Vinegar Dill Pickles Recipe + Canning Instructions
For someone who loves canning, I’ve never particularly liked making dill pickles. Even though it may seem like processing cucumbers is much easier than many other fruits and vegetables that require peeling, pitting and stemming, I often feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of cucumbers I need to hand wash, trim and prepare for pickling. And I always feel like it’s a bit of a race against time to get them done before they start to go mushy.
But pickles are also one of the most rewarding vegetables to put up. You can easily fill your pantry shelves with jars and jars of pickles even if you start with only a few humble pounds of cucumbers. And pickles are extremely versatile. You can eat them as part of a platter, on burgers and sandwiches, as a side dish at a holiday dinner (or a weeknight meal), or all on their own by the slice, by the wedge or whole.
Indeed, no house or homestead should be without a reserve of home-canned pickles in their larder. And so they deserve our time and attention each summer. They deserve to be given priority over all other things when the cucumbers have reached just the right size. And once they’ve been harvested, they demand us to drop all of our other commitments and obligations until every last one of them has been transformed from a refreshing yet somewhat bland garden vegetable to a pickled preserve bursting with flavour.
Ah yes, pickle we must. Whether we want to or not, whether we love it or hate it, pickle we must, and we shall.
So, now the question becomes, how shall we pickle?
Pickling Options
The options are pretty much to either pickle our cucumbers by fermenting in a salt brine (which is super easy but takes time until they’re ready to put away), or you can make quick pickles by covering in a salt, vinegar and water brine and processing right away.
Related: Pickling 101: The Ultimate Guide to Everything Pickled
This year I made both type of pickles, but as much as I love me some fermented pickles for health benefits in particular, I still really love my quick pickles (what I call my “no-frills dills”) because they remind me of the dills you buy at the store. My dirty little secret? I actually LOVE store-bought dill pickles. Yup. I said it. But I refuse to buy them. So I make these instead:)
Step-By-Step Quick Dill Pickles
Before beginning, make sure you have enough jars, lids and all of the ingredients necessary for pickling on hand. I stress this because I totally did NOT have pickling spices or pickling salt on hand when I had already started preparing my cucumbers this year and had to run to the store in the middle of washing cukes. And how many times have I run out of new lids or had the wrong size when canning? Ugh. Too many.
So in a perfect world, once I actually have everything I need, I start by gathering and preparing all of my other ingredients and materials. I collect my jars (I like to use quart-sized wide mouth Mason jars), then I trim my dill weed to fit my jars, peel my garlic cloves and set aside and get everything else out on the counter and ready to go. Then I prepare my cucumbers.
I start by washing and trimming the ends off of my cukes. I find the easiest way to wash them is to fill your sink with cold water and use a vegetable scrub brush to scrub each pickle by hand, dunk in the water to rinse and transfer to a colander or drying rack. As time-consuming as it may be, it’s important to scrub each pickle by hand to ensure no dirt gets left behind.
Avoiding Soggy Pickles
Once all of your cucumbers are washed, it’s time to trim. It’s important to trim the blossom end off of cucumbers when pickling because leaving the blossom end on can make for a soggy pickle in the end. And ain’t nobody likes a soggy pickle!
Personally, I trim both ends off of my cucumbers because I actually find it’s quicker than examining each cucumber to find the blossom end and then just trimming that one. You can do the same or just trim the blossom end.
I’ve heard that adding grape leaves to your pickle jars also helps to keep pickles crisp, but I’ve never tried it. My mom mentioned that she tried pickles made with grape leaves before but found they had a weird taste, so I haven’t bothered. I’d love to get another opinion though! Have you tried this?
Personally I’ve never had a problem with soggy pickles when processing this way, as long as I wait long enough to crack open the jars (about 6 weeks). For some reason the pickles seem soggier if opened too early. All good things in life take time and patience:)
Canning Dill Pickles
Once your cucumbers are ready to go, prepare your canner, jars and lids. Wash jars and bands in hot soapy water and sterilize them in a simmering water bath. Leave them to simmer while you prepare your brine. Make sure your lids are nearby and ready to go (always use new lids when canning).
To make the brine, mix equal parts water and vinegar along with some pickling salt in a large stainless steel pot and bring to a boil, stirring until salt has dissolved (find the exact ratios in the recipe below).
Then, remove hot jars from water bath and place the following into each jar: 1 Tablespoon of pickling spice, one large garlic clove (or two small ones), one large head of dill weed (or two smaller ones), and one dried chilli pepper (or 1/4 teaspoon of dried chilli flakes) if using.
Then stuff those jars with cucumbers! Pack them as tightly as you can but be sure to leave a generous 1/2-inch of headspace at the top. I find it works best to pack cucumbers into jars vertically first and then lay a row or two of cucumbers on top to pack in as many as possible without surpassing the 1/2-inch of headspace required.
Once you can’t possibly pack any more potential pickles into your jars, cover cucumbers with brine, leaving 1/2 an inch of headspace. Jostle the jars a bit to release any trapped air bubbles and adjust headspace as necessary. Wipe rims, place lids on top and screw bands down to fingertip tight.
Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes, let cool and wait about 6 weeks before cracking in and enjoying them!
So if you haven’t yet put up pickles this year, now is the time. Whether you’re growing your own or sourcing from a local farm, pickles deserve your time and attention this season.
For pickle we must… And pickle, we shall.
Canning tools I use and love:
P.S. Wanna learn how to can your own pickles, pie fillings, jams and jellies, fruits, veggies, stocks, sauces and more? Join the waitlist now for the Yes, You CAN! Home Canning Course and enjoy 50% off the regular price when enrollment opens next week (July 27th, 2020).
This brand new course is just about to launch, but the doors (and the discount!) will only be open and available for a week. So don’t miss out on stocking your pantry with jars of delicious, homemade, home-caned food!
No Frills Dills – Quick Dill Pickles Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 pounds pickling cucumbers, ends trimmed
- 8 cups white vinegar (or substitute apple cider vinegar)*
- 8 cups water
- 1 cup pickling salt
- Fresh or dried dill weed (one large flower head or two small per quart jar)
- pickling spice (1 Tablespoon per quart jar)
- fresh garlic (1 clove per jar)
- dried whole chilli peppers (1 per quart jar) or dried chilli flakes (1/4 tsp per jar) optional
- *You may use either white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, but be sure to use store-bought vinegar that has a 5% acidity. Do not use homemade apple cider vinegar as the acidity level is unknown.
Instructions
- Wash and trim cucumbers. You can either trim both ends or just the blossom end, but be sure to trip the blossom end to ensure a crispy pickle.
- Prepare canner and jars. Wash jars and bands in hot, soapy water and sterilize in hot water until ready to fill. Always use new lids when canning.
- Combine vinegar, water and salt in a large, stainless steel pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat and stir until salt has dissolved. Reduce heat and continue to simmer on medium-low heat until ready to use.
- Remove hot, sterilized jars and bands from canner. Place 1 Tbsp. pickling spice, 1 clove of garlic, 1 head of dill weed and 1 chilli pepper (if using) in each quart jar and pack washed, trimmed cucumbers into jars as tightly as possible, leaving a generous 1/2-inch of headspace.
- Pour hot vinegar/water/salt mixture into each jar to cover cucumbers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Jostle jars gently to remove trapped air bubbles and adjust headspace as necessary. Wipe rims, place lids on jars and screw bands on to fingertip tight.
- Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Turn off heat, remove lid and let sit for 5 minutes in canner. Remove from canner and let cool completely before storing. Allow pickles to sit for about 6 weeks until ready to eat.
* Yields about 7 quarts
** These store well on pantry shelves for 1-2 years.
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It’s easy to romanticize homesteading, but the truth is that those homegrown vegetables, those freshly laid eggs, that loaf of bread rising on the counter, and that pantry full of home-canned food takes time, effort and dedication. It doesn’t “just happen” overnight!
But if you work on learning one new skill at a time and gain confidence in it before moving onto the next, one day you’ll be looking back and marvelling at how far you’ve come.
That’s where I’m at now. Life today looks a lot different than it did 10 years ago, when our homesteading and self-reliance journey was just beginning.
Back then we still lived in our city condo and were just beginning to dabble in all of this stuff. But my husband Ryan and I felt a sense urgency to start pursuing a more self-reliant lifestyle, and we committed to taking small steps, one day at a time to make that vision a reality.
Over the years we’ve continued to put one foot in front of the other, adding new skills and tackling new projects along the way that have helped us get to where we are today.
While there’s always more we want to learn and do, as I look around me right now, I’m so grateful that we took those first steps, especially considering what’s happened in the world over the past few years!
If you’re also feeling the urgency to take the first (or next) steps toward a more self-reliant life, this is your final reminder that today is the last day to join The Society of Self-Reliance and start levelling up your homesteading and self-sufficiency skills so that you’ve got what it takes to:
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If you’ve been feeling called to level up your self-reliance skills (because let’s be honest, we’re in for a wild ride these next few years with everything going on in the world), now is the time to heed that call.
Link in profile to enroll before midnight tonight, or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/society
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There are so many reasons to grow your own food at home:
💰 Saves you money at the grocery store
🍴 Healthier than conventionally grown food
🔑 increases your overall food security
🫙 Gives you an abundance to preserve and share
But perhaps the number one reason is because it just tastes better!
Not only does food taste better when it’s freshly picked or allowed to ripen on the vine, there’s something about putting in the work to grow something from a tiny seed and then getting to see it on your dinner plate that just makes it so much more satisfying than anything you’ll ever buy from the store.
Plus, having to wait all year for fresh tomatoes or strawberries or zucchinis to be in season makes that short period when they’re available just that much more exciting!
With the world spinning out of control and food prices continuing to rise, it’s no wonder more people are taking an interest in learning to grow their own food at home. But that also means changing our relationship with food and learning to appreciate the work that goes into producing it and the natural seasonality of organically grown fruits and vegetables.
(It also means learning to preserve it so you can make the most of it and enjoy homegrown food all year long).
In my online membership program, The Society of Self-Reliance, you’ll learn how to grow your own food, from seed to harvest, as well as how to preserve it so you can enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor all year long!
You’ll also learn how to grow and craft your own herbal medicine, detox your home, become your own handyman, and so much more (because self-reliance is about more than just the food that we eat… But that’s a pretty good place to start!)
The doors to the Society are now open for a limited time only. Click the link in my profile or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/society to learn more.
#foodsecurity #homegrownfood #homesteading #selfreliance #selfsufficiency #homegrownfoodjusttastesbetter
If you’ve been watching events unfold over the past few years and you’re feeling called to start “cutting ties” with the system and begin reclaiming your independence, The Society of Self-Reliance was made for you!
When I first launched this online membership program last year, my goal was to create a one-stop resource where members could go to learn and practice every aspect of self-reliance, as well as a space to connect with other like-minded people pursuing the same goal. And that’s exactly what you’ll get when you join!
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn inside the Society:
🌱 Food Security and Self-Sufficiency: Learn the art of growing and preserving your own food, ensuring you and your loved ones have access to nutritious meals year-round.
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🔨 Essential Life Skills: Learn essential life skills like time management, effective goal setting and practical DIY skills to become more self-sufficient.
As a member, you’ll enjoy:
📚 Monthly Video Lessons: Gain access to our ever-growing library of video lessons, with fresh content added each month.
📞 Live Group Coaching Calls: Participate in our monthly live group coaching calls, where we deep dive into a different self-reliance topic every month, and do live demonstrations and Q&A’s.
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I only open the doors to The Society once or twice each year, but right now, for one week only, you can become a member for just $20/month (or $200/year).
In today’s world, self-reliance is no longer a luxury, a “cute hobby,” it’s a necessity. Join us inside The Society of Self-Reliance and empower yourself with the skills you need to thrive in the new world!
Link in profile or visit thehouseandhomestead.com/society to learn more.
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Got out for an early morning harvest today. Been up since 3am, contemplating life, the future and the past, the order of things…
There is a rumbling right now, not just in North America, but around the world. Many of us can feel it, and know we are on the precipice of something big.
I’d been hearing about this new song that’s become an overnight viral sensation, written by an (until now) unknown singer named Oliver Anthony. His new song Rich Men North of Richmond has had 14 million views on YouTube in the past week alone, so I decided to check it out.
I also saw a clip of him playing a Farmers Market last week, and anything that has to do with Farmers Markets always has my attention;)
I can’t tell you how many tears I’ve already cried listening to that song. If you’ve heard it already, you probably know what I’m talking about, and if you haven’t, I highly recommend giving it a listen. All I can say is it’s been a while since a song resonated so deeply with me, and in this strange new world, I know I’m not the only one.
One of the lines in Anthony’s song is “Livin’ in the new world, with an old soul,” and that’s something I think so many of us in the homesteading community can relate to.
Trying to cling to better days; To a simpler time; To the old ways, all while doing our best to get by in the new world.
The world has changed drastically in the last few years especially, and it’s set to change in immense ways over the next few years. Today I’m feeling thankful for people like @oliver_anthony_music_ who give a voice to what so many are feeling right now.
Know that if you’re feeling it too, you’re far from alone. And while the future may feel uncertain and even a little scary, remember that if we stand united, we the people are a force to be reckoned with.
(Continued in comments…)
Another garlic harvest in the books!
Garlic is easily one of my favourite crops to grow. It’s pretty much a “set if and forget it” crop. We plant in the fall and leave it to overwinter, fertilize a couple times in the spring, start watering only once the ground starts to dry out, and then harvest in the summer. We can even plant a fall succession crop after our garlic if we want so it really makes great use of garden space all year round.
Over the years we’ve managed to become completely self-sufficient with garlic. We now grow enough to eat all year (and then some!), plus we save our own seed garlic and usually have extra to sell or give away. And around here fresh, organic garlic ain’t cheap, so it’s a good cash crop for anyone who’s serious about selling it.
It took me a few years to really get the hang of garlic, but it’s one crop I’m now very confident with (knock on wood, because it’s always when we make statements like this that next year’s crop fails! Lol.)
A while back I compiled a comprehensive guide to growing, harvesting and using garlic both as an edible and medicinal crop. This is usually only available as part of a paid bundle (or in the fall 2022 issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine if you’re a subscriber;), but for a limited time I’m offering it for free, no strings attached!
Plus you’ll also get access to my step-by-step video lesson on planting garlic so you can set yourself up for success with your garlic crop this year.
Comment “Garlic” below or head to thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-guide to get your free copy!
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#garlic #garlicharvest #homesteading #selfsufficient #selfsufficiency #selfsufficientliving #selfreliance #homegrown #groworganic #growfoodnotlawns #gardenersofinstagram #homesteadersofinstagram
Going through photos and videos from our trip to the @modernhomesteadingconference and the vast majority are of our daughter having the time of her life!
Even if I personally got nothing else out of this gathering (which I most certainly did), watching her discover her own love of this lifestyle outside of what we do at home made my heart grow three sizes!
Homesteading is about so much more than homegrown food and self-reliance. It’s about passing on invaluable skills and an understanding of and respect for our connection to the land that provides for us to the next generation.
Being around so many other kids and families who are also pursuing a homesteading lifestyle helped show our little one that this is a movement that is so much bigger and greater than what our own family does on our little plot of land. This is a lifestyle worth pursuing, with a community unlike any other.
Glad to be back home and more excited than ever to involve my kids in everything we’re doing. But also, I think I speak for my whole family when I say we can’t wait to go back someday!
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#homesteading #modernhomesteading #raisinglittles
If you’re simply looking for ways to save a little extra cash this summer and live well for less, here are 12 tried and tested frugal living tips for summer that you can use to save money this season without sacrificing a thing.
Head over using the link in my bio!
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/12-frugal-living-tips-summer/
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A brand new issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine just dropped!
In this issue:
🌱 How to forage and use five common edible and medicinal weeds
🏠 A sustainable, affordable alternative to traditional homes, greenhouses and more
👨👩👧👦 Tips for managing a homestead while raising a family (big or small!)
🫙 What to focus on when preserving food for true food security
🌹 How to grow and arrange your own cut flowers at home
🍓 The many ways to preserve summer berries (including 5 delicious recipes!)
💇How to make your own all-natural herbal hair care products at home
🧑🌾 Why “community sufficiency” is the new self-sufficiency
And more!
Visit modernhomesteadingmagazine.com (or click the link in my bio) to subscribe or login to the library and read the latest issue.
Plus, be sure to check out all of our past issues as well! There’s a wealth of information in our library on everything from farming and gardening to cooking and canning to herbal medicine, natural living and so much more!
*** This will be the last quarterly issue! ***
This little magazine has grown so much over the past 4 years and 32 issues, and now it’s time for another exciting evolution.
I’m excited to announce that we will be moving to an even more robust annual publication with the intention of offering the first ever print edition this fall if there is enough demand.
I’m also excited to announce the brand new Modern Homesteading Magazine blog, which is currently under construction and will be launching soon. While we will still be maintaining digital subscriptions, the blog will be accessible to all, free of charge, so that more people might benefit from the empowering and increasingly important information that we cover in each issue.
Thanks to everyone who helped make this issue happen! @homesteadingfamily @oatsandhoneyhomestead @omnivore.culture @thetaylor.leigh @doeraydesign (and more who don’t have IG pages;)
And a HUGE thank you to everyone who has subscribed over the years. Modern Homesteading Magazine would never have become what it is today without each and every one of you.
#homesteading #modernhomesteading #selfsufficiency
If you’ve ever grown your own garlic, you might have noticed the spiral-shaped shoots that suddenly pop up in the centre of the stem, usually about a month or so before the garlic bulbs themselves are ready to be harvested.
These are garlic scapes, and believe it or not- they make delicious pesto! Get the recipe through the link in my bio- https://thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-scape-pesto/
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This honey and chive blossom vinaigrette is a frugal, easy and healthy homemade salad dressing that pairs beautifully with fresh garden salads all season long.
Get the recipe through the link in my bio.
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/chive-blossom-vinaigrette/
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Whether you live in the city and grow a few herbs on your balcony, have a few backyard chickens in the suburbs or live in the country and have a larder full of enough home-canned food to survive the apocalypse, if living a more homemade, homegrown, self-sufficient lifestyle is important to you, Modern Homesteading Magazine was made for you!
Read it today through the link in my bio!
https://modernhomesteadingmagazine.com/
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This radish top pesto recipe makes good use of the edible radish greens that often get discarded once they’re separated from the root. The end result is a peppery, slightly spicy twist on a classic pesto recipe.
A perfect condiment for all your summer snacking!
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/radish-top-pesto-recipe/
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Hi, I’ve read that you should soak for cucumbers in a salt water solution to help them to be crispy. Would you recommend this or not necessary?
I personally haven’t done this, and my pickles are always pretty crunchy!
I like to put grape leaves on the top of my pickles. I think it makes them more crisp and I have never noticed a difference in flavor. I also just heard about using horseradish leaves. I tried it in some pickled carrots and jalapenos but haven’t opened a jar yet.
Do you have a cookbook for your canning, your recipe for your dill pickels looks like what my grandmother used to can every year bit hers was really complicated. But it had all the spices that yours have. This is first time in in years and years of looking.
I do have a canning eBook, which can be found here: https://thehouseandhomestead.com/canninghandbook/
(Please be advised that this is a digital cookbook. You can download and print it once you purchase it. For my favourite print cookbook and other favourite canning tools, click here).