Pickles

Homemade dill pickles add a pop of flavor to sandwiches, salad dressings, and so much more. Learn how to make pickles as mild or spicy as you like. No canning required!

Course Pantry

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

chilling time 4

Total Time 4 5

Servings servings (1/4 cup each, 1 pint total)

Calories 11kcal

Author Meggan Hill

Ingredients

1 cup water
1 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 pound pickling cucumbers sliced into 1/2 inch rounds (see note 1)
2 sprigs fresh dill
1 bay leaf
1 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a sauce pan, bring the water, vinegar, salt, and sugar to a boil. Stir until sugar has dissolved.
In a pint sized Mason jar, place cucumber, dill, bay leaf, garlic, red pepper flakes, and peppercorns inside the jar. Slowly drizzle the vinegar mixture into the jar. (You may have some extra pickling liquid.) Let cool completely at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for about 4 days before serving.

Notes

Pickling cucumbers: Any variety of cucumber (or nearly any fruit or vegetable, for that matter) can be pickled in a briny solution. That said, pickling cucumbers are grown to be uniform in size, short in length, and sturdy in width. Lighter green and less bitter than regular cucumbers, these also have a drier flesh that absorbs the pickling solution well. A half pound of pickling cucumbers is about three 4-inch pickling cucumbers. If desired, start with 1 standard, hot house, or Persian cucumber, sliced, instead.
Yield: This homemade pickle recipe creates 1 pint of pickles. Feel free to use a Dutch oven and double the ingredients for even more crispy, briny goodness.
Storage: Transfer the jar to the refrigerator and the pickles will last for up to 1 month. No canning required!
Make ahead: Pickles are one of those lovely dishes that are designed to age, and even get better with a few days under their belt. Prepare them 4 to 7 days in advance and refrigerate to allow the cucumbers to max out their flavor.

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