If you haven't quite made the plunge into canning produce yet, try this no fuss recipe. Sun dill pickles taste the same, or even better, than traditionally canned pickles. Try different combinations of garlic and peppers to make your own special brand of pickles!
The fall harvest brings an abundance of pickling cucumbers. This is the season when you can make pickles for pennies. Pickles can be made most of the year round if you live in warmer climes.
Most grocery stores carry pickling cucumbers, so watch for bargains. Also check your local farmer's markets. Or, take a drive out into the country to hunt for road side stands that sell various types of produce.
Ingredients:
- 1 glass gallon jar with lid
- 6 cups water
- 3 cups white or yellow vinegar
- 1/2 cup kosher salt or canning salt
- 1/2 tsp alum
- 1/2 tsp tumeric
- 1 tsp mustard seed
- 5 to 8 cloves of garlic
- 4 to 5 large seed heads of dill with stems attached
- 30 to 40 medium sized pickling cucumbers (about 3 to 4 inches long)
- If using pickling cucumbers longer than 4 inches, cut into 4 quarters
Directions:
- Scrub cucumbers with vegetable scrubber and rinse thoroughly
- Place vinegar and water in large kettle or saucepan and bring to a boil for a few minutes then remove from stove
- Place half of the dill and garlic in the jar
- Add the kosher or canned salt, alum, tumeric, and mustard seed to the jar
- Pack the pickles and peppers tightly into the jar
- Add the other half of the dill and garlic to the top of the packed pickles
- Add the water and vinegar until the jar is filled
- Seal with lid and shake thoroughly
- Set outside in sunny location for 2 to 3 days turning frequently (at least once a day)
- If you have a cloudy day, add another day on to procedure
- Leave pickles out at night also
- Place jar in refrigerator
- Pickles are ready to eat in 3 to 4 weeks
Pickles will stay fresh in the fridge for up to a year, but you will probably finish them much sooner!
Options:
- Add banana peppers or jalapeno peppers to pickle jar
- For even spicier pickles, cut jalapeno peppers in half
- You can also add extra garlic to pickle jar if you enjoy the taste of garlic pickles
- You can also use smaller size jars, simply reduce the amount of salt, tumeric, alum and mustard needed for smaller jar volume
Serving Suggestions: Make a simple relish by chopping equal amounts of dill sun pickles and sweet pickles. Add relish to egg salad sandwiches or deviled eggs.
Other recommended fresh-from-the-garden recipes: The Best Homemade Salsa
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