These have the taste of the classic barrel-aged dill pickle of a Jewish deli, bursting with a nice boost of salt and a naturally-created tanginess. Cucumbers are the classic, but by all means, try this with green, unripened tomatoes or Brussels sprouts. And feel free to add additional flavorings such as celery seed, ajwain seed, cumin seed, dill seed, juniper, or whole mustard seeds.
Ingredients
About 2 pounds small Kirby, Persian or other small pickling cucumbers
¼ cup kosher salt (or about 50 grams)
3 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
1-2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
One bunch fresh dill
Instructions
First, prepare the cucumbers. Scrub them really well, particularly the root ends, as these can leave your pickles soggy.
Place the garlic, pepper, and dill in the bottom of a large glass jar or crock, and stack in the cucumbers. Pack them in as tightly as you can without bruising.
Meanwhile, in a separate pitcher, combine the salt with 1 quart of water until it makes a cloudy brine.
Pour the brine over the cucumbers until they are completely covered in liquid (even if it means mixing up a second batch of brine). The vegetables will want to float: dissuade them from doing so by adding weight (such as a bag full of water over a drop lid) at the top of the jar to fully submerge them.
Cover loosely with a kitchen towel to let air in and keep debris out. Let the jar or crock sit in a cool, dark place.
After a few days, you will start to notice some small natural fermentation bubbles and a “pickled” aroma; this is good. You may also see mold spores or slime on top; remove them and discard, and keep checking for their reappearance very few days. Taste after 7-14 days (vegetables will ferment faster in warmer weather, and larger vegetable take longer to ferment). Feel free to let your pickles go longer if you’d like them to get more sour and tender (however, note that they will also continue to sour, albeit more slowly, in the fridge). Many people let them go for months for a really tangy taste.
When they are ready to eat, either cover tightly or transfer to jars with lids and refrigerate. Be sure to evenly distribute the liquid with the solids (and if you need more liquid, mix up another batch of brine). These will keep refrigerated for several months. However, note that the flavor and the texture will continue to evolve, and that your pickles will be at their best after being refrigerated for about a week.
Notes
Time: About 1-3 weeks
These pickles should not be canned.
Recipe by Karen Solomon - Editor, Writer, On-page SEO, Content Marketing at https://ksolomon.com/kosher-dill-pickle-recipe/