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This recipe makes a one quart sized jar.

Ingredients To Follow

Cucumbers
2 cloves of garlic
2 sprigs of fresh dill (the flowered heads of the dill taste the best for these pickles, so use them if you can get them)
½ tsp coriander seeds
¼ tsp mustard seeds
¼ tsp whole peppercorns
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
2 cups of water
1 tablespoon sea salt
Optional Ingredients:
Handful of fresh grape, raspberry, oak, blackberry or cherry leaves (these types of leaves supply tannins, which help keep the pickles crispy and crunchy).
Onion or a clean rock piece to weigh the cucumbers down and keep them submerged in the brine.

Directions For Pickling

1. Decide what size pickles you would like and cut your cucumbers into your desired size. Keep in mind that sliced cucumbers will ferment faster than whole cucumbers.

2. Pack your cucumber slices into your jar. Pack them tight! Add the spices on top. Mix the water and sea salt together until the salt is dissolved.

3. Pour your water/salt over the pickles. Leave about an inch of space between the water and the top of the jar. All the cucumbers must be submerged in the water. If you are having trouble getting them totally submerged, you may need to add a “weight” to the jar to keep them submerged. I like to add a big chunk of onion. Not only does the onion give great flavor, but it does a good job of keeping the cucumbers under the water. You may also add a clean rock if you don’t want to use an onion.

4. Put a top on your jar and leave on the counter for 3 days. Test a pickle on day 3. If it is to your liking, put the jar in the fridge. This stops the fermentation process.

5. You won’t have to worry about keeping the pickles submerged once they go in the fridge. If the pickles are not to your liking, keep testing them each day. You know they are perfect when they taste great to you and they still have their crunch. If you leave them out on the counter too long, they will lose their crunch and get really soft so it’s important to put them in the fridge when they are to your liking.

6. No one likes a limp pickle

7. If you start to see a white film or mold on top, just skim it off. It is harmless (just yeast!), but it will impact the taste of the pickles, so you want to skim it off as soon as you see it.

8. Your pickles will keep for 6 months in the fridge. Enjoy!

~*~ Helpful Hint ~*~

You don't have to use cucumbers. A lot of people marinate regular onions, cheese, and even cauliflower. I just use pickles because I have a picky family, however, do whatever you want.

When I make this recipe I always double it. The reason why I do that is because I am always ‘testing' the pickles to see how they taste.

Your pickles will last for 6-months however you can keep them in their for about 8-months and they will still be fine.

Tell us what you think and what you pickle from home!

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