This recipe for homemade dill pickles involves filling jars with hot pickling brine, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. The general recommendation is to process them for 10 minutes to ensure they are thoroughly sterilized and any air bubbles are removed. The cucumbers are layered with salt for about 2 hours before canning, drawing out extra moisture and removing bitterness from the overripe cucumbers.
To make canned dill pickles at home, follow these basic steps: prepare a canner, jars, and lids for canning. In a medium-sized pot, combine 2 cups of water, 1 ½ cups white vinegar, 2 tbsp pickling salt, and 1 tbsp sugar. Heat over medium-high heat until the mixture boils. Hand wash the cans with soapy water and boil them for 10 minutes. Place packed cans into the canning pot and cover with 1-2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and process 15 minutes. Remove from the pot and leave to cool overnight. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Remove from the hot water bath and allow to cool overnight to ensure a good seal.
Add 1 quart of warm water and 3/4 cup of salt to a large container. Stir until the salt is completely dissolved. Pour hot brine over the cucumbers and sterilized lids and cap. A 5-minute bath with boiling water is recommended before placing jars in the brine. Mix together 1 gallon of cold water and 1/2 cup of salt to keep freshly pickled cucumbers submerged in the brine for up to a week or 12 hours.
The trick to making these easy dill pickles is to use distilled water. The water bath method is used to seal the jars for other kinds of pickling.
📹 How to Make the Best Dill Pickles (hot water bath method) *Recipe Update~see description box below*
This recipe for canned dill pickles is really easy and delicious with simple steps to fill your winter food pantry! Also, tips on how to …
How to do a water bath for pickles?
To process pickles, place jars in a canning rack and lower them into a pot with 5″ hot water. Add hot water to cover the jars by 2″. Cover the pot, bring it to a boil, and start processing according to the recipe. Add 5 minutes for every 1, 000-3, 000-foot increment above sea level, up to 8, 000 feet.
Sterilize equipment by filling a rack with water to cover jars by 1″-2″. Boil for at least 10 minutes, leaving equipment in water until needed. Dip tongs and a table knife in boiling water for 30 seconds. Fill jars to within 1/2″ of the top, dislodge air bubbles, wipe the rim with a hot, damp towel, place lid on, and screw on the ring.
Does pickle brine go bad?
The preservative properties of pickle brine are not infinite; it is susceptible to deterioration over time. As all items have a defined shelf life, it is recommended that pickle brine not be retained for more than one to two months following consumption, as it has a limited shelf life.
How to keep dill pickles crisp when canning?
To create firm pickles, add natural tannins like grape leaves, black tea, or oak leaves to delay the softening process. These can be optional and only work if cucumbers aren’t already soft. Pickle canners can buy ready-made pickle mixes to achieve the best, crispiest pickles. Mrs. Wages® Xtra Crunch™ can be combined with these mixes for the crispiest pickles. Calcium chloride reinforces cell walls in pickles, ensuring they remain sturdy throughout the canning process.
Do you need to boil vinegar for pickling?
Vinegar-based pickling is a quicker method than fermentation pickling, which involves boiling a vinegar solution, pouring it over the pickling object, letting it cool, and storing it in the fridge. For maximum preservation, brine the vegetables, drain them, boil them in a vinegar solution, package them in jars, cover them in the remaining vinegar solution, and can them. The vinegar’s acetic acid increases the vegetables’ acidity and kills off microorganisms, preventing short-term spoilage.
How long will water bath canned pickles last?
Canned or jarred pickles undergo a heat-processing process to kill bacteria, allowing them to last on your shelf for years. However, they should be eaten within a year for optimal flavor and crunch. Stored pickles should be refrigerated to maintain their quality. Refrigerator pickles, on the other hand, do not undergo heat-treatment for shelf stability but rely on constant cold temperatures and vinegar to stay fresh. Both types of pickles are essential for maintaining their taste and texture.
Do dill pickles need a hot water bath?
The most common method for canning fruit preserves and pickles is the water bath canning process. This involves submerging jars in boiling water for a specified duration to inactivate pathogens and create a seal, rendering the jars shelf-stable.
Why are my canned dill pickles soggy?
Pickling pickles should be made with soft water, hard water, or distilled water. If hard water is available, boil it, skim away surface scum, and let it sit for 24 hours before removing the top. Table salt may be used instead of canning or pickling salt. Soft pickles are spoiled from yeast fermentation, and too weak salt brine or vinegar solution can cause soft or slippery pickles. Pack pickles with enough room for the pickling solution to surround each piece.
Make pickling brine according to the recipe and heat it on the stove top to boil just before needed. Don’t overcook the brine, as overcooking can change the acetic acid level and lose its ability to keep stored pickles safe. Process pickles in a boiling water bath canner according to USDA recommendations to form a tight vacuum seal. Use standard canning jars with new lids.
Is it safe to not water bath pickles?
Low temperature pasteurization is a popular method for making cucumber pickles, as it keeps the pickles crisper than boiling water. The process involves placing filled jars in a canner, adding hot water, heating the water to 180-185 degrees, and starting a timer. The pickles are then processed for 30 minutes, checking the water temperature with a candy or jelly thermometer to ensure it stays at least 180 degrees.
Is it better to water bath or pressure can pickles?
Non-acidic foods, such as vegetables and animal products, require a pressure canner due to its higher temperature than boiling water. Acidic foods, such as fruits, pickled vegetables, sugar preserves, and tomatoes with added acidity, can be safely processed in a boiling water bath. The acidity of the ingredients and the heat of the processing are crucial for food preservation. The term “canning” can be confusing, as it is often confused with the use of glass jars for home food preservation, which some enthusiasts refer to as “jarring”. However, the term “canning” still refers to the process of preserving food, as it is a more accurate term for the process.
What is the secret to crisp dill pickles?
To create crunchy pickles, choose freshly harvested cucumbers, use the right varieties, cut off ends, soak in ice water, use calcium chloride, add a source of tannin, use enough salt, and avoid bacteria. Enjoy the summer harvest and add a crunchy pickle to burgers or sandwiches. However, be cautious as pickles can easily fail, and the crunchiness of the pickles is crucial. Remember to use enough salt and avoid bacteria to ensure the pickles are perfectly edible and tasty.
How long before you can eat dill pickles after canning?
Pickling is a process that preserves vegetables and extends the shelf-life of food by fermentation using brine or vinegar. It alters the flavor and texture of the food while favoring the growth of desirable, benign bacteria (Lactobacillus) and preventing the growth of harmful bacteria like Clostridium botulinum. To make homemade pickles, label and date jars and store them in a clean, cool, dark, and dry place. To allow pickles to mellow and develop a delicious flavor, wait at least 3 weeks before eating.
Pickles can be made from young, fresh vegetables and fruit, vinegar, and fresh, whole spices and herbs. The result of quality ingredients, proper proportions, and carefully followed recipes is fabulously pickled products.
📹 Canning Pickles | Dill Pickles | Water Bath Canning
We all knew this day was coming. I am trying to stay on top of all the produce the garden is throwing my way – one great way to …
Hi there, thanks for the recipe. I normally make bread and butter pickles but my husband is always asking for dill. I don’t eat them myself and wasn’t really sure what kind of recipe to use but this one sounded real good. I can only find Kirby cucumbers right now at one place and they must have been a little larger than yours because I really couldn’t fit very many in a quart jar so I just used half gallon jars. Using such big jars I wasn’t able to water bath so will just put in fridge. I did use extra crushed red pepper as my husband likes hot pickles so hopefully these will be great. Will update once we try them.
Wow Alana that is amazing well done you sure do bring back a lot of memories. Uummm could you or would you explain your brine??? Dad always made his to the point that it would float a potato or an egg we never made dill pickles only mustard and chow chow and bread and butter perusal you I could actually smell the wonderful aroma wow but what we did do was just pickle or salt down the cucumber in a 5 gallon bucket put a layer of cucumber layer of salt till the top fill with a brine put a cover on them with a brick as a weight keep them submerged then cover and let them set for 3-4 months mmmmmm absolutely delicious haver you ever????? Love love your articles hon thank you so very much stay safe god bless
I have been seeing a lot about the vinegar needing to be equal parts with the water now days (for safety) since the manufacturers have diluted the vinegar to 5% (instead of it being 6-7%). Do you have any insight on this? I noticed your recipe is not equal parts water/vinegar. My grandma gave me her very old bread and butter recipe which would also supposedly not be suitable for canning but refridgerator pickles only. Thank you!
It is good to let the water in the canner cool down for 20 minutes before removing from the Canner, or Water Bath. This prevents them bubbling inside the jar and the pressure having so much fluxuation. Just safer to let it cool inside the Water Bath or Canner either one for 10 – 20 minutes. Take the lid off too while the Water Bath or Canner is cooling down. This helps it speed the cooling process some as well.
I’ve canned for about 45 years but I learned something new today! Thank you for the tip about putting vinegar into the water to avoid cloudy jars and mineral deposit on the pot! I also learned they sell the pickling spices already mixed. It is a great day! I’m with Buddy, I love bread and butter pickles and often have them and pickled beets as a side with a meal. Did you know pickled fruits, veggies, and peppers are heart healthy? It does my heart good to see Elora showing an interest and helping in the kitchen. My sons did also, and my oldest son still makes the best chocolate chip cookies ever! ❤️🙏
When I got married, I was a “newbie” to canning pickles. I had seen my mom and grandma do it, but I had never helped. 2 of my ex-husband ‘s aunts had large gardens. They both gave me baby pickles for years. My car trunk would be completely filled up with 3-4 inch cucumbers. I would take them home, put them in my washing machine, agitate them to get the little nubs off. I would stand them in the jars, pack them tightly, add in dill, piece of garlic and a chunk of carrot. With them packed tight, it used less brine. I would can 250- 275 quart jars of dill pickles every year. 2 years ago one of the aunts passed away and her daughter-in-law gave me her recipe, which I had lost. Thank you for sharing how you do your canning!
Hey Steph now we are talking things I use to love to can but by the end of the growing season and massive amounts of cucumbers me, mom and dad canned pickles for everyone’s family it was extensive. Sister have you ever done the sweet pickles recipe and you could probably substitute ingredients, I don’t know, because we always done them this one way and it was harder than these but you could get a bunch done and they had a snap to them. We called them Sweet Pickles but they had to sit in a crockery over night and washed and set in ice water and then cooked with picking spices and we would have two two huge dishpans cooking out pickles at the same time and if continuously doing this until done with those. I would always cover my canning jars with a nice thick warm after I got through to keep all drafts of air conditions and fans from having cold spots but that’s me. And again call me crazy I ALWAYS left my ring on my flat till I used that jar of food. It just made me feel better. That little ring I could replace cheaper than that jar of product I just put up. And when your finished with your product wash and save it till next year. And yes Steph, I would never trust those flaps to seal after one use. Especially after they are so inexpensive. When canning season is over keep and eye on canning supplies and they will go on sale usually closer to fall. One other trick I use it’s just me, not that anyone else may want to but when I get my hot product out and I can handle it safely I will flip those jars over and keep them closer together and put a heavier towel over and around them.
Growing up I always loved this time of year, mom and dad made a huge garden and we canned/or froze everything. The only thing we bought from the store was, salt, flour, sugar, vinegar we grow and raised just about everything else. What a wonderful time being raised in the country. Thank you so much for bringing back great memories.
This reminds me of my younger days. I had 3 children and husband; worked 8 to 5. After dinner meal I’d start making pickles like your method. I made je lly and preserves as well. My husband wouldn’t allow any convenience foods so I also made bread, rolls, and biscuits. I’m 80 years old now and cannot cook. How I long for my own cooking! Thanks for the memories Stephanie!
Love perusal you make these pickles today’s Stephanie! I’m going to make some jelly first with some apricots I have in the freezer since I move last year I wasn’t able to do it. My tree was loaded so I have them all in the freezer and then I’m gonna make some pickles I wanna do some refrigerator pickles to and refrigerator jelly! I’m gonna make some apricot plain jelly and apricot pineapple
I used to make lots of pickles. It’s so satisfying to have the jars all lined up! One summer I was making sweet pickles that took several days to prepare. I don’t remember the recipe but I needed to pour the brine out after a couple days(?) and boil it, replace it, repeat etc. I don’t remember how many days of soaking, recoiling and replacing the brine but I was on the final day and go to check before the final water bath. The huge pot of pickles was full of ants that just came in overnight. Lots of time and energy washed. Still hurts to think about it!
I have to agree with Buddy on the pickles. I prefer the Bread and Butter myself. I like a dill pickle on my burger but by themselves…..no thanks. Fun fact. About 10 miles or so west of me is the original home of Atkins Pickles. It was a big thing back in the day until they sold out and the plant was eventually shut down. But the folks up in Atkins still commemorate the pickle with a Picklefest each year….with all kinds of fun and games….including dill pickle juice drinking contest….e…and of course pickles in every shape, size, flavor,….even fried.
Thank you so interesting an informative my mom use to can an make jelly an jam when I was young. Her a couple of neighbors they would get together in the kitchen an make a day of canning. Kids weren’t allowed underfoot so I didn’t pay attention. Unfortunately when she went to work full time she stopped canning. This was really helpful as I want to do pickles an beets thank you Steph
Good evening Stephanie. Home made dill pickles are the best, even bread and butter ones are great but pickled beets are just as good. I myself has never canned anything lol, but my Mother, Aunt and some lady friends they would get big bags of cucumbers, beets, and beans, yellow ones and can them. Yellow beans were made into the mustard style. Can’t eat them now nor can I eat green beans, had too many when growing up. Thanks for sharing and it was fun perusal. HAG weekend.
Homemade pickles are so good. My favorite is a recipe my mother found when I was a child called “Sunshine Pickles”. It’s an all day process where you sun bake the pickles for an entire day, adding a pinch of alum before you seal them up. It results in a nice crisp pickle that will last for months. 💖💖💖
Hi Steph!👋 I guess you’re going to sell them at market. There’s enough for a few retail stores! You could use an automated assembly line! My mother in law made fab dill Pickles! She always had small whole ones. They were always delish. Something we looked forward to. Good job Steph! Have a blessed 🙌 day. ❤ n 🙏s always Elly 🇨🇦
Hey Steph way to go!! Your pickles look amazing! I look forward to canning every year (if my cucumbers produce). Thank you for the tip on adding vinegar to the can pot. Mine is covered in a white film is there a way to clean that off or is it scared in? That film on my jars drove me bonkers! Thank you Steph! Happy gardening and canning! ❤
I still remember the first time I ever canned something it was bread and butter, pickles and I think I was about 14. Since then I have done tomatoes, jams, jellies, and peppers,sausage balls and horseradish are just a few that between my mom and my husband we have canned ! Now, the only thing I do, are basically jellies and jams and frozen corn!
Good morning Stephanie and Elora. I got so nervous perusal you remove those jars from the water bath. When I was Elora’s age (maybe a little younger) my mom was making pickles. She was removing a jar and she tilted it to the side (like you mentioned not to do) and she dropped the jar and that boiling water went all over the both of us. Needless to say that was her last year of canning and I wasn’t allowed back in the kitchen while the stove was on.
When I can pickles the smell of vinegar and spices runs my husband completely out of the house. One time he just came in and said whatcha making and before I could say anything he stuck his head close to the pot and inhaled a deep breath and then coughed for a solid hour. 😅 there nay have been some cuss words used as well. 😂
I have canned dill and bread & butter pickles for years. However, the recipe I use doesn’t require the hot water bath nor refrigeration. They are delicious. I enjoyed your article and hope you do one on making jelly. I’ve never done jelly and would like to give it try. Curious, did your mom, grandmother or aunts can? If not where did you get your interest in canning?
I will be doing the same thing once I get to put my garden out, unfortunately we’re still getting cold weather. But once canning season starts here it seems I’m in my kitchen 24/7, LoL. To each their own, but I do reuse my lids, as long as they still look good. I also remove my rings after 24 hrs and I reuse them. This yr I’m actually having me a root cellar built under the mountain, to store my canned goos in. I remember my grandma doing this also, and it’s actually still there, the cellar, not the food 😂 But it didn’t freeze in the winter and the summer it kept a steady temp and it didn’t get hot. I’m hoping it works for me as well because I can so much tht I really need the space. I love canning our food and knowing what is going into it. Not only all the various garden vegetables, but I also have many fruit trees, strawberry beds, grapevines, etc. It’s def a very busy time of yr for me once tht starts. Happy canning Steph & everyone, Steph ur garden is beautiful. U guys have done an awesome job with it, I wish mine looked tht good when everything starts growing. Mine is the size of urs, but I also get the weeds, tht I have to keep pulling or I use my hoe. Have a blessed day everyone 🙏🫶
Interesting. I use vinegar in so many things…including in my laundry. I use about a quarter cup or so in every load of laundry I do. Been doing this for years and years. It keeps my colors so bright and clean. The smell of vinegar dissipates and my clothes do NOT smell like vinegar. It also acts as a softener in the laundry.
Guess what Stephanie I make sweet pickles that takes 18 days. I do not water bath or PC. This recipe only. Old Family recipe from 1920’s!! They are crisp and everyone wants some. Time consuming but delicious! Never killed anyone either 100 years proven safe. 😂 **Use a vinegar damp clean paper towel around the top of your jars rims to clean anything off rim.
Norma here. Well, that was easier than I thought it would be. I guess preparing the jars, lids and rings takes time, but all in all, you made it look quite simple. I remember Paw Paw pickling cucumbers, but I’d have to look back to see how he did it. You guys are just so talented. Bet those pickles will taste yummy. Do you have a pool, or were the girls using Kim’s pool? I’m guessing that Buddy was with them.
Steph you need a good sharp knife that you just press down on and it goes right through your veggies since you can alot cause it will help you get through them so so fast i have one and its amazing …ive never canned pickles or made homemade pickles and i want to so bad …but i can never get my garden going if my husband doesnt plant it and take care of it i kill it i dont know how i do exactly ehat im told and water it like im told and everything its so crazy ….
Id love to can my own grown vegetables etc,im in UK and I don’t think I’ve ever saw anything advertised to sell anything like this so I can do my own,id also love a freeze dryer but only option here is a dehydrator version and few actual freeze dryer I’ve saw have been around £6000 which id never be able to afford,im gonna look into either buying a canning pot or maybe researching nearest things I can use for it instead like maybe a pressure cooker 🤷cos it’s such a waste sometimes having too much vegetables at one time that needs using within days and they end up going in compost pile even though chickens eat a lot of left over produce,i wish there was more of a market/demand for these things over here in UK 😢
Wow what a neat idea I never knew how to pickle a pickle im excited to get some cucumbers out my garden. Hey Steph have a question if you can help. My Tomato Plants are getting taken over by worms. I know they sell sprays you can but. But is there any organic chemical free way I can stop the worms my kids like to pull a cherry tomatoes off and I don’t want to use a chemical that can hurt them. Thank you in advance
I don’t know how the pickles can be crisp being processed in water bath. We never processed them. They usually seal as long as brine and jars are hot. To make sure though, I use hot brine and jars and lids and do about 3 or 4 jars at a time and put them in the oven with rack at lowest position for 10 minutes at 310 F. yes that temperature is correct 310 F.