I wanted to share a recipe that I concocted when experimenting with my fresh produce this summer. I have had a few bountiful harvests so far this summer - my tomatoes are growing like crazy, as are my cucumbers, beans and green peppers.
Aside from pickles this summer; I have made dilled green beans, salsa and brushcetta; and I have frozen about a dozen freezer bags full of diced tomatoes.
After processing in a hot water bath, all of my preserves are shelf stable for up to one year.
Bread and Butter Dill Pickles
Ingredients:
1 large vidalia onion, thinly sliced
8-10 cups of thinly sliced cucumbers, ends removed (about 12-16 medium)
4 cups white vinegar
1.5 cups white sugar
4 cups water
2 tbsp pickling spice mix
1 tbsp mustard seed
1 tbsp dill seed
3 heads of fresh dill chopped
1/2 cup coarse pickling salt
Directions:
Slice the cucumbers and onions thinly and set aside in a large bowl.
In a large saucepan combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, mustard seed, pickling spice, dill seed and fresh dill. Heat to boiling, whisking occasionally. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Set aside.
Sterilize mason jars in boiling water for 5 minutes, or run them through a regular cycle on your dishwasher.
Pack cucumbers and onions into hot jars. Using a ladel, cover the produce with the pickling solution, leaving 1/2 inch head space from the top of the jar. Remove any air bubbles with a non-metallic utensil.
Add sealing discs and rings, and secure until finger tight. Do not over tighten.
Process in a large stock pot of boiling water for 15 minutes, or a pressurized boiling water canner for 5 minutes. The timer should be starting from the time the water has come to a full rolling boil.
Remove jars with tongs and let sit undisturbed for 24 hours. Test the sealing of the jars with your fingertip. The sealing ring shouldn't pop up and down. If it does, your jar is not sealed and will need to be refrigerated.
Because the cucumbers vary in size, this recipe will yeild between 6 and 8 jars (500ml) of pickles.
Aside from pickles this summer; I have made dilled green beans, salsa and brushcetta; and I have frozen about a dozen freezer bags full of diced tomatoes.
After processing in a hot water bath, all of my preserves are shelf stable for up to one year.
Bread and Butter Dill Pickles
Ingredients:
1 large vidalia onion, thinly sliced
8-10 cups of thinly sliced cucumbers, ends removed (about 12-16 medium)
4 cups white vinegar
1.5 cups white sugar
4 cups water
2 tbsp pickling spice mix
1 tbsp mustard seed
1 tbsp dill seed
3 heads of fresh dill chopped
1/2 cup coarse pickling salt
Directions:
Slice the cucumbers and onions thinly and set aside in a large bowl.
In a large saucepan combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, mustard seed, pickling spice, dill seed and fresh dill. Heat to boiling, whisking occasionally. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Set aside.
Sterilize mason jars in boiling water for 5 minutes, or run them through a regular cycle on your dishwasher.
Pack cucumbers and onions into hot jars. Using a ladel, cover the produce with the pickling solution, leaving 1/2 inch head space from the top of the jar. Remove any air bubbles with a non-metallic utensil.
Add sealing discs and rings, and secure until finger tight. Do not over tighten.
Process in a large stock pot of boiling water for 15 minutes, or a pressurized boiling water canner for 5 minutes. The timer should be starting from the time the water has come to a full rolling boil.
Remove jars with tongs and let sit undisturbed for 24 hours. Test the sealing of the jars with your fingertip. The sealing ring shouldn't pop up and down. If it does, your jar is not sealed and will need to be refrigerated.
Because the cucumbers vary in size, this recipe will yeild between 6 and 8 jars (500ml) of pickles.
Comments