T is the kind of 3-year old who loves pickles. He’s the kid who requests them for breakfast, lunch, snack, or dinner. He’s the kid at the summer cookout who will be holding a pickle in one hand and a chocolate chip cookie in the other. When I made my own pickles for the first time last summer, T was elated and started to refer to them as “Mama’s Pickles.” The name stuck in our house and homemade dill pickles henceforth were known simply as Mama’s Pickles.
One of the vegetables that I have planted in my garden this summer are pickling cucumbers (in addition to Marketmore cucumbers.) The cucumbers have really taken off and are climbing all over my garden fence and the other plants. I’ve already harvested quite a few of them so I knew it was time to make my first batch of Mama’s Pickles for the season, this time with my own homegrown pickling cucumbers!
This recipe is very flexible and you can cut the cucumbers whichever way you see fit (spears, slices, whole, etc.) T prefers “stick pickles”…his terms for pickle spears, so that is how I cut them for this first batch. Feel free to halve this recipe or double as you see fit.
- 1 bunch fresh dill
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled and pressed
- 6-8 pickling cucumbers, washed and ends cuts off
- 6 cups water
- ¾ cup distilled white vinegar
- 6 tablespoons kosher salt
- Gather three to four clean mason jars and put a couple sprigs of the dill and some of the pressed garlic on the bottom of each jar. Next, slice the cucumbers up into spears, slices, or keep them whole depending upon your pickling preference. Place the cucumbers into the mason jars.
- In a large bowl with a spout or measuring cup, mix together the water, vinegar, and salt. Stir until the salt is fully dissolved. Pour the vinegar mixture into each mason jar until it fully covers the cucumbers. Place a few more sprigs of dill and more of the pressed garlic on top (if desired.) Screw on mason jar covers.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 days. Then, enjoy for breakfast, lunch, or dinner if you have the same love of pickles as my little guy!
Source: Slightly adapted from Annie’s Eats
