Garlic Dill Pickles

This garlic dill pickles recipe from The Kitchen at Middleground Farms includes all needed instructions for beginning picklers!

Number of Servings:

INGREDIENTS

Jars
10 lbs. pickling cucumbers
1/4 cup dill seeds (or alternatively – fresh dill with the crowns if you can find it)
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
24 cloves garlic  (2-3 per jar)
1/2 cup whole black peppercorns (4 per jar)

Brine
9 cups water
2 cups white vinegar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare The Mason Jars
Clean mason jars and flat lids by dipping in a large pot of boiling water to completely sanitize them. Carefully remove from boiling water and set on clean towels to dry.

Prepare The Cucumbers
Wash and rinse the cucumbers. Trim off the ends of the cucumbers, to remove the enzyme in the cucumbers that promote softening.  This is crucial to a crisp pickle. If your cucumbers are larger, cut them down to size, so they can easily fit into your jars.

Pack your Jars
To each jar, add: 1 teaspoon dill seeds, ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, 2-3 cloves garlic and 4 whole peppercorns. Divide the prepared cucumbers between the jars, packing them as tightly as possible. I put big cukes in first in all jars, saving littles for tucking in to fill jars.

Make The Pickle Brine
In a medium size pot, combine brine ingredients and bring to a boil to dissolve salt. Pour hot mixture into prepared jars, leaving just ½” of headspace (to the top). Place on lids and hand tighten, but not too tight.

Water Bath Canning Instructions
Prepare a large stock pot, fitted with a rack on the bottom, and fill with water. Bring water to a rolling boil. Carefully add the jars, making sure they are submerged under water, and let them boil for 10 minutes.

Carefully remove the jars from the boiling water and set aside on a cooling rack. Let the pickles sit for at least 12 to 24 hours, before pushing down on the lid to test if it’s sealed. If for some reason, the lid did not seal, place pickles in the fridge and enjoy! For those that are canned, give them a few weeks to be most delicious.