Originally shared by Megan Erickson, former SDSU Extension Nutrition Field Specialist.
Try this research-tested recipe for homemade dill pickles courtesy of the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Ingredients
- 8 pounds, Pickling cucumbers (3-to-5 inch)
- 2 gallons, Water
- 1 ¼ cups, Canning or pickling salt
- 1 ½ quarts, Vinegar (5%)
- ¼ cup, Sugar
- 2 quarts, Water
- 2 tablespoons, Whole mixed pickling spice
- 3 tablespoons, Whole mustard spice
- 14 heads, Fresh dill
- 4 ½ tablespoons, Dill seed
Yield: Makes about 7 to 9 pints.
Directions
To Prepare
- Wash cucumbers.
- Cut 1/16-inch slice off blossom end and discard, but leave ¼-inch of stem attached.
- Dissolve ¾ cup salt in 2 gallons water.
- Pour over cucumbers, let stand 12 hours, then drain.
Pickles
- Combine vinegar, ½ cup salt, sugar and 2 quarts water. Add mixed pickling spices tied in a clean white cloth. Heat to boiling.
- Fill jars with cucumbers. Add 1 teaspoon of mustard seed and 1 ½ heads fresh dill to each pint. Cover with boiling pickling solution, leaving ½-inch headspace.
- Secure lids and process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes (Altitudes above 1,000 ft require an increase in processing time).
To learn more about safe water bath canning practices, watch our How to Use a Water Bath Canner video!
Canning Tips
Preparation
- Temperatures higher than 185 degrees may cause unnecessary softening of pickles.
- If a firmer textured is desired, follow a low-temperature pasteurization treatment.
- Instructions on water bath canning can be found in this resource.
| Altitude (feet) |
|
| 1,001-2,000 |
|
| 2,001-4,000 |
|
| 4,001-6,000 |
|
| 6,001-8,000 |
|
| 8,001-10,000 |
|
SDSU Extension recommends using evidence-based recipes when engaging in food preservation at home. The recipe above has been research-tested and provided by the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Do not modify ingredients.
