Making Pickles

Last Friday, my mom and I set out to make dill pickles. The recipe is from my aunt and they are usually quite good. After they are made, you have to let them sit for a few weeks before you can eat them, otherwise it’s like a mouthful of vinegar.

It's my mom.

My dad also helped out.

My dad.

You will need pickling cucumbers, dill, vinegar, water, salt (I used kosher salt), peppers (if you want them hot – I used jalapeños), mustard seed and garlic. Typically fresh dill is used, but there wasn’t any at the store, so we used dill weed, which is found in the spice section. Either way is fine.

Cucumbers.

The other ingredients.

You will want to cut up your cucumbers and put them in jars. We cut some spears and some chips as they are called. Then you add to the jar dill, garlic, mustard seeds, and peppers. Don’t ask me how much because I don’t know. Just go with whatever makes your skirt fly up.

Here are the jars with cucumbers and other ingredients.

While you are cutting things up and stuffing them into jars, bring 2 quarts of vinegar and 1 quart of water and ¾ cup of salt to a boil. In case you don’t remember, 4 cups equals one quart.

You will also want to boil your jar lids and rings.

Once the vinegar, water, salt combo is at a roaring boil, carefully pour into the jars. Then seal the jars with the lids and rings. Even though the jars themselves did not enter a hot water bath, the lids will still “pop,” or seal shut.

And voila! Pickles.

As mentioned before, you will want these to sit for a few weeks before you eat them. But they will be good, I assure you!

Make sure you have some good help! Here's me and my dad.

The finished product.