Homemade Canned Dill Pickles

Step 1

Clean mason jars and lids with soap and water, then dip in a large pot of boiling water to completely sanitize jars and lids. Carefully remove from boiling water and set on clean towels to dry.

Step 2

Wash and rinse the cucumbers. Trim off the ends of the cucumbers, to remove the enzyme in the cucumbers that promote softening. This will keep your pickles crisp and crunchy!

Step 3

If your cucumbers are larger, cut them down to size, so they can easily fit into your jars.

Step 4

To each jar, add: 1 tsp dill seeds, ½ tsp mustard seeds, 1 clove garlic and 4 whole peppercorns. Divide the prepared cucumbers between the jars, packing them as tightly as possible.

Step 5

In a medium size pot, combine 2 cups of water, 1 ½ cups white vinegar, 2 tbsp pickling salt and 1 tbsp sugar. Heat over medium-high heat until the mixture boils and sugar and salt is dissolved.

Step 6

Pour hot mixture into prepared jars, leaving just ½" of headspace (to the top). Place on lids and hand tighten, but not too tight.

Step 7

Prepare a large stock pot, fitted with a rack on the bottom, and fill with water. Bring water to a rolling boil. Carefully add the jars, making sure they are submerged under water, and let them boil for 10 minutes.

Step 8

Bubbles will escape from the jars, this is normal! Carefully remove the jars from the boiling water and set aside on a cooling rack. You might hear a loud POP from the lids as they seal, this is normal.

Step 9

Let the pickles sit for at least 12 to 24 hours, before pushing down on the lid to test if it's sealed. If for some reason, the lid did not seal, place pickles in the fridge and enjoy within 7 days. If sealed, the pickles are shelf stable and can be enjoyed within 1 year (refrigerate after opening).