Pick a Peck of Pickles

One of the spaces in my garden this year went to pickling cucumbers. I bought a pack of seeds for around $3.00, and started them in the greenhouse. I'm not sure every single seed came up, but it was pretty darn close. And once I moved them to the garden, even though it was late in the season, they took off. They are now producing several pounds of pickles a day. They are thus far the single most productive, useful vegetable I've planted in the garden just in terms of volume picked and used, especially with regard to cost outlay in the beginning.

So far, I've got two gallons of dill pickles brining in the jelly room, using dill from my yard. I also have 8 quart jars and 8 pint jars of bread and butter pickles stored away. In the fridge I have my last three days' worth of pickings, which amounts to enough cucumbers to make about 12 quarts of sweet pickles. And the cucumbers really don't show any signs of slowing down. Pickles anyone?

Brined Dill Pickles

* 15 pounds of pickling cucumbers (whole, small)
* 2-3 bunches of dill heads, fresh or dried
* 3/4 cup pickling spices
* 3 cups white vinegar
* 1 1/2 cups pickling salt (not table salt)
* Garlic cloves (optional)
* water

Wash the cucumbers thoroughly. In a large crock (at least 2 gallons), sprinkle half the pickling spices, and half the dill, and 2-3 cloves of garlic if you wish. Pack with cucumbers to within 4 inches of the top. Add the rest of the salt, pickling spices, and dill. In a large pot, mix the salt with the vinegar and enough water to fill the crock, and add to the crock of cucumbers. Be sure the cucumbers are all submerged in the brine; weight with a wooden block or ceramic plate if necessary.

Let brine in a cool-ish place for 2-3 weeks. Don't stir or disturb, but do make sure the pickles stay submerged. If a scum forms on top, skim off (it's a byproduct of the fermenting process.)

When you're ready to can, strain the brine into a large, non-reactive (stainless steel, enameled, or glass) pot. Bring to a boil. Sterlize your jars and pack with your brined pickles and a small piece of the dill from the crock, then add the hot brine, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Do not overpack.

If your brine is cloudy, it's due to yeast blooming during fermentation. It won't hurt the pickles, and in fact will taste better if you use it, but if you prefer you can make new brine before canning. Use 1/3 cup salt, 4 cups vinegar, and 1 gallon of water, and bring to a boil, proceed as above.