Can we talk for a moment about the greatness of pickles?  Specifically dill pickles.  I know there are people who love almost anything pickled but for me, only dill pickles will do.  Years ago when we lived in our first house, we planted our first vegetable garden.  At the time I wasn’t particularly fond of cucumbers but we had planted them anyway and suddenly I found myself wondering what to do with them.  Thankfully I discovered this ridiculously simple method for making refrigerator dill pickles and I have loved them forever since.  I had no idea that fantastically crisp and fresh pickles would be so easy and quick to make with only a few ingredients.

This recipe is one that has been largely forgotten deep in the archives of the blog but deserves to be remembered.  Last summer the insane heat/drought burned my cuke plants to a crisp, and they shriveled into nothingness.  This year, I planted extra to make up for that disappointment and these days, I’m pulling two or three good size cucumbers off the plants every few days.  You can use traditional or pickling cucumbers for this – whatever you like.  My pickling cucumbers always end up looking like little globes or something so I tend to prefer the traditional type.  If you have about 10 minutes, you have time to make these pickles.  Just watch!

  • Yield about 3-4 16 oz. jars of pickles

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch fresh dill
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 3-4 medium-large cucumbers
  • 3 cups water
  • 6 tbsp. distilled white vinegar
  • 3 tbsp. kosher salt

Directions

  • 01

    Add 1 minced or pressed clove of garlic and a few springs of dill to the bottom of each jar.  (Don’t stress over exact amounts.  I’ve made these countless times, undoubtedly different each time, and they have always been great.)

  • 02

    Cut the cucumbers into spears or whatever shape you like.  Add the spears to the jars, packing in as many as you can without having to force them in.

  • 03

    In a large liquid measuring cup or pitcher, combine the water, vinegar, and salt.  Stir well until the salt is dissolved.  Pour the mixture into each jar over the cucumber spears so they are completely covered.  Top with an additional few sprigs of dill, if desired.  Screw on the lids of the jars.  Repeat with remaining cucumbers, making additional brine as needed (only takes a few seconds!)  Refrigerate for two (agonizing) days.  Enjoy!  Continue to store in the refrigerator…presuming there are leftovers, of course.

  • 04

    *The dill pictured here is pickling dill.  I bought it because it was the only dill available at my store this week.  I have used traditional dill many times in the past and the results have been basically the same.

Source

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7322/9441064942_912ef34a31_z.jpg