Dill-icious Pickles
Posted on: April 18, 2020
Pickles are go-to meal additions that add brightness and saltiness that can’t be beat. With simple ingredients and a little bit of patience, pickles can easily be prepped and ready to go for barbecue season. While it’s currently spring cleaning time in my home, I’m taking stock of my pantry. I have an assortment of mason jars and their lids, coupled with an array of spices, and some simple white vinegar. All this on hand makes for great, easy and low fuss pickles that will brighten up all your barbecue meals. These pickles take about two months to mature, which means they will be ready once summer rolls around and its time to fire up the grill. If you’re like me and enjoy a bit of heat, you can customize the spice blend and add in either some whole chillies or a mix of chilli flakes.
Dilled Pickles
Ingredients:
1 ½ kg mini cucumbers (3 lbs.)
3 cups water
1 cup white vinegar
5 tbsp. coarse salt
20 garlic cloves (peeled)
Fresh dill to taste
Mustard seeds to taste
Salted herbs
Black peppercorns to taste
Chilli flakes to taste (optional)
Directions:
- Wash the cucumbers in cold water and brush. In a large container, place the cucumbers and cover with ice water. To make them even crisper, add some ice cubes and stir. Soak for 6 hours. Rinse and drain.
- In a large stockpot, pour in the water, vinegar, and coarse salt. Bring to a boil. In the meantime, place the cucumbers upright in sterilized*, hot pickling jars.
- In each jar, add to taste some garlic cloves, fresh dill, and a pinch of mustard seeds, salted herbs and peppercorns. Immediately pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers in each jar. Seal tightly. Set aside two months before using.
Recipe courtesy of Metro.
For tips on how to properly sterilize your pickling jars, please watch this short video by Canadian Living.
These pickles are perfectly paired with summer’s hero – the burger, or as an ingredient in your favourite tartar sauce.
~Holly, Guest Services Representative