Classic Dill Pickles
Crisp, garlicky, old-fashioned dill pickles made with a tested fresh-pack method: an overnight salt-water soak keeps the cucumbers crunchy, then a hot vinegar brine and a short water-bath process make them shelf-stable.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Wait
- 1 days
- Total
- 1.1 days
- Makes
- 7 pint jars (about 28 servings of 3–4 spears each)
Steps
Before you start
- Start the day before: the cucumbers soak in salt water for 12 hours, so begin in the evening and can the next morning.
- Use pickling cucumbers (Kirby type) 3–5 inches long, picked within 24 hours if possible. Waxed grocery-store slicing cucumbers give soft pickles.
- Use only vinegar labeled 5% acidity and canning/pickling salt (no iodine or anti-caking agents). Do not reduce the vinegar or change the vinegar-to-water ratio; it is what makes the pickles safe.
- Check jars for nicks or cracks and use new two-piece lids. Wash jars, bands and lids in hot soapy water.
- Adjust processing time for altitude: add 5 minutes for 1,001–6,000 ft (305–1,830 m) and 10 minutes above 6,000 ft.
Wash and trim cucumbers
- Scrub the cucumbers under cold running water, rubbing gently to remove all dirt and prickles.
- Slice 1/16 inch (2 mm) off the blossom end (the end opposite the stem), because it contains enzymes that soften pickles.
- Leave the cucumbers whole, or cut lengthwise into spears that will fit in a pint jar with at least ½ inch (1.25 cm) of space below the rim.
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Ready when: Cucumbers are clean, firm and trimmed, with no soft or moldy spots.
Tip: Discard any cucumber that is soft, bruised or yellowing; one bad cucumber can spoil the jar.
Soak in salt water
- In a large non-reactive container, stir ¾ cup (215 g) pickling salt into 2 gallons (7.5 L) cold water until completely dissolved.
- Add the cucumbers and weigh them down with a plate so they stay submerged.
- Cover and let stand at cool room temperature for 12 hours or overnight.
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Ready when: Cucumbers look slightly dull and feel firm and cool.
Tip: Do not shorten the soak; it is what gives crunch in a fresh-pack pickle.
Drain and rinse
- The next day, drain the cucumbers in a colander and rinse them well under cold running water to remove surface salt.
- Let them drain while you prepare the jars and brine.
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Ready when: Cucumbers taste only lightly salty on the surface and are well drained.
Heat jars and canner
- Place the rack in the boiling-water canner and fill it with enough water to cover the jars by 1 inch (2.5 cm) once loaded.
- Set 7 clean pint jars in the canner and bring to a simmer (about 180°F / 82°C) over medium-high heat to keep them hot.
- Warm the lids in a small saucepan of hot (not boiling) water.
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Ready when: Water is steaming and at a bare simmer; jars are hot to the touch.
Tip: Hot jars prevent thermal-shock cracking when filled with hot brine.
Boil the brine
- In a large non-reactive pot, combine the vinegar, 8 cups (1.9 L) water, ½ cup (145 g) pickling salt, the sugar and the bag of pickling spice.
- Bring to a full boil over high heat, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve, then reduce to medium-low and keep at a gentle boil for 10 minutes.
- Remove the spice bag.
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Ready when: Brine is at a rolling boil, clear, and smells strongly of vinegar and spice.
Tip: Use a stainless-steel or enamel pot; aluminum and cast iron react with vinegar.
Pack the jars
- Remove one hot jar at a time.
- Add 1 peeled garlic clove, 1 teaspoon mustard seed and 1½ dill heads to the bottom of each jar.
- Pack the cucumbers in tightly (they shrink slightly), then tuck any extra dill on top.
- Use a funnel to ladle boiling brine over the cucumbers, leaving ½ inch (1.25 cm) headspace.
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Ready when: Cucumbers are fully covered by brine, with ½ inch (1.25 cm) of space below the rim.
Tip: Brine must be boiling hot when it goes into the jars. Reheat it if it cools while you pack.
Seal the jars
- Slide a bubble remover or plastic chopstick down the inside of each jar to release trapped air, then recheck headspace and top up with brine if needed.
- Wipe the rims with a clean damp cloth, center a lid on each jar, and screw on the bands only until fingertip tight (resistance is met, then a slight extra turn).
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Ready when: Rims are spotless and bands are fingertip tight.
Tip: Any brine or dill on the rim can prevent a seal, so wipe thoroughly.
Process in canner
- Use a jar lifter to lower the jars onto the canner rack, keeping them upright.
- Water must cover the jars by at least 1 inch (2.5 cm); add boiling water if needed.
- Cover and bring to a full rolling boil over high heat (about 20–25 minutes).
- Start timing then and process pint jars for 10 minutes (add 5 minutes at 1,001–6,000 ft / 305–1,830 m, and 10 minutes above 6,000 ft).
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Ready when: Water is at a steady, rolling boil for the full processing time.
Tip: If the boil stops, bring it back to a full boil and restart the timer.
Rest in canner
- Turn off the heat, remove the canner lid, and let the jars sit undisturbed in the hot water for 5 minutes.
- This reduces siphoning and brine loss.
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Ready when: Water has stopped boiling and bubbling.
Cool and check seals
- Lift the jars straight up and set them on a towel-lined counter, an inch (2.5 cm) apart, away from drafts.
- Do not tighten the bands or tilt the jars.
- Let cool undisturbed for 12 hours.
- Then press the center of each lid: it should be concave and not flex.
- Remove the bands, wipe the jars, and label with the date.
- Refrigerate any jar that did not seal and eat within 4 weeks.
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Ready when: Lids are concave and don't flex when pressed; you may hear a 'ping' as they seal.
Tip: For best flavor, store the sealed jars for 1 week before opening so the dill and garlic can penetrate.
Good to know
Tips
- Chill the cucumbers in ice water for 1–2 hours before the salt soak if they aren't super fresh; it helps restore crispness.
- Do not alter the ratio of vinegar to water or add extra low-acid ingredients like extra garlic, because the brine acidity is tested for safe canning.
- Cloudy brine is usually from iodized salt or hard water; soft sediment at the bottom is normal from the spices.
- If using cucumbers from the farmers market, trim the blossom end generously; this is the number one fix for mushy pickles.
Make ahead
"The cucumbers can soak up to 12 hours ahead (no longer, or they can soften). Sealed jars are best after curing for 1 week and keep well for months, so this is ideal to can in advance of gifting or holidays."
Storage & reheating
"Sealed jars: store in a cool, dark, dry place up to 12 months for best quality. After opening, refrigerate and eat within 1 month. Unsealed jars: refrigerate immediately and use within 4 weeks. Not recommended for freezing, as the pickles turn soft. Serve cold, straight from the jar."
Substitutions
- fresh dill heads (or 5 tablespoons / 15 g dill seed) → dill seed. Use 1½ teaspoons dill seed per pint jar (about 5 tablespoons / 15 g total) in place of fresh dill heads.
- white distilled vinegar, 5% acidity → apple cider vinegar, 5% acidity. Gives a slightly fruitier, darker pickle; acidity must be at least 5%.
- canning and pickling salt → fine sea salt without additives. Use about 20% less by volume as fine salt is denser, or weigh it. Avoid iodized table salt, which clouds the brine.
- garlic cloves → fresh dill and 1 dried chile. Skip the garlic or add 1 dried chile per jar for heat.