Homemade Dill Pickles...
A few years ago I grew my first cucumbers, with the intentions of learning how to make homemade dill pickles.
Choosing your cucumber...
The cucumbers I grew, were specifically designed to be used as pickles.
While any type of cucumber can be used to make pickles, choosing or growing “pickling cucumbers” will give you the nice crisp pickle we all know and love.
This article by PickleWiki, will help you choose the perfect “pickling cucumber”
Waterbath canning...
Tomatoes are the only vegetable (actually fruit) I have canned using the waterbath method. Having the equipment and basic knowledge of canning this way, I looked up several dill pickle recipes on the internet and chose one.
The directions said to wait 2 weeks after the pickles were processed to eat the pickles…two weeks later, I was so excited to try my first homemade pickles. What a disappointment! They were so salty and bitter…ugh.
Still having fresh cucumbers galore, I tried another recipe. Cut up all the cucumbers, washed the jars, made the brine, stuffed the jars, filled the canner with water and processed the pickles for 15 minutes.
After cooling them on the counter a few days, I opened up a jar with a good feeling that these would be so good! They were terrible! Even though this recipe called for less salt…ugh. I was so aggrevated! All the wasted time, produce and work!
Refrigerator Pickles...
The next season I decided to try refrigerator pickles. No canning, and they can still last up to 6 months.
Growing my own garlic, dill and cucumbers that year, I had all the ingredients for wonderful pickles.
Choosing two recipes, I decided to try both of them and have a taste test for our weekly “family night dinner”.
Going through the steps in the recipe, I added in some fresh dill weed and my home grown garlic. The jars looked so pretty!
Family night dinner was in three days, so after they sat on the counter for 24 hours, I stuck them in the refrigerator. The grandkids were excited to do the “taste test”, we opened one jar from each recipe and tried them….I’m never ever making another pickle! They were not horrible, but the sure didn’t taste like our family favorite Clausen brand!
Childbirth...
So many things we try to accomplish are so much harder than we ever dreamed. Having epic failures during diy adventures are part of the learning curve. But how many times have we said “I will never do this again!” only to take a breath, say a prayer, and dive back in, lol!
Many of you will able to relate to this little joke between me and my bestie, Sandi H. We say “It’s like “childbirth”, when you are going through labor, swearing never to have another baby…but as soon as they lay that baby in your arms, the pain starts to slip away and in a few years, you’ve forgotten how bad it was, lol!
So once again, I grew pickling cucumbers and once again I looked up a recipe for refrigerator pickles hahahaha
Pride...
This time, as I was searching for a pickling recipe, the key word was “easy”, lol. Many, many posts I read said the same thing…we’ve used this brand for years, or my grandma used this too.
A mix? That you buy? Being kind of a newbie to gardening, I was unfamiliar with the brand or name of “Mrs. Wages”. Am I too prideful to say I used a mix? No…no I’m not, lol!
If the results are good, and its pretty easy to do…I’m all for it! I decided to try the mix and of all places, you can find at the farm store! (and the big box store too)
Many "Refrigerator" Choices...
If you are going to try this at home…you should it was so easy, lol!
Be sure to buy this exact package. There are “quick process”, sweet pickle, regular canning mix, and scores of other Mrs. Wages to choose from.
The directions on the back are so simple, only a few steps.
First wash your jars, seals and lids. Put the seals (the flat disc with the rubber on the edge) in a little pan of hot water on the stove.
Put your clean jars in a warm oven to keep them hot, lay an old towel down on your counter, by the stove.
Tools...
Canning pickles only requires jars and lids, but there are a few tools to make the job even easier. One of them is this hot jar lifter. Open the oven and grab one of your jars with the lifter and set it on the towel. (Be sure and use an old towel, because the brine will stain and it’s impossible to get the stain out
Brine...
The brine recipe on the back of the envelope is just the mix, water, and vinegar. If I have fresh dill growing, it looks pretty in the jar.
On medium heat, start bringing the brine just to a boil. In the meantime, take your hot jar from the oven and lay it on the counter. Fill the jar with spears, whole or sliced cucumbers. Stuff it extra full of cucumbers.
Here’s another tool that is a big help. This funnel is made to fit perfectly in a canning jar opening.
Almost done...
Using a ladle, pour the hot brine over the cucumbers, making to cover them with the brine, while also leaving about a half inch of space at the top of the jar…this is called “head space”. Use a bamboo skewer to run along the sides of the pickles, get the air bubbles to rise and pop.
Now wipe the top edge of the jar with a clean towel.
Let's seal them up...
Here’s another, not necessary tool that make the canning job easier. This plastic stick has a magnet on the tip. It’s used to take the seal from the hot pan of water…but you can use a fork or tongs too.
Place the seal on the jar, grab the ring and screw it on the top.
Set the hot jar of pickles on another towel to let cool. Cool jars to room temperature and place in refrigerator. They will last for 6 months.
You are done! These pickles are the closest I’ve tasted to our families favorite Clausen brand.
They stay crisp and delicious for months!
Sharing...
I was so happy with the results, that I decided to make enough to give away as table favors for my cookie exchange that year.
Using a paper lunch bag, I drew on a simple gingerbread house design with a white marker. This served two purposes, one, it held the jar of pickles and two, I wrote each girls name on the bag to use as place cards.
A scalloped edge was cut from a piece of card stock, holes punched in the top with bakery twine to tie it together worked. Small ornaments hung down from the string to bring in my “pink theme” that year.
Mrs. Wages...
So the mix it is, again this year! My friend Robin, brought over 3 paper grocery bags full of pickling cucumbers this summer. I had them canned in an afternoon with the help of my wing man, Sandi H.
My garden is chocked full of cucumbers too! I better get out there and pick them before they get to big…but I guess that’s ok too, the chickens will love them.
Until next time.
Fondly, Sandy
Mrs. Wages has a STELLAR pickling mix. I use some every year. When you’re ready to go commando and venture into some pickles from scratch, give me a shout! We can have some FUN over zoom or facetime, girl! I pickle all kinds of things. Beets, cabbage, bok choi stems, cucumbers, zucchini, carrots, celery, and green grape tomatoes! They all go in the larder ;-D.
Oh Judith! It’s good to hear from someone that had success with pickling vegetables! I just may take you up on your offer when my life settles down…haha. Thank you for the encouragement regarding going commando and pickling from scratch!
Fondly, S.
Your pickles were absolutely delicious and the bags of gingerbread houses were adorable! They were loved by everyone!! A great recipe!
Thank you so much Trish!♥️
Always friends, S.