Dill Pickle Improv
September 15th, 2010 · No Comments · Posted in garden
How do you like to flavor your pickles?
In the world of pickling, you are either fermenting your vegetables in a salt brine or you are preserving them with vinegar. How you flavor your pickles leaves a world of options.
Vinegar pickles are far easier. No need to find a crock for your cucumbers or monitor their progress as your bacteria friends transform them. Vinegar pickles also last much longer, typically, than those kosher-style dills, although we would never think of serving anything but a homemade pickle-barrel pickle with our favorite corned beef.
Still, I’ve had trouble finding a vinegar pickle recipe I really like. I’ve tasted a lot of great vinegar pickles, but now I’m convinced that the makers are using their own secret formulae, not the ones you typically find in pickling books designed for home cooks. Thus, I’ve thrown caution to the wind and started making pickles freehand. For my latest (and last) batch of dill pickles of the season, I used a traditional brine recipe–1 1/4 cups cider vinegar, 1 1/2 cups water, 1/8 cup pickling salt–and then my personalized spices: garlic cloves, dill seed, peppercorns, red poblano peppers.
To make three quarts of pickles, place two crushed garlic cloves in each quart jar, along with 1/2 teapoon dill seed, 6 black peppercorns and 1 small red pepper (your choice), halved. Slice cucumbers into quarters and pack the jars. Meanwhile, bring the brine ingredients to a boil in a saucepan, stir to dissolve the salt, then pour into the jars, leaving about 1/2 inch headroom. Seal the jars according to manufacturer’s instructions and process in boiling water for 10 minutes.
The only problem with these pickles is you won’t know the results until you open the jars again months from now and taste them. Be sure to keep notes for next year.
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