Jeff and I practiced our pickle making this weekend for our wedding favors and the result is amazing deliciousness! Here’s how you can make 8 little jars of garlic dill pickles too.
You will need:
- 8 8oz. canning jars with 2 piece lids
- about 12 Kirby cucumbers
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons pickling salt
- 8 garlic cloves, peeled
- dill seed
- peppercorns
- crushed red pepper
- large pot with a pasta strainer in it, or a rack set in the bottom (so the jars don’t touch the bottom of the pot when you are boiling them)
- tongs
- ceramic teapot or nonreactive bowl with pouring spout
Wash the jars and lids with warm soapy water, rinse well and dry completely.
Jars and lids washed, dried and ready to go!
Wash the cucumbers with water. Cut cucumbers into thirds. Then cut each third into four wedges. You can also cut them into fat coins if this will fit better in your jars. Measure 1/8 tsp. of crushed red pepper, 1/2 tsp. dill seed, 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns and one garlic clove into each jar. Pack the jars tightly with the cucumbers, leaving 1/2 inch head room from the jar rim. Heat the vinegar, water and salt in a pot over medium high heat until simmering. Transfer to a ceramic teapot or bowl with a pouring spout.
Spices and garlic measured out in each clean jar.
Carefully pour the hot liquid over the cucumbers leaving 1/2 inch head room from the jar rim and try not to get any liquid on the jar rim. Wipe the rims clean just in case, apply the lids and the rings to each jar. Fill your large pot with the rack with hot water. Put in 4 of the jars or as many as you can fit in one layer. The water should cover the jars by 1 to 2 inches. Bring the water to boiling over high heat. Set a timer for 10 minutes when fully boiling. Take out the jars with tongs and transfer to a cooling rack.
We used our pasta pot because the strainer keeps the jars off the bottom of the pot!
Repeat the process with the other 4 jars. Allow to cool completely and then check to make sure the tops are sealed by tapping the lids. As they cool, you might even hear the “pop” sound as they seal. Store in a cool, dry place for up to a year. We are going to try a jar a week to see when the flavor is best!
delia-hauser.com 
We had a lot of fun waiting for the pop sound that the containers make. First, Delia stared at the jars, and pressed the lids every now and then. Then I did the same thing. Then we decided that a watched jar never seals, and listened for the pops from the couch and shouted “did you hear that?!” at each other for a while…sometimes we were right about a pop, and sometimes the noise was just a cat doing something that we think is ridiculous, but that they think is very important.
😉
Hahaha! The sterilizing was my favorite part of jam making. And what’s even funnier is that we’re going to do pickles next. Hurray for canning!
We did a taste test and they are AWESOME!!! I think we’re going to back off of the crushed red pepper a bit because they are a little to spicy for a wide audience, but otherwise PERFECT.