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Kosher Dill Spears

Source of Recipe

From "The Pickled Pantry" by Andrea Chesman


Recipe Introduction

"When cucumbers are coming on fast and furious, this is an excellent pickle to make, multiplying the recipe as needed for the amount of cucumbers you have. This is as close as you can get to a deli pickle with vinegar and water bath canning."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 4 cups pickling cucumber spears, blossom ends removed (about five 4-inch cucumbers)
â—¦ 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons pickling or fine sea salt, or more if necessary
â—¦ 4 garlic cloves
â—¦ 2 tablespoons dill seeds
â—¦ 6 sprigs fresh dill or 1 dill head
â—¦ 1 teaspoon celery seeds
â—¦ 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
â—¦ ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
â—¦ 1 cup distilled white vinegar
â—¦ 1 cup water
â—¦ Pickle Crisp Granules (optional)



Recipe

Combine the cucumbers and 1 tablespoon salt in a bowl. Cover with ice water and let stand for at least 2 hours, and up to 6 hours. Drain. Taste a spear of cucumber. If it isn't decidedly salty, toss the cucumbers with an additional 1 to 2 teaspoons pickling salt. If it is too salty (which it never is for me), rinse in water.

Pack the garlic, dill seeds, fresh dill, celery seeds, mustard seeds, and peppercorns into a clean hot 1-quart canning jar. Pack in the cucumbers, leaving ½ inch headspace.

Combine the white vinegar, water, and remaining 2 teaspoons salt and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the salt. Pour the hot vinegar mixture into the jar, leaving ½ inch headspace. Add a rounded ¼ teaspoon of Pickle Crisp to the jar, if using. Remove any air bubbles and seal.

Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Let cool undisturbed for 12 hours. Store in a cool, dry place. Do not open for at least 6 weeks to allow the flavors to develop.

By the quart