Oh my gosh! I made dill pickles!

I grew some dill this year and accidentally let some go to seed.  I put two big seed pods and some sliced garlic down in the bottom of a sterilized two quart jar.  I also put in a couple of allspice seed then filled the jar with sliced chunks of English cucumber, it took 2 1/2 to fill up the jar.  I threw in a black tea bag (the tannin keeps the cukes from going mushy, then I made a brine of 3 tablespoons of sea salt per quart of water.  Make sure all cukes are submerged then closed jar.  Burp the jar (open it briefly, then close it) daily.  Keep in a cool dark place (I have a deep kitchen drawer).  By day three, they tasted pretty good.  By day 6 they tasted perfect and I put them in the fridge to stop the fermentation.

I’ve finally solved the dill pickle dilemma!

I grew some dill this year and accidentally let some go to seed.  I put two big seed pods and some sliced garlic down in the bottom of a sterilized two quart jar.  I also put in a couple of allspice seed then filled the jar with sliced chunks of English cucumber, it took 2 1/2 to fill up the jar.  I threw in a black tea bag (the tannin keeps the cukes from going mushy, then I made a brine of 3 tablespoons of sea salt per quart of water.  Make sure all cukes are submerged then closed jar.  Burp the jar (open it briefly, then close it) daily.  Keep in a cool dark place (I have a deep kitchen drawer).  By day three, they tasted pretty good.  By day 6 they tasted perfect and I put them in the fridge to stop the fermentation.

I’ve finally solved the dill pickle dilemma!

Oh, well done Katoo! 

Oh, well done Katoo! 

I put some on cheeseburgers last night.  Tasted like home.

I put some on cheeseburgers last night.  Tasted like home.

 

I mean no disrespect, but when you say "perfect" and "like home", do you mean they tasted like the Vlasic dills like you'd put on burgers (as you did!), or more like the garlicky deli pickle like Claussen?  I have a very strong preference for one over the other, so I need to know what my efforts would produce before I try this.

Either way, well done!  Maybe I can stop buying Polish pickles from Tesco!

I mean no disrespect, but when you say "perfect" and "like home", do you mean they tasted like the Vlasic dills like you'd put on burgers (as you did!), or more like the garlicky deli pickle like Claussen?  I have a very strong preference for one over the other, so I need to know what my efforts would produce before I try this.

Either way, well done!  Maybe I can stop buying Polish pickles from Tesco!

More like vlasic.  I can taste the garlic, but it’s subtle.  They aren’t crunchy like clausen.  Really good hamburger dills.

They won’t last long.  My husband, who I didn’t even know really liked American dills, is eating a handful a day.  I will definitely make them again.

More like vlasic.

This is exactly what I wanted to hear!  I know you had fresh dill seed, but can I just use jarred dill seed?

They won’t last long.  My husband, who I didn’t even know really liked American dills, is eating a handful a day.  I will definitely make them again.

My husband never noticed sugar in pickles before I came along and said "Ew, blech!"  But he notices it now, and he's been helping me in my quest to find affordable proper pickles.  Dawtona's Soured Gherkins are the best we've found so far.  They're close.  But Vlasic are still better.

I make "pickle salad" instead of tuna salad, so named because my sister was watching me dice Vlasic dill pickles to put in, and was all "There's not going to be room for the tuna with all those pickles in it!" but then she tried it and loved it.  When I made it over here the first time (using very expensive pickles from Amazon), my husband was an instant convert.  He didn't like tuna salad before.  But now he actually asks for pickle salad.

Oh!  I taught him about smashburgers with cheese (American cheese singles), mayo and pickles (Vlasic sandwich stackers), too.  He's a big fan.  I make all the best junk food. 

This is exactly what I wanted to hear!  I know you had fresh dill seed, but can I just use jarred dill seed?

My husband never noticed sugar in pickles before I came along and said "Ew, blech!"  But he notices it now, and he's been helping me in my quest to find affordable proper pickles.  Dawtona's Soured Gherkins are the best we've found so far.  They're close.  But Vlasic are still better.

I make "pickle salad" instead of tuna salad, so named because my sister was watching me dice Vlasic dill pickles to put in, and was all "There's not going to be room for the tuna with all those pickles in it!" but then she tried it and loved it.  When I made it over here the first time (using very expensive pickles from Amazon), my husband was an instant convert.  He didn't like tuna salad before.  But now he actually asks for pickle salad.

Oh!  I taught him about smashburgers with cheese (American cheese singles), mayo and pickles (Vlasic sandwich stackers), too.  He's a big fan.  I make all the best junk food. 

If I didn’t have fresh dill heads, I’d use seed and probably some sprigs of fresh dill weed, too.  By the way, the burping is important.  These do ferment.  Try it, I think you will like them.  And it’s cheap!  Next batch I’m gonna make with small cucumbers.  I found them at the Indian market.