Dill Pickles 2016

Notes - need another 1/2 lb of cucumbers and 1/2 of the brine. 

DILL PICKLE CHIPS

PREP 25 minutes
SALT 3 hours
COOK 30 minutes
PROCESS 30 minutes
YIELD four 1-pint jars

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS The savory cousins of bread and butter pickles, these iconic pickle chips are tart and full of unmistakable dill flavor. To give our chips their characteristic punch, we found dill seed and fresh dill to be the best combination. Mustard seeds and garlic added heat, while a bit of sugar balanced the acidity of the apple cider vinegar. We knew from our other pickle recipes that it can be difficult to preserve the crunch, so we used the same method: We salted our cucumbers for several hours to draw out water and then packed the raw slices into our jars, along with a bit of Ball Pickle Crisp, before covering them with hot brine. We processed the cucumber slices using the low-temperature pasteurization method, maintaining them in a hot-water bath at 180 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes to produce crisp pickles.

2½ pounds pickling cucumbers, ends trimmed, sliced ¼ inch thick
2 tablespoons canning and pickling salt (click here)
2 cups chopped dill plus 4 large sprigs
3 cups cider vinegar
3 cups water
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
2 teaspoons dill seeds
½teaspoon Ball Pickle Crisp
4 garlic cloves, peeled and quartered

1. Toss cucumbers with salt in bowl and refrigerate for 3 hours. Drain cucumbers in colander (do not rinse), then pat dry with paper towels.

2. Bundle chopped dill in cheesecloth and secure with kitchen twine. Bring dill sachet, vinegar, water, sugar, mustard seeds, and dill seeds to boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cover, remove from heat, and let steep for 15 minutes; discard sachet.

3. Meanwhile, set canning rack in large pot, place four 1-pint jars in rack, and add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to simmer over medium-high heat, then turn off heat and cover to keep hot.
4. Place dish towel flat on counter. Using jar lifter, remove jars from pot, draining water back into pot. Place jars upside down on towel and let dry for 1 minute. Add ⅛ teaspoon Pickle Crisp to each hot jar, then pack tightly with dill sprigs, garlic, and drained cucumbers.

5. Return brine to brief boil. Using funnel and ladle, pour hot brine over cucumbers to cover, distributing spices evenly and leaving ½ inch headspace. Slide wooden skewer along inside of jar, pressing slightly on vegetables to remove air bubbles, and add extra brine as needed.

6. For long-term storage: While jars are warm, wipe rims clean, add lids, and screw on rings until fingertip-tight; do not overtighten. Before processing jars, heat water in canning pot to temperature between 120 and 140 degrees. Lower jars into water, bring water to 180 to 185 degrees, then cook for 30 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain water between 180 and 185 degrees. Remove jars from pot and let cool for 24 hours. Remove rings, check seal, and clean rims. (Sealed jars can be stored for up to 1 year.)

DOUBLE IT
Double all ingredients and use larger pot when making brine; processing time will remain the same.
DILL PICKLE SPEARS
After trimming both ends from cucumbers, quarter cucumbers lengthwise and cut into 4-inch- long spears. Pack cucumber spears vertically into jars; salting and processing times will remain the same.

From - Foolproof Preserving