Half Sour Cucumber and Dill Pickles

September 1, 2009

The process of making a basic cucumber and dill pickles was much easier than I expected. I selected the recipe from the blog Capital Spice for my very first cucumber pickles.

I did not want to make a tons of pickles at once for the fist time, so I reduced the portion to half. After three days, the pickles were done and my husband and I tested my first pickles. The result was too salty. The flavor was really good but saltiness came first than sourness. I need to adjust the amount of salt quite a bit for next time. And also I will reduce a pickling spice as well.

I am always looking the way to use pickles rather than eating pickles as a whole next to sand witch or burgers. And I decided to make a light salad with poached chicken, fresh yellow wax beans, cucumber and dill pickles, red onion pickles and top with homemade mayo dressing.

It was so easy to make and take no time. It will definitely be in my refrigerator all the time.

Half Sour Cucumber and Dill Pickles
Adapted from capitalspice.com

Yield 1 34oz. jar

Ingredients

6 small cucumber
1/4 cup pickling spice
3 cloves of garlic ..... cut in half
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 kosher salt
3 cups cold water (preferably bottled water)
1 root of dill or 1/2 tbsp dill weed

Method

1. Wash pickles and arrange in a jar in a upright position along with half of the picking spice, cloves of garlic and half of the dill. Set aside.

2. Mix 3 cups of cold water with kosher salt and white vinegar and stir until salt is melted. Add more vinegar is you like but not salt. It should be sort of sour but not really salty. Pour into the jar until the mixture covers the pickles.

3. Add the balance of the pickling spice and the dill.

4. Seal and shake really well to blend all ingredients.

5. Let it stand on the counter at room temperature, uncovered for 24 hours.

6. Check by tasting and if it is satisfactory, let it stand for an additional 2 days. Adjust vinegar as necessary.

7. When the pickles turn dark greenish, cover and refrigerate.

8. They will keep for 2 weeks in the frig.