Dill Pickles

I used to hate dill pickles, like loathed them and would be disgusted if they were ever on the same plate as my sandwich. This was until I went to culinary school and learned how to make my own, and realized I just didn’t like the store bought jarred shit that was sitting on the shelf for months and lost some crunch and flavor. Once I started making my own, I realized how delicious they can be, and super easy to make.

What is Pickling?

Pickling is a preservation technique used to extend the shelf life of various foods, especially fruits and vegetables, by immersing them in a solution typically consisting of water, vinegar, salt, and various seasonings. The process creates an acidic and often flavorful environment that helps inhibit the growth of spoilage-causing microorganisms like bacteria and molds. This acidity not only preserves the food but also imparts a distinct tangy or sour flavor.

Two Kinds of Pickling:

1. Brine Pickling: In this method, the food (such as cucumbers, onions, peppers, or other vegetables) is submerged in a saltwater solution known as a brine. Over time, the vegetables undergo a fermentation process where the natural sugars in the vegetables are converted into lactic acid by beneficial bacteria. This results in a sour, tangy flavor. Examples of brine-pickled foods include sauerkraut and kimchi. This is much more difficult to do than the second method.
2. Vinegar Pickling: This method involves immersing the food in a solution of vinegar, water, salt, and sugar, along with various spices and herbs. The acidity of the vinegar helps preserve the food and create a tangy taste. Many commercially available pickles, such as dill pickles and bread-and-butter pickles, are made using vinegar pickling. It is also known as quick pickling, and is what we will be doing in this recipe.

Pickling Ratio:

The key to perfect pickles is making sure your ratios of the pickling solution are correct. Here is my go to pickling liquid recipe:

• 1 cup vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp pickling spice

This is the very basic foundation for pickling liquid, and from there you can add spices, herbs, etc.

Steps to Pickling:

• Add item you want to pickle to a jar, make sure the items have been washed and sliced. This could be cucumbers, beets, eggs, cauliflower, carrots, etc.
• Add flavoring components to the jar. This could be garlic, pickling spices, herbs, etc.
• Make the vinegar solution by adding to a pot, bring to a simmer just to dissolve sugar and salt.
• Pour the vinegar mixture into the jar just enough to cover the items being pickled.
• Cool to room temp before topping with a lid and refrigerating.
• They will be ready after one day.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb cucumbers, quartered and ends removed
• 5 large sprigs of dill
• 1 tbsp pickling spices
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar

Preparation:

STEP 1.

Add the cucumbers, dill and pickling spices to a glass jar.

STEP 2.

Add the white vinegar, water, salt and sugar to a pot and bring up to a low simmer. Simmer until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Take the pot off the heat.

STEP 3.

Pour the hot vinegar solution into your jar of cucumbers, adding enough to cover the cucumbers completely. Let it sit uncovered until it cools to room temperature. Top it with a lid and refrigerate overnight.

STEP 4.

Enjoy the pickles as early as the next day. Store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.