Dill pickles canning is a great way to use homegrown cucumbers. The variety of recipes for dill pickles makes it simple to find a family favorite. Recipes with measured spices can be customized to taste. Using prepackaged pickling spice mixes is an easy way to get consistent results or to try canning for the first time. Refrigerator dill pickle recipes require no special canning supplies or equipment.
Refrigerator Dill Pickle Recipes
Making refrigerator dill pickles is the simplest way to create pickles from cucumbers. Pickles made in the refrigerator do not need to be processed with hot water so no special canning equipment is needed. In fact, refrigerator dill pickles can be made in any lidded container, according to Brenda McClain in “Refrigerator Pickles” in the August/September 2010 Organic Gardening magazine. Another advantage to refrigerator pickles is that they stay crisp since they are never heated.
Refrigerator dill pickles can be sweeter or more like kosher dill pickles. Audrey’s Pickles, featured in Organic Gardening, use garlic, black peppercorns, whole mustard seed, fresh dill weed, bay leaves and brown sugar. Pickles take 24 to 48 hours to develop their flavor. These pickles must be stored in refrigerator, where they last for up to 3 months.
Ball Canning Recipes
The Ball Blue Book (Jardin Home Brands, 2009) is the definitive authority on home canning. This book includes basic canning instructions, and recipes for canning pickles, tomatoes, vegetables and meat. Recipes for jerky and dehydrated food are included as well. To can pickles, certain types of canning equipment are needed, like canning jars with lids and bands and a boiling water canner.
The Ball Blue Book includes several different types of pickles and relishes. Canning pickles does not have to be time consuming or difficult. The hamburger dill recipe, for example, includes the use of cider vinegar, garlic, black peppercorns, mustard seed and fresh dill. Kosher dill variations include garlic and hot peppers. Cucumbers are washed and cut then packed into hot jars. The vinegar, water and spices are boiled and then the bands and lids are placed on the jars. Pickles are processed for 15 minutes in the boiling-water canner. This is a relatively simple process when using the proper home canning equipment.
Using Prepackaged Pickling Spices
Those who want to experiment with home canning but who may be nervous to try a complicated recipe may want to experiment with using prepackaged pickling spice mixes. Using packaged spices takes the guesswork out of measuring spices and offers consistent results. Mrs. Wages Kosher Dill Pickles Quick Process Pickle Mix uses just white vinegar, water, cucumbers and the mix.
The Ball website offers different ways to use Ball Simple Creations Kosher Dill Pickle Mix for canning kosher pickles or garlic pickles and making refrigerator pickles. In these recipes the prepackaged mixes are one component of homemade pickles. Both Mrs. Wages and Ball sell kosher dill pickle mixes in stores and online.
Making pickles from cucumbers is a great way to use homegrown cucumbers and preserve the harvest. Refrigerator pickles are the easiest type of dill pickles to make and do not require using any canning equipment or techniques. Using packaged spice mixes to make kosher dill pickles can be a great first step into canning and yields consistent results each time. Canning recipes offer variety and the ability to customize the flavors and spices for personal taste.
For more articles on home gardening, read “How to Deal with Too Many Fruits and Vegetables from the Garden” and “ How to Save Money When Starting a Vegetable Garden.” For more recipes, read "Fourth of July Cakes and Red, White and Blue Desserts" or “Tex-Mex Barbecue Uses Deer Meat.”
Genna Cockerham - Genna Cockerham has been writing online since November 2008. She served as Marriage Feature Writer from December 2008 to February ...
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