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| Probably should have blurred out "Ba-Tampte" logo. These are indeed my own pickles. Your best bet, however, is to buy yourself some good Mason-style jars. |
Making pickles at home isn't really as hard as you might think, if you're doing "quick pickles." These are basically just cucumbers (or other veg) that are soaked in a vinegary brine and put in the fridge for several days until at their peak. On the other hand, making real deal fermented pickles is a bit of a project; you need canning materials, you need precise measurements, and you need time.
Here's how I do a batch of quick dill pickles. Rather than pouring a boiling hot brine over cucumbers in a jar, I dip the cucumbers in hot water to clean them, then fill the jar with a cold brine - credit goes to one of the cooks at my restaurant for that tip! This recipe goes by the jar (about four small cucumbers). A large jar with a tightly sealing lid is essential.
Equipment:
One jar + lid
Tongs
Ice bath (large metal bowl filled with ice and water)
A clean saucepan filled halfway with water
Measuring cup
Pickle Stuff:
Four pickling cucumbers (smaller sized, with a bumpy, thick-ish skin)
Full tablespoon of pickling salt (or you can be like me and just use Kosher salt)
Cold water
Cheap white vinegar (trust me, don't use any other type)
A few peppercorns
A few allspice cloves
A sprig of dill, rinsed
One small garlic clove, coarse chopped or lightly smacked
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
One bay leaf torn into a few pieces
A tiny dash of sugar (1/4 tsp) or a dash of agave nectar
Process:
1. Chop the tips off of cucumbers on both sides. Cut into desired shape (spears, halves, chips).
2. Start bringing water in saucepan to a boil. Once rapidly boiling, bring heat down a bit just to keep it bubbling.
3. Using tongs, place jar and lid into water for a couple minutes to sanitize.
4. Remove jar and lid, using tongs, and place onto a counter to cool.
5. Pour salt, dill, sugar, garlic, and spices into jar. Spoon a bit of hot water into the jar to dissolve salt.
6. Mix 2/5 vinegar to 3/5 cold water in a measuring cup - enough to fill about 1/4 of the jar. Pour this mixture into the jar.
7. Take cucumber pieces, and gently drop into bubbling hot water. Let them sit for about 30 seconds, to kill any bacteria.
8. Using tongs, remove cucumbers and place into ice bath. Swirl 'em around to chill 'em.
9. Place all cucumbers into jar.
10. Using your best estimate, mix 2/5 vinegar to 3/5 cold water again into measuring cup, so that it's enough to fill the jar to the top, covering all cucumber pieces.
11. Tightly seal the lid and, standing over the sink, hold the jar upside down to allow salt and spices to mix, then bring back right-side up.
12. Store pickles in fridge. They'll taste best after about one week.
