Dill Pickles

Learn how to make pickles at home! They’re crisp, tangy, and refreshing a perfect snack or sandwich fixing.

Prep time

20 minutes

Cook time

5 minutes

Total time

1 day

Yield

16 servings

Ingredients

12 to 14 Persian cucumbers or 8 to 10 pickling cucumbers

4 garlic cloves, halved

2 teaspoons mustard seeds

2 teaspoons peppercorns

Fresh dill sprigs, a few per jar

2 cups water

2 cups distilled white vinegar

¼ cup cane sugar

2 tablespoons sea salt

Instructions

1. Step 1: To make dill pickle spears, slice the cucumbers lengthwise into quarters. To make dill pickle chips, thinly slice them horizontally.
2. Step 2: Divide the cucumbers among 4 (8-ounce) or 2 (16-ounce) jars. Divide the garlic, mustard seeds, peppercorns, and dill sprigs among each jar.
3. Step 3: Heat the water, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve, about 1 minute. Let cool slightly and pour over the cucumbers. Set aside to cool to room temperature, then store the pickles in the fridge.
4. Step 4: Pickle spears will be lightly pickled in 2 days, but their best flavor will start to develop around day 5 or 6. Pickle chips will be lightly pickled in 1 day and become more flavorful each day after. Store in the fridge for several weeks.

Notes

Pictured are these Weck jars.