Found some mini cucumbers at the Farmer's Market recently, and decided they would be perfect for pickles!! One recipe search later (to get the basics down), and I was on my way...
Sliced up...I was eating as many as I was putting in the bowl!
Fresh dill, thinly sliced onions and smashed garlic will be in each jar.
Waiting for brine.
Out of the hot water bath and now wait the WHOLE two weeks to fully develop their flavor.
Here's the recipe I used....
2 1/2 pounds freshly picked vegetable of similar size, washed and vine-end trimmed
2 cups distilled white vinegar
2 cups water
1/4 cup canning salt (Kosher salt or sea salt)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced in half
1 bunch dill weed divided into 3
3 tiny red chile peppers or 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes in each jar
Directions:
•Sterilize 3 pint jars with rings and lids. Keep warm. Cut vegetables to 1/2 inch shorter than the jar.
•Drop a chile and a garlic into each jar. Arrange cut vegetables in jar with cut ends toward the top, packing beans in fairly tight so they won’t float up to the lid.
•Tuck dill weed into the center of the beans.
•In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine vinegar, water and salt. Bring to a boil and stir until salt is dissolved
•Pour boiling brine over vegetables up to 1/4-inch from top of jar. Wipe the lip of the jar and seal with lid and ring.
•Let rest in a draft-free area. Vegetables will ferment in the refrigerator in about 2 weeks.
•For longer storage, place hot jars into a boiling water bath with 1 inch of water covering the tops. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove to a draft-free area and once cooled check that lids have properly sealed. If the lids do not spring back when pressed they are sealed. Refrigerate any jars that have not sealed.
•Store sealed jars in cool, dark pantry for 1 year or longer.
*recipe courtesy of Paula Deen.
