Table of Contents
- Why I Love This Canned Dill Pickles Recipe
- Dill Pickle Ingredients
- How to Make Dill Pickles
- Pro Tips for Success
- Variation Ideas
- Serving and Storage Suggestions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Pickle Recipes
- Watch How to Make Canned Dill Pickles
- Have I convinced you to make this recipe?
- Canned Dill Pickles Recipe
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This recipe uses fresh dill to create classic, crisp dill pickles. Straightforward and simple, this preservation allows for cucumbers to be enjoyed year-round. Bringing a refreshing taste, these pickles make for a perfect condiment or snack.
Why I Love This Canned Dill Pickles Recipe
I grew up in a house that had a main kitchen on the first floor and a canning kitchen in the basement. When it came to late summer, and produce began to flow in from the garden, we spent so much time down in the basement canning kitchen, stuffing pint and quart jars full of pickles. And that’s not even including the refrigerator pickles we kept in the fridge as well!
In today’s world, where pickles are readily available at the store, it may seem like a nostalgic pastime to spend time canning. But each summer, I find myself canning up a storm of vegetable produce. I love that when you make your own pickles at home, you’re able to fully control everything that goes into them. There’s no uncertainty about what may reside in the jar since you put everything in yourself!
These dill pickles have the perfect traditional flavor that everyone’s used to, with a classic crisp texture. The addition of both dill seed and fresh dill weed amps up the flavor, making them a truly delicious bite. If you’ve never canned a pickle before, this is the recipe to get you started. Classic and easy: what could be better!
Food safety tip: This recipe may not be approved by the USDA. To prevent the risk of botulism, always check with the USDA Canning Guide.
Dill Pickle Ingredients
There are six simple ingredients that go into this canned dill pickle recipe:
- Cucumbers make great pickles because of their crisp exterior and smooth interior. In this recipe, the best cucumbers are those that are small to mid-sized, especially if keeping them whole or cutting into chips. A large cucumber will have more of a fleshy, seedy interior that won’t stay as crisp.
- Dill seed is used to impart a strong flavor to the pickles, giving them their classic “dill” taste. While fresh dill also adds the traditional flavor, dill seed gives a concentrated, uniform flavor. Plus, they’re available all year long, making this recipe possible during any season.
- Fresh dill weed adds a bit of freshness to the dill pickles, further enhancing the overall “dill” flavor. Add some dill sprigs to each jar for added flavor and beauty.
- White vinegar is used to provide a clean, neutral flavor (as opposed to apple cider vinegar), keep the pickles safe, and maintain a crisp texture. Since these pickles are canned, they are shelf-stable, which means they can be stored in a cool, dark place for months, and the vinegar helps to keep them safely preserved.
- Water dilutes the acidity of the vinegar and balances out the canning salt.
- Canning salt has no added preservatives or anti-caking agents, which makes it the best salt with which to can.
How to Make Dill Pickles
There are four steps to make these canned dill pickles:
- Prepare the cucumbers
- Create the brine
- Jar the pickles
- Water bath the pickles
Step 1: Prepare the cucumbers. Slice the cucumbers into the desired shape and size. Spears or pickle chips will work best. Remove the blossom end from the cucumber to remove the enzyme that is in the blossom, and discard. Place the cucumber slices into a large container. Add the salt and mix together. Place a layer of ice cubes over the top. Chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours.
Step 2: Create the brine. After the cucumbers have chilled, create the brine. Pour the vinegar and water into a pot and place over high heat. Bring to a boil.
Step 3: Jar the pickles. While the brine comes to a boil, remove the excess ice from the cucumbers. Strain the excess liquid and pack the jars, leaving about ½-inch of headspace. Add the dill seed and fresh dill to each jar. If desired, add crushed garlic cloves to the jars. Pour the hot brine over the top, ensuring the slices are fully covered and ½-inch of headspace is maintained. Wipe the rims with hot, sterile water to remove any excess. Place cleaned lids on top and tighten down with rings to fingertip tightness.
Step 4: Water bath the pickles. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Place in a bottom rack, then add the jars to the pot. The jars should be covered by 1 inch of water. Let cook for 10 minutes (see chart below for your elevation and any corresponding time adjustments), then remove and let cool for 12 to 24 hours. Remove the rings to check proper sealing. The lid should be snug and indented down. Store in a dark room and wait 2 to 4 weeks before enjoying. Refrigerate after opening.
Each altitude can require a different processing time. I’m located between 0 and 1,000 feet above sea level. If you are at a different elevation, make sure to check the USDA Canning Guide for your processing time:
| Elevation | 0 to 1,000 ft | 1,001 to 6,000 ft | 6,000 ft + |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time (for pints) | 10 minutes | 15 minutes | 20 minutes |
Pro Tips for Success
- Choose the right cucumber. Long, slender ones work best. They have a good seed-to-core ratio. Otherwise, the pickles can get too seedy or mushy.
- Ensure the ice stays on the cucumbers while they chill. If it melts too quickly, add more.
- Tap the bottoms of the jars with your hand to help settle the cucumbers down into the jar while packing. It’s not essential, but it can help more to fit into a jar.
- Proper tightness of the lids is important. Tightening the rings to fingertip tightness means they are snuggly tightened on the jar but not over-tightened. Otherwise, the lids can buckle, rendering the jar useless.
Variation Ideas
This recipe is for a very classic dill pickle flavor. But if you are adventurous and want to try out different flavors, I suggest the following:
- Add some hot peppers for a little bit of spice. Make sure to check out my recipe for spicy dill pickles if you love some heat.
- Toss in a pinch of red pepper flakes for some spice.
- Sweeten up the brine with some granulated sugar.
- Add a smashed garlic clove to each jar for a bit of a flavor pop.
Serving and Storage Suggestions
To serve: These pickles can be served alongside anything you choose, and that’s why so many people love a classic dill pickle. Here are just a few recipes where you can use these pickles as a condiment:
- The best grilled burgers
- BBQ chicken sandwiches
- Grilled pork burgers
- Easy turkey burgers
- Quinoa squash burgers
To store: Once the jars have sat for 12 to 24 hours and have sealed, the rings can be removed. Place each jar in a cool, dark place to store for up to 1 year. The jars should sit for 2 to 4 weeks before opening to let the flavors fully develop. When ready to consume, simply break the seal by removing the lid and place in the refrigerator. Once opened, the pickles will last for weeks in the fridge due to the high ratio of vinegar.
Frequently Asked Questions
You want to seek out a pickling cucumber, not a thin-skinned cucumber, like a hothouse. Pickling cucumbers are known as a Kirby cucumbers, which are about 4 to 6 inches in length.
This is not recommended. It’s difficult to fully rinse the lime off the pickles, which makes the canning process unsafe. Instead, follow this method for a crisp pickle.
For this recipe, no. The salt on the cucumbers is just enough to give them good flavor without being overpowering.
Of course! Just add in the dill seed and leave out the fresh dill weed. The fresh variety adds a bit more dill flavor, but the seeds work really well.
If you like a bit of sweetness, you can, of course, add some sugar to the brine. I’ll leave the amount up to you!
This jar is not shelf-stable and cannot be stored for a long period of time. However, the pickles can still be enjoyed! Simply place the jar in the fridge and wait for about two weeks to allow the flavor to set in before enjoying it.
More Pickle Recipes
If you love this dill pickle recipe, I know you’ll love these recipes too:
Watch How to Make Canned Dill Pickles
Have I convinced you to make this recipe?
I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you can let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they, too, can make, enjoy, and love!
Canned Dill Pickles
Ingredients
- 6 lb 4- to 6-inch long pickling cucumbers washed
- ½ cup canning salt
- 3 cups distilled white vinegar (5%)
- 4 cups water
- 12 heads fresh dill weed
- 4 tsp dill seed
- 8 cloves garlic (optional)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the cucumbers. Cut 1/16-inch off the blossom end of each cucumber and discard. Cut into 3/16-inch slices. Combine cucumbers and salt in a large bowl. Cover with ice cubes. Refrigerate for 4 hours, adding more ice as needed.6 lb 4- to 6-inch long pickling cucumbers, ½ cup canning salt
- Make the brine. In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, and sugar (optional). Bring the brine to a boil. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.3 cups distilled white vinegar (5%), 4 cups water, ¼ cup granulated sugar (optional)
- Pack the jars. Drain all liquid and pack the prepared cucumbers into 8 sterilized pint jars, leaving ½-inch of headspace. Add 1 ½ head of fresh dill weed, ½ tsp dill seed, and 1 smashed garlic clove (optional) to each jar. Pour the hot brine into each prepared jar, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean cloth to remove any drips. Place on lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tightness.12 heads fresh dill weed, 4 tsp dill seed, 8 cloves garlic (optional)
- Water bath the jars. Place jars in the boiling water bath. Bring back to a boil and boil for 10 minutes (see chart in post for elevation adjustments). Remove from the water bath and cool for 12 to 24 hours. Remove rings to ensure a good seal and store for up to one year.
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