This is the Dill Pickle recipe that has brought me the most success:
37. Fresh Pack Dill Pickles
(Farm Journal Cookbook)
Simple Dill Pickle recipe is 9 cups water, 6 cups vinegar, 3/4 cup salt, 1/4 cup sugar (I’ve used honey), 2 Tablespoons Whole Pickling Spices–bring to boil. (This is the brine)
Pack quart jars with fresh dill, and clove of garlic and/or dried hot pepper. Cover with hot brine. Seal jars with lids. Hot Water Bath for 20 minutes at our altitude.
Notes:
-Fresh mature dill heads (head, stem, stalk, and leaves) are the best, but not always available. You can use immature heads but will need to double them. Normally you would use 1 or 2 ‘heads’, with the immature you want to use the multiple heads. Sometimes I add dried dill purchased from the store–kinda expensive, but assures I have the dill flavor.
-I often bundle the Pickling Spices in cheesecloth in the brine so I don’t have them going into the packed jars. Sometimes Pickling Spices are overwhelming and often they get stuck between the jar and the lid and prevent it from sealing. If I bundle the spices in the brine, then I will add 2 t. mustard seeds to the jars with the dill, garlic, and hot chili pepper.
-This recipe is called Fresh Pack because you put 5 gallons water, 3/4 C salt, and Ice over the cucumbers overnight. (I used a cooler.) This makes them crisper. However, I don’t think this is necessary with the European Picklers which do not have the bitter skin, and are much denser.
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