Pickling is one of the oldest and safest methods of food preservation. The overall concept involves taking food and covering it in high acid vinegar, which prevents bacteria from growing and spoiling the food. The following recipe was shared with us by our friend and expert home canner, Carrie of Broadhill Lavender Farm.
Dill Refrigerator Pickles
Ingredients:
1 quart cut cucumbers
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar (minimum 5% acidity)
3/4 cup water
2 teaspoons kosher or pickling salt (do not use table salt as it contains additives that may alter the pH)
4 teaspoons dried dill seed
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 large white onion, cut into eighths
Step 1: harvest 2-3 small to medium sized cucumbers from your garden, along with one small to medium sized onion and one head of garlic. Wash and dry. Cut off about ½ inch from both ends of cucumber, to prevent vinegar mixture from becoming cloudy once pickled. Take skin off of garlic and onions. Leave garlic whole. Cut onions into eighths.
Step 2: cut cucumbers vertically or horizontally (your preference) and to best fit jars of choice, keep the cuts fairly thick to help preserve a crunchy pickle.
Step 3: sanitize 1 Quart Mason jar, two pint jars, or 4 half-pints, by placing in a boiling hot water bath for a minimum of 5 minutes. Wash lids and rims with hot soapy water, rinse well and dry.
Step 4: in a saucepan, add vinegar, water and salt and bring to a boil.
Step 5: remove jar(s) from boiling water, set on a cloth
Step 6: divide garlic, onions, and dill seeds equally between jars. Pack cucumbers tight inside each jar. It’s okay to apply a little pressure to the cucumbers to make them fit.
Step 7: once the liquid has reached a solid boil, slowly pour the mixture into each jar. You may need to push cucumbers down with a fork to release air bubbles that become trapped. Fill jars with liquid, about ¼ inch from top of glass lid. Wipe rim of jar with clean cloth to remove any seeds or liquid that has spilled. Apply lids and rims to jars. Let cool completely before storing in the refrigerator. The jars may seal on their own, but this does NOT mean the pickles are shelf stable. They need to be stored in the refrigerator. Let pickles cure for 24-48 hours before eating. Note: garlic may turn purplish in color. This is a natural reaction between the garlic and vinegar, and the garlic is perfectly safe to eat. Pickles will store safely in the fridge for 1-2 months, but they probably won’t last that long.
What makes this recipe safe?
pH and refrigeration. Vinegar at 5% or greater is considered high acid, and will prevent bacteria from growing, when used correctly. Refrigeration is also a form of preservation. This recipe is not shelf stable, which means you need to refrigerate it. In a few weeks, we will discuss how to make pickles that are shelf stable (by adding one small step, called processing).
What is botulism and will my pickles make my family sick?
Botulism is the caused by a bacteria that grows in a low acid environment in the absence of air, thus, pickling with a 5% based vinegar is completely safe when following a trusted recipe.
Questions about home food preservation safety?
Always look for help from trusted sources like the National Center for Home Food Preservation’s website (http://nchfp.uga.edu/index.html).
