Get your mind outta the gutter! Let’s make us some pickles!
You will need 3 pounds of pickling cucumbers, 2 bunches of baby dill, whole black peppercorns, dried red chilies, white vinegar, kosher salt and 3 quart jars.
Step one: Wash your cukes, cut off the ends and soak in an ice bath in the fridge for 24 hours. Press cukes down into the ice bath with a big inverted plate.
Cukes in ice water.
Step two: Drain cukes. Cut into 1″ lengths or slice in half or into quarters or even into pickle chips. I sort of did a little mixing and matching. If you have a big jar and plan to keep them whole, prick each cuke with a fork.
Fresh from the ice bath.
Drawn and quartered!
Step three: (Oh, and by the way you should have already prepared your jars and lids by running them through the dishwasher. It’s not necessary to sterilize them.) Fill your quart jars. In the bottom of each jar dump 1 tsp. whole black peppercorns and 2-3 dried red chilies. Fill half-way with cukes, press in fresh dill, fill remaining space with cukes and dill. Do not fill all the way to the top because you will need to completely cover the cukes with brine.
Fresh dill, black peppercorns, dried chilies and Kosher salt for the brine.
Filled jars.
Step four: Make brine. In a large sauce pan, combine 5 cups white vinegar, 2 cups water, 4 Tbs. Kosher or coarse salt. Bring to a boil. Turn off heat, ladle into jars, seal lids and store pickles in a cool dark place for 2 weeks. I don’t have a cook dark place so mine are in the garage refrigerator.
Heating the brine.
Filling the jars with pickle juice.
The finished product!
Can’t wait to taste ‘em. I’ll be making another batch tomorrow.