This dill pickle recipe is so easy - I can't wait to teach you how to make it!
One of my favorite parts of tending a garden during the summer is a seemingly endless supply of fresh cucumbers!
I grow regular salad cucumbers and a smaller, pickling variety because I love making fresh cucumber pickles for my family.
This pickled cucumber recipe is super easy. Because these are lacto-fermented dill pickles, you don't need any fancy canning equipment to make them.
Another positive of this cold brine method of making dill pickles with fresh cucumbers is that your pickles stay nice and crisp. Nobody likes limp pickles!
Different ways to make dill pickles
There are three primary methods of making dill pickles with fresh cucumbers:
- Heat canned pickles: This method of making pickles involves heating pickles in a canner to kill any microbes. This makes the pickles shelf-stable for up to a year but often results in soft, limp pickles.
- Quick refrigerator pickles: This method involves pouring a high acid brine that is approximately half vinegar over cucumbers and allowing them to marinate in the refrigerator. This method is easier than canning but doesn't have the health benefits of lacto-fermented pickles because any good bacteria is killed during the process of cooking the brine.
- Lacto-fermented pickles: This is the method I'm going to show you. It uses the power of good bacteria to ferment the pickles in the same way that sourdough bread or kombucha does. This results in a delightfully sour, super-dill pickle that also imparts beneficial bacteria.
How long does it take to turn a cucumber into a pickle?
Using the lacto-fermentation process I show you in this dill pickle recipe, it takes 4-5 days at room temperature if your room is in the low to mid 70's. If it's warmer than that inside, your pickles will ferment faster and will be ready in 2-3 days.
Do you have to boil the jars for pickling?
For this dill pickle recipe, it isn't necessary to boil the jars, but they should be immaculately clean. Because we are not using a canning process to make these pickles, you can use any clean glass jar with a lid - they don't need to specifically be caning jars.
Can you can fermented pickles?
While the
Part of the beauty of lacto-fermentation is the beneficial microorganisms they lend to your gut when you eat them. Heat canning kills these beneficialbacteria by design.
How to Make Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles
Ingredients
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- Pickling Cucumbers - 35 small/medium or 15-20 medium/large
- 2 Tbsp Organic Pickling Spice (this is the organic pickling spice I use)
- 4 Tbsp Organic Whole Dill Seed (this is the brand I use)
- 10-12 garlic cloves, peeled
- 8 cups cold filtered water
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (choose the kind "with mother")
- 1/3 cup canning salt or kosher sea salt (do NOT use table salt. I like this salt from Jacobsen.)
Serving size for purpose of nutrition information is 2 small or one large pickle. Nutrition information is approximate and may vary based on the freshness and brand of your ingredients.Nutrition information calculated at:Calorie Count.
Directions
Video: How to make easy dill pickles
On August 13, 2018 I had the chance to share my easy dill pickle recipe with Tra-Renee Chambers on KATU Afternoon Live. Watch Tra' and I make pickles together! If the video is not automatically playing on the page, you can watch how to make pickles on YouTube here.
Easy Dill Pickle Recipe:
How to make lacto-fermented pickles
Looking for the printable recipe card? Scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to make lacto-fermented dill pickles step 1:
Clean cucumbers well but don't scrub so hard to damage their skin. Cut or slice cucumbers if desired. Set aside.
How to make lacto-fermented dill pickles step 2:
Clean jars in a dishwasher. These will not be heat processed so official "canning" jars are not needed but jars should be immaculately clean.
How to make lacto-fermented dill pickles step 3:
Mix together pickling spice and dill seed in a small bowl. Set aside.
How to make lacto-fermented dill pickles step 4:
Prepare brine by mixing together water, vinegar and salt in a large bowl.
Mix very well with a whisk until all traces of salt are completely dissolved. Set aside.
How to make lacto-fermented dill pickles step 5:
Fill clean jars with cucumbers.
You can use them whole, in half, spears or slices.
If using smaller pieces (like slices) that stack well, layer the cucumbers, 1.5 Tbsp mixed spices and 1 or 2 garlic cloves in the jar.
If doing whole pickles or spears, you can fill the jar with cucumbers first and then add the 1.5 Tbsp spices and garlic later, shaking to fill in gaps.
How to make lacto-fermented dill pickles step 6:
Once jars are filled, top cucumbers with brine. Tap on the counter or insert a clean butter knife and press against the cucumbers as needed to remove air bubbles.
Be sure to completely cover the cucumbers with brine.
Save any extra brine in clear jars for your next pickling session.
How to make lacto-fermented dill pickles step 7:
Screw lids onto jars and then unscrew one half turn so that jars are only lightly covered. Leave the pickle jars on the counter at room temperature for 4-5 days.
Start tasting the pickles on day 4 and once they reach the desired level of pickly-ness, tighten the lids all the way and store in the refrigerator.
If you are having a hard time keeping cucumbers submerged under the brine, you can purchase fermenting weights to hold them down. Keeping the cucumbers completely submerged is important for this process to work correctly without spoiling.
Pickles prepared this way can keep for 4-5 months. Be sure any pickles remaining in the jar as you eat through them are covered with brine solution.
IMPORTANT: If the pickles ever become soft, slimy, smell bad or taste bad, discard that jar of pickles.
Enjoy!
If you love this dill pickle recipe, be sure to pin it to save it for later!
How to make easy refrigerator dill pickles.//video.mediavine.com/videos/cchrerutk6vj7zneexli.js" type="text/javascriptLearn how to make easy refrigerator dill pickles without any special equipmenthttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Oa4pXXZqaxkSeqN-X_owd18zEWAQCV-XM8ps7N5HWsS41DWHJQRtCRj1DWETANxPCBoFSI16EpUaSyGM6EtCQd_VWDNLzOUelQpLhDCkOn3wxUcIK1gdxZdtlhueZPpTE_3a7LK1gPU/s1600/how+to+make+lacto-fermented+dill+pickles-min.jpg2018-08-13
Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles
Yield:
Author: Carissa B
This pickled cucumber recipe is super easy. Because these are lacto-fermented dill pickles, you don't need any fancy canning equipment to make them.
ingredients:
- Pickling Cucumbers - 35 small/medium or 15-20 medium/large
- 2 Tbsp Organic Pickling Spice
- 4 Tbsp Organic Whole Dill Seed
- 10-12 garlic cloves, peeled
- 8 cups cold filtered water
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (choose the kind "with mother")
- 1/3 cup canning salt or kosher sea salt (do NOT use table salt.).
instructions:
How to cook Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles
- Clean cucumbers well. Don't damage their skin. Cut or slice cucumbers if desired. Set aside.
- Clean jars. *
- Mix together pickling spice and dill seed in small bowl. Set aside.
- Prepare brine by mixing together water, vinegar, and salt in large bowl.
- Mix very well with whisk until all traces of salt are dissolved. Set aside.
- Fill jars with cucumbers.
- Add 1.5 Tbsp mixed spices and 1-2 garlic cloves.
- Completely cover cucumbers with brine. Tap on counter to remove air bubbles.
- Screw lids onto jars and unscrew one-half turn so that jars are only lightly covered.
- Leave jars on counter at room temperature for 4-5 days.
- Start tasting pickles on day 4. Once they are as pickly as desired, tighten lids and store in refrigerator.
NOTES:
* These will not be heat processed so official "canning" jars are not needed but jars should be immaculately clean.Pickles prepared this way can keep for 4-5 months. Be sure any pickles remaining in the jar as you eat through them are covered with brine solution.
Calories
102
Fat (grams)
0.9
Sat. Fat (grams)
0.2
Carbs (grams)
24.3
Fiber (grams)
3.5
Net carbs
0
Sugar (grams)
10.4
Protein (grams)
4.4
Sodium (milligrams)
457
Cholesterol (grams)
0.00
Nutrition information is approximate and may vary based on the freshness and brand of your ingredients.
https://www.creativegreenliving.com/2013/08/how-to-make-cold-process-dill-pickles.html
Copyright 2018
canning, preserving, gluten free, vegan, garden to table pickles, pickle recipe, fridge dill pickles
Snack
American
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Created using The Recipes Generator
About the Author:
Carissa B is a cookbook author and busy mom of two creative boys. The owner and lead writer at Creative Green Living, she won the Craftys Award for the "Best Craft Blogger" category in 2016 and the ShiftCon award for "Best DIY Blogger" in 2018.
She is the author of the hardcover cookbook,Follow her onPinterest,Instagram,Twitteror join theCreative Green Living community group.
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