Our family's favorite Kosher dill pickles - Kosher dills with lots of fresh dill and garlic.
I've been "puttin' up" again, y'all! This time it was our favorite kosher dill pickles. And when I say favorite, I really mean these are a favorite.
My daughter and grandson almost beg for these pickles every year. As a matter of fact, my old recipe notes say that the summer before A was born, I put up 30 quarts of these dills. By the time he was born in September over half of them were gone.
Use Proper Canning Procedures!
Before I get started with the recipe, I want to take a minute to mention the importance of using proper canning procedures. If you haven't canned before, or if it's been a while since your last canning session, please review the process and get all your equipment ready before you start.
One of the best resources for new and seasoned canners alike is the Ball Blue Book. It's published by the people who make the Ball canning jars. It's available in lots of locations and on the web at amazon.com.
Some other good online resources are:
- National Center for Home Food Preservation (University of Georgia)
- Home Food Preservation Site (Pennsylvania State University)
- The USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning
- "Some Canning Do's and Don'ts" from The New York Times
The National Center for Home Food Preservation even offers a free online course in food preservation. It's well worth the time for the amount of information you get!
Now, let's get started making pickles!
Our family's favorite dill pickles - Kosher dills with lots of fresh dill and garlic. Click To Tweet
How to Make Favorite Kosher Dills
Prepare the Produce
Peel and halve the garlic. Trim the dill and set both aside.
Prepare the cucumbers by removing 1/16 inch from the blossom end of each. You'll need to remove that tiny little sliver because there is an enzyme that remains in the blossom end of cucumbers which will cause your pickles to become soft while in storage. Cut into halves or quarters as you wish.
Prepare the Canning Jars, Lids, and Rings
Wash your jars, lids, and bands in good, hot soapy water. Rinse them well making sure all traces of soap are removed.
Set the bands aside. Place the lids in barely simmering water and leave them there until they are needed later in the process.
Fill the Canner
Fill the canner with water and bring it to the boil. I like to put my jars in the canner and let them heat up along with the water. Some people hold them in a 200 degree oven. This just works best for me. You always want to fill hot jars. Putting hot food in a cold jar can cause breakage. Likewise, putting a cold jar of food into boiling water is just asking for all your hard work to end up in the bottom of the canner.
Remember you're working with lots of boiling water when canning. Always use a jar lifter for removing jars from the hot water to prevent scalding.
Fill the Jars
The recipe for our favorite kosher dills is simple. Cucumbers, salt, peppercorns, dill, garlic, vinegar, and water. Adjust the amounts according to the number of quarts you're making. I always make these pickles in quart jars so that I can keep the cucumber halves intact. If using pints, you'd need to cut the halves across and use only half the amounts I give for each jar.
Make the Brine and Add Seasonings
For each quart jar of pickles, bring 1 cup water and 1 cup vinegar to the boil.
Meanwhile, in each jar place 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon dill seed (or 3 heads fresh dill), 6 black peppercorns and 2 halved garlic cloves. Note that each dill head counts as a teaspoon of dill seed. I only had a few heads this time so I used one head of dill and 2 teaspoons of seeds in each jar.
Add Cucumbers and Hot Brine
Pack the halved or quartered cucumbers into the hot jars.
Using a canning funnel, pour the boiling vinegar and water solution over the jar contents leaving 1/2 inch of headspace (the space between the top of the liquid and the top of the jar).
I realized right before I was about to put the lids and rings on that I had not included the garlic in the jars. Yikes! Just goes to show you that with this recipe it's never too late to add an ingredient. You could even sneak a hot red pepper in there if you wanted to!
Clean the Jar Rims and Add the Lids
Wipe the top rim of each jar carefully with a dampened paper towel. This is to make sure that there is nothing on there which would prevent the lid from forming a complete seal.
Place the lids on top of the jars and screw on the rings until just finger tight. Don't force the rings or tighten too much. The jars must be able to expel air during the canning process in order to create the seal.
Process Using Low Temp Method
Place the jars in the canner rack and lower them into the simmering hot water. Place the cover on the pot. Process in simmering hot water (180-185 degrees) for 15 minutes (low temp pasteurization method).
Notes about processing times: Normally, you begin timing at the point that the water has returned to the boil. However, for these pickles, I use what is called the low temperature pasteurization method. This method can only be used for high acid recipes and must be monitored carefully to make sure the water remains above 180 degrees for the entire processing time.
Processing time must also be adjusted for altitude. For this recipe using quart jars, the processing time is 15 minutes for altitudes from sea level to 1,000 feet, 20 minutes for altitudes from 1,001 to 6,000 feet, and 25 minutes for altitudes over 6,000 feet.
If using pint jars, processing times are 10 minutes at 0-1,000 ft altitude, 15 minutes for 1,001-6,000 ft altitude, and 20 minutes above 6,000 ft altitude.
Cool Jars Completely Before Storing
Remove jars from canner, place on a clean dish towel and allow them to cool completely (24 hours recommended). After jars are completely cooled, you may remove the bands. Be sure to test for a complete seal. Any jars that failed to seal are not shelf-stable but may be placed in the refrigerator.
You will notice when you remove the jars from the canner that the cucumbers have become a more olive color and there is undissolved salt in the bottom of the jar. That is normal. By the time the jars have cooled overnight all the salt will have dissolved.
Store the jars in a dark, cool place. I recommend six weeks of standing time for the flavors to fully develop.
Enjoy!
More Canning Recipes on Never Enough Thyme:
- Pickled Okra
- Basic Salsa
- Sugar-Free Bread and Butter Pickles
- Home Canned Tomatoes
- Tart Pickled Cherries and Pickled Celery Sticks
Reputable Pickle Recipes from Other Sites:
- Quick Sweet Pickles from National Center for Home Food Preservation
- Quick Fresh Pack Dill Pickles from NCHFP
- Sweet Pickles from Penn State Extension
Like This Recipe? Pin It!
Favorite Kosher Dills
Ingredients
- 35 cucumbers pickling type (estimate 5 cucumbers per quart; more or less may be needed)
- 7 tblsp. pickling salt
- 7 cups white vinegar 5% acidity
- 7 cups water
- 7 tblsp. dill seed or 21 heads fresh dill
- 42 black peppercorns
- 14 garlic cloves peeled and halved
Instructions
- Prepare home canning jars and lids according to manufacturer's directions.
- For each quart of pickles, bring 1 cup water and 1 cup vinegar to the boil.
- Meanwhile, in each jar place 1 tablespoon pickling salt, 1 tablespoon dill seed (or 3 heads fresh dill), 6 black peppercorns and 2 halved garlic cloves.
- Pack halved or quartered cucumbers into jars. Pour boiling vinegar and water over cucumbers in jars. Affix the lids and rings.
- Process in simmering hot water (180-185 degrees) for 20 minutes (low temp pasteurization method).
- Remove jars from canner and allow to cool completely (24 hours recommended). Remove bands and test for complete seal. Store in a dark, cool place.
- Recommend six weeks of standing time for flavors to fully develop.
Notes
Nutrition
If you like this recipe, be sure to follow me on social media so you never miss a post:
| facebook | instagram | pinterest | twitter |
Lana Stuart is the cook and occasional traveler here at Never Enough Thyme. Lana has been cooking since she was tall enough to reach the stove and started this blog in 2009 to share her delicious home cooking recipes. You'll find about 700 recipes here so there's sure to be something your family will like!
More About Lana →
Cristina says
Hi. Can I use apple cider vinegar 5% instead of white vinegar? Thank you.
Lana Stuart says
Hi Cristina. Yes, you can as long as it is at least 5% acidity. It will, however, change the taste and appearance of your pickles. They'll have a "mellower" taste and the apple cider vinegar will probably darken the pickles as well.
John says
My dad always added a pinch of alum. He said this kept the pickles crispy. Any thoughts?
Lana Stuart says
According to the USDA's latest research, alum may be used to firm fermented pickles, but has little crispness effect on quick-process pickles like these.
Tave says
Hi! Quick question, did you reduce the amount of salt? I thought I remembered adding one tablespoon and one teaspoon of salt per quart jar in previous years, but i could be loding it. Love your pickle recipe, been using it for years!
Lana Stuart says
Wow, you have a great eye Tave. Yes, you're right. I did decrease the amount of salt after many people complained that the pickles were way too salty. I still use the original measurements when I make them, anyway.
Tave says
Thank you!!