I know what you’re thinking: Hmmm. That’s an … interesting? … picture of a plate of pickles. Listen, pickles are much stranger and more difficult to photograph than I realized they would be. But this recipe for homemade dill pickles is too delicious (and too crazy simple) to not share!
I have always been a lover of salty, crunchy snacks, much more so than sweet ones. Potato chips, popcorn, pretzels, olives, pickles — those are my go-to salty treats. And with fresh cucumbers growing in our garden this year, I realized I should try making homemade dill pickles. I was pleasantly surprised by how quick and easy they are to make — you simply make a basic pickling solution (vinegar, water, sugar, and salt), boil and cool it, pour it over cucumber spears with dill and garlic, and pop it in the refrigerator. Three days later, you have some FANTASTIC homemade pickles. They’re cold and crunchy and crisp and salty and dilly and wonderful.
And while my husband is not (and has never been) a fan of dill pickles, my daughter definitely inherited my love for them, and has generously helped me polish off each new jar of ’em. =)
Simple Refrigerator Dill Pickles
adapted from Allrecipes.com
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups water
1 1/4 cups white vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon sea salt
4 cups cucumber spears (from 2-3 cucumbers)
2 cloves garlic, whole
2 heads fresh dillDirections
Stir water, vinegar, sugar, and sea salt together in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil; remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
Combine cucumber spears, garlic cloves, and fresh dill in a large glass or plastic container. Pour cooled vinegar mixture over cucumber mixture. Seal container with lid and refrigerate for at least 3 days.
Amy’s note: The original recipe states that these pickles will keep fresh in the refrigerator for about 6 weeks. We’ve always eaten them far more quickly than that, so I haven’t tested that personally.