Sunday, August 17, 2014

Refrigerator Dill Pickles


It's cucumber time in my little Wisconsin Garden. I love them in freshly sliced in simple salads with my own garden tomatoes but when you have far too many to eat fresh, you need to make pickles! This year, I decided to branch out from my usual Refrigerator Pickle recipe which is sweet and similar to a Bread and Butter pickle.  I love them but my husband prefers dill pickles so here you are, Honey :)  When I first offered him a taste he said "These are really good!". 


I mixed my own herbs and spices, added some fresh dill flower heads and lots of garlic.


Since I had so many dill sprigs left after making the dill pickles, I also made some dilly beans and zucchini spears using the same recipe! I added a few thinly sliced onions to dilly beans (see note below)*.  I am still looking at quite a few dill flower heads so looking for more veggies to pickle now :) 


I love my Fido Clamp Jars that you see in the very first photo, the Golden Harvest jars that the beans are in and the Weck jar above but for refrigerator pickles, beans and zucchini you can use any glass jar with a lid that you have as they are not 'canned' in the traditional way. You will need to keep these stored in the refrigerator to keep them fresh.  

My favorites jars I only use for decoration...


These are jars are from my mother's antique bottle and jar collection that she shared with me and my sister before she passed away.  I use them as vases and also display them with other memorabilia from my late mother on a shelf my little home office.  

Wouldn't you love to know who originally owned them, how many recipes were made and stored in them? I believe the 1/2 gallon Ball Mason jar on the right is probably the oldest dating to around 1900. Considering the fact that few people even owned a refrigerator until much later, canning jars were a very important part of life then.  Can you even imagine? 


Refrigerator Dill Pickles


Makes about three 1 1/2-pint jars (my jars were varied sizes)

12-15 small pickling cucumbers (the bumpy ones)
2 cups water
2 cups distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons Kosher salt
Fresh dill flower heads - about 1 large to 2 small heads for each jar
9 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into 2-3 slivers

Seasonings:

1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dill seeds
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole allspice
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole juniper berries (optional)
1 bay leaf, crumbled

Combine water, vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan.  Heat just until warm and the sugar and salt have dissolved.  Set aside to cool. 

Combined seasonings in a small bowl.  Divide the seasoning mixture equally among the jars you are using. 

Trim ends from cucumbers and slice.  I like the slices fairly thick - about 1/4-1/2 inch but you can also cut them into spears if you like. Fill each jar with sliced cucumbers but leave about 1" from top empty. 

Tuck in 1-2 dill heads into each jar and about 3 slivered garlic cloves.

Pour the cooled vinegar mixture over the cucumbers to cover. Cover jars with lids and close tightly.

Refrigerate at least 7-10 days for best flavor.

Pickles will last refrigerated about 2 months - if you don't eat them all before then :-)

*My Note on Dilled Beans:  I parboiled fresh beans for 3-1/2 minutes and then plunged them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process before putting them in jars with pickling solution. 

63 comments:

  1. Oh Yum! They all look and sound so good. Love good pickles, but have to limit them due to the salt.
    Daughter added fresh dill and garlic to her pickled okra and squash this time.
    Pretty jar collection!

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    1. Thank you, Glenda. I can't wait to taste the squash - its the first time I've tried pickling it.

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  2. a really good idea Susan,lovely jars ! Have a great week, a hug...

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  3. These are a beautiful array of pickled veggies. Love, love the dukes. The dilly beans and zucchini are delightful. Thanks for sharing. Happy summer to you.

    Velva

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    1. I haven't tasted the dilly beans yet since I just made them - next weekend :) Thank you!

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  4. I love all your jars:)
    Especially the heirlooms..
    I have only ever made whole dills..
    I must try these.
    The bouquet is gorgeous Susan as well as all your home jarred goodies.

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  5. Susan..I just noticed your breadmachine on the sidebar..We just bought one on sale in Canada..I think it was $39.00..
    Great machine I agree..dough!!

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    1. It's isn't an expensive one but what a great machine - a tip from a fellow blogger ;)

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  6. Oh those sound delicious and look so pretty!

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  7. Love all the different greens of your home grown vegetables...the dilly beans look so yummy.
    I have a few of those aqua canning jars that I use to store pasta in...keeps bugs out better than boxes!
    Have a wonderful week, Susan.

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    1. Never thought of that, Marigene! They would be so pretty on the kitchen counter as cannisters.

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  8. It all looks so good! I especially like the idea of using the beans. I would love to make them! I tried and loved Lynn's (Happier than a pig in mud) pickles last month was thinking about making more. Now I have a new recipe to try :)

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    1. Thank you, Lorraine! I'm making a trip to the farmers' market this week to see if I can get some beets to pickle next :)

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  9. Wow these are gorgeous! Your photos are fantastic. I made dill and bread and butter pickles this summer with our garden cucumbers. Love it all!

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  10. Your jars are beautiful. We love to preserve the summer's goodness as well. Have a wonderful week!!!

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  11. Home made pickles are always the best, Susan! I'm like you, and prefer bread and butter pickles the best, but dill pickles are wonderful as a sandwich side! Your mason jar collection is very nice. I remember my maternal grandmother canning all the vegetables from her garden and keeping them in a root cellar in her home. I wish I had some of her jars a keepsakes.

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    1. We're having burgers on the grill tonight with our grandsons and I'm going to see how they like them :) Thanks, Pat!

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  12. Your pickles and dilly beans look amazing! You're so lucky to have your moms canning jars. My grandma did lots of canning, but she passed away when I was 8, I would love to have some of her kitchen tools.

    If you have time, check this link out, you'll love it! http://frombeyondmykitchenwindow.blogspot.com/2014/08/condiment-trio.html

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    1. Thank you, Mary! I just checked out the link - I'm so going to make those!

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  13. Homemade pickles are the BEST, Susan. I love cucumber pickles, but those green beans are my favourites.

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    1. I'm pretty excited about the beans too. First time I've tried making them.

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  14. Just beautiful! Having too many dill heads is a wonderful problem to have, unfortunately I've never had luck growing it-enjoy:@)

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    1. Thanks, Lynn! I have to admit I didn't grow it - found it at the farmers' market.

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  15. I love, love dills and eat them very often. Thanks for the delicious recipe. Bookmarked!

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  16. Your pickles all look very good Susan. When I was a kid, the home canned goods were in jars just like your old ones.

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    1. Thank you, Larry! Your mother must have been a wonderful cook too!

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  17. These all look SO gorgeous!! Dill pickles are my favorite and I'd love to learn how to make my own!

    Sues

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  18. I can just imagine the crunch!
    I like Bread and Butter pickles, but haven't made them for some time.
    Re the jars, and your thoughts about who might have used them - I do that too. I look at my collection of old irons and kitchen ware and wonder about the women who used them in their everyday lives.

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  19. Your pickles look like works of art in the pretty jars. It would be fun to know the history of old jars.
    Sam

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  20. Susan, I've never made pickles, even though I like them. And I even have an arsenal of Mason jars collecting dust. But, if I ever take the plunge, your photos will be all the inspiration I need.

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    1. These are so easy, Sol! You should dust off those jars and try it :)

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  21. Your pickles look fantastic and I bet they're delicious! I want to make some this summer and this sounds like a great recipe to use. Have a wonderful week!

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  22. Lovely pickles, they look perfectly crunchy and delicious :D

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

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  23. Sue, your photos are stunning! Thanks for sharing some great tips on how to pickle some veggies.

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  24. I love canning! Your pickles are beautiful :-)

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  25. I can certainly see why your husband would think this pickles are good…love your seasonings.

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  26. Look beautiful Susan! I love yours jars!
    xo

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  27. Hey Susan, all the pickles, beans and zucchini looks great, I wished I lived near you, I love pickles. Never tried pickled beans before but they look delicious! I remember as a child helping my grandmother and mother make pickles, brings back memories! :)

    Recent post - Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

    http://michaelswoodcraft.wordpress.com/2014/08/19/chocolate-peanut-butter-pie/

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  28. Look at these wonderful pickled veggies! so pretty and so delicious - all from your garden!!! wonderful :)
    Mary

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  29. The Beekman's are making pickles too, and I just got done reading the email they sent. Then I see yours :-) Beautiful :-) I've been making the overnight dill pickles as I have an abundance of cukes this year. Enjoy the rest of summer Susan.

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  30. Your mother's old Ball jars are a real treasure, Susan. How lucky you are to have them. I still have a few jars of bread and butter pickles from last year and haven't made dilly beans in years. Thanks for the recipe and the reminder of how good the green beans are.

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  31. Your fun jars make the pickles even more fun. I always think I am going to try pickles again. I was never very successful with them but refrigerator pickles sound like ones I can do. We just started getting cucumbers out of the garden but never enough to can so I may have to buy them. You always make my mouth water and these pickles are doing the trick.
    What beautiful antique jars too. I bought a couple online and have used them for decor too. But to have them from your mom makes them even more special.
    Enjoy!

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  32. HI Susan, I prefer the sweet my husband the dill, he will love me for this, thanks! also love, love the jars, they are so special!

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  33. I'm looking for a sweet pickle recipe if any one has one

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    1. Dawn, check out my recipe for sweet/sour refrigerator pickles here - http://savoringtimeinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2011/08/refrigerator-pickles.html

      They're delicious!

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  34. I have been looking into a variety of pickles for myself. My family loves eating as many pickles as we can eat. I never realized that there were so many options to choose from for pickles. I would love to try some of the other varieties for my home. I cannot wait to find the perfect pickle for myself. https://picklelicious.com/store/shop/kosher-dill-pickles/

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  35. Just finished making these. Never made refrigerator pickles before. Just fermented ones. Now to wait a week :) Thanx

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  36. I look forward to trying your recipe for the sweet as well as the dill pickles & vegetables, thank you!!
    I'm also going to try pickling carrots with your dill recipe! I haven't had home made dill carrots in years so I'm looking forward to it :)

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    1. The carrots sound really good! Hope you enjoy both recipes :)

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