks for the help!
I am looking forward to making these pickles as well!
I was wondering if anyone knows what dill pickles without the garlic is like? If I wanted regular dill pickles, should I still add the garlic?
Also, has anyone put all the spices, dill seed and garlic into the brine and let them boil together? Or is it best to add each to a jar itself?
This website is so wonderful. It is organized and I trust using the canning recipes (each and everyone) because they all sound yummy! Thanks!
[...] Baker, posted this image to our Flickr pool this week. She made this batch of dill pickles based on Food in Jars’ recipe. Don’t these pickles look [...]
[...] and remaining cherry tomatoes will be used as snacks. The majority of the cukes were made into dill refrigerator pickles. The beets are going to be made into these pancakes tomorrow morning. Loving the color – hope [...]