Easy Homemade Pickles Recipe

pickles recipe

Easy Homemade Pickles

You’ll love these fresh homemade pickles! This recipe for dill refrigerator pickles is ready in 1 to 3 hours, depending on how you slice your cucumbers. Recipe yields 1 medium jar of pickles (about 2 cups sliced pickles or 16 spears).

Prep: 15min

Total: 15min

Yield: 1

Serving Size: 1 spear or about 5 rounds (info is approximate—I don’t know how much of the salt/sugar actually permeates the pickles but this accounts for their full amounts)

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 spear or about 5 rounds (info is approximate—I don’t know how much of the salt/sugar actually permeates the pickles but this accounts for their full amounts), calories 16 calories, Sugar 1.5 g, Sodium 219.4 mg, Fat 0.1 g, Saturated Fat 0.1 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Carbohydrate 4 g, Fiber 0.9 g, Protein 0.5 g, Cholesterol 0 mg

Ingredients:

1 medium-to-large cucumber or 2 small cucumbers (ideally 12 ounces total)*
1/2 cup water, at room temperature or cooler
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup or sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
20 twists of freshly ground black pepper
2 leafy sprigs of fresh dill, roughly chopped (about 1/4 cup)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 bay leaf

Instruction:

For pickle rounds (“chips”), slice the cucumber(s) into thin rounds, about 1/8-inch thick. Or, for spears, slice them in half lengthwise, then slice the halves lengthwise into quarters, then slice the quarters lengthwise into eighths. If your spears are long like mine (from one long cucumber), slice them through the middle so they’re not too tall for your jar. Set aside.
In a liquid measuring cup or bowl, combine the water, vinegar, maple syrup, salt, red pepper flakes (if using) and black pepper. Stir until most of the salt has dissolved into the liquid, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Set aside.
Place the cucumbers into a wide-mouth jar about 3 to 4 inches in diameter, tall enough to offer at least 1 inch of extra space on top (for pickle spears, it’s important that all the pickles fit snugly, vertically—a wide-mouth pint-sized mason jar would work well).
Top the cucumbers with the dill and garlic. Tuck the bay leaf into the side of the jar. Pour the all of the liquid over the cucumbers so they’re fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (for pickle rounds) or at least 3 hours (for pickle spears). The flavor will continue to develop over the next couple of days. These pickles will keep for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

Alton Brown Makes Homemade Dill Pickles | Good Eats | Food Network

FAQ

What are the 3 basic ingredients in pickling?

Important Pickling Ingredients

Vinegar. There are two options when choosing the best vinegar for pickling. …
Salt. There are multiple choices for which salts to use when pickling food. …
Water. Water is the last of the three main ingredients you must have to pickle foods properly. …
Optional Ingredients.

How long does it take a cucumber to turn into a pickle?

Cucumbers can be fermented in a crock to produce genuine dill pickles. Fermenting genuine dill pickles takes 3 to 4 weeks at 70°F. The fermentation process allows bacteria to produce lactic acid, which preserves the cucumbers and produces the characteristic color and texture of genuine dills.

How to make pickles step by step?

Garlic Cloves– You can’t go wrong with garlic! Pickling Salt – If you can’t find pickling salt, use kosher salt instead. Granulated Sugar – This balances the savoriness of the pickles but doesn’t overpower it. Whole Black Peppercorns – Whole black peppercorns are used instead of ground pepper for a milder taste.

About the author

Helen is an author and editor at helenbackcafe.com, who has a passion for writing about recipes. She loves to experiment with different ingredients and cooking techniques to create delicious and unique dishes.

Among all the foods, pizza holds a special place in her heart, and she loves exploring different variations and toppings to create the perfect slice. Through her writing, Helen hopes to inspire others to get creative in the kitchen and share their love for food with the world.