Canning: Homemade Garlic Dill Pickles

This year I grew two key ingredients for my dill pickles. Of course, the first was pickling cucumbers. The other was dill. I picked up a seedling at the nursery. Boy has it grown and do the bumblebees love it.

I selected a recipe from my favourite Facebook group's website Safe and Smart Canning Recipes. It's a group that provides lots of assistance to experiences people and those of us just learning the art of canning. Here is the complete recipe. I only had enough cucumbers to fill two pints.

Garlic Dill Pickles

Ingredients:

16 pickling cucumbers (depending on size)
2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 cups distilled white vinegar
4 cups water
5 tablespoons pickling salt
2 peeled garlic cloves per jar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper per jar
1 teaspoon dill per jar
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns per jar

Directions:

In a large pot combine the vinegar, water and salt. Bring to a simmer. Arrange jars on counter. Place the spices and in the bottoms of the jars.

Wash and slice the cucumbers. You can slice them any way you prefer: coins, spears or chunks. Pack the slices firmly into the jars, leaving as little space in between them as you can.

Pour the brine into the jar, leaving 1/2 inch head space.

Wipe the rims, apply warm lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Promptly remove the jars from the pot and allow them to cool on a towel placed on the counter.

Make sure each lid has sealed (you will hear the popping sound as each jar seal). After 24 hours press down on each lid to make sure they do not pop back up. If they do not, the process is complete.

Garlic Dill Pickles

I followed the recipe but used my own fresh dill heads rather than the dried dill. These were easy dill pickles to make. Now all I have to do is wait for them to absorb all the flavours before enjoying my homegrown, homemade garlic dill pickles.

Do you make pickles? What are some of your favourite recipes? -- Margy