Quick Easy Pickles

Quick Easy Pickles

  • 8 garlic cloves, sliced (or you can use scapes)
  • 2 handfuls handfuls fresh dill
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp peppercorns
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp dill seeds
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp celery seed
  • 1/4 tsp fennel seed
  • 1 ¾ lbs. Kirby or Persian cucumbers (small pickling cucumbers, no wax on skin)
  • 4 cups water
  • 1/2 cup white vinegar
  • 3 tbsp kosher salt

Place the sliced garlic in a small saucepan of water and bring to a boil. Boil the garlic for 1 minute, then drain immediately. This blanching process will keep the garlic from turning blue in the pickle jar.

Place the blanched garlic, fresh dill, bay leaves and other spices into the pickling jar or jars. If using two jars, divide the ingredients evenly between them, half in each. The red pepper flakes are optional, and will add a little kick to your pickles—if you don’t like spice, feel free to omit.

Slice off the tip ends of each cucumber, then place them into the jars, half in each jar. It’s okay if they’re tightly packed, they will shrink up a bit as they pickle.

In a saucepan, bring the water, white vinegar, and kosher salt to a boil, whisking till the salt is fully dissolved. Boil the mixture for about 1 minute, then remove from heat. Pour the hot brine through a funnel into each jar, submerging the cucumbers completely in liquid.

Let the jars cool completely to room temperature (this will take a few hours). Secure the lids and place pickles in the refrigerator. Your first pickle will be ready to eat in 48 hours; they’ll become more pickled and flavorful as they age. Pickles will keep for up to 2 months.Tip: For crunchier pickles, before pickling you can place the cucumbers in a bowl and cover them with ice water. Soak them in the refrigerator in ice water for 4-5 hours. Drain and proceed with recipe. If you already have pre-mixed pickling spice on hard, you may substitute 4 tsp pickling spice for the spices (if using two jars, divide the spices between jars, half in one, half in the other).

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