pickles!

I apologize for being MIA lately, but I've been working like crazy -- even at home -- and then Tim was in town for a week and, well, we were so busy I don't think we even really had a chance to relax. We saw UF's amazing series sweep of perennial SEC-dominating Vanderbilt (oh, and UF's win against Tim's eventual PhD alma mater USF), traveled down the Ichetucknee River with friends, celebrated my Dad's 60th birthday, and did a lot of canning. Yes, canning.

I found a great refrigerator pickle recipe several years ago that I used as my entry into the world of preserving veggies and fruits. But since I crave these pickles long after their refrigerator life is over, I decided to try canning them properly this time. If you've ever thought about making your own pickles, I highly recommend trying this recipe -- it's really worth it!


It starts with the cucumbers. You need to use pickling cucumbers that don't have wax on them (that goes for any fruit or veggie you preserve.) We made the annual pilgrimage to Roger's Farm (off of SR 121 on the way to Raiford) to get cucumbers. I use about 2-3 per jar, so I bought 24 cucumbers at 70 cents a pound! (If you're local, you can always get them at Ward's but not nearly as cheap.) I am growing cucumbers in the garden this year, but with the drought and all, they are far from ready. We also picked some strawberries for jam, but more on that in a later post.


I buy about two heads of garlic, since I like to use 3-4 cloves per jar, and a medium dill plant so I can keep making these all summer. You have to cut off the ends of the cucumbers so they'll fit in the jars, and I like to cut them into wedges so they're easier to eat right away.


This recipe makes about 7 pint-sized jars of pickles. The jars are reusable, as are the rings, but the lids must be replaced with every batch. For refrigerator pickles, you can sterilize the jars in hot water in the sink. If you plan on canning them, sterilize them in boiling water in the canner for 10 minutes before laying them on a towel to cool briefly before filling them.

pen loves paper's Garlic Dill Pickles

2 heads of garlic, about 3-4 cloves per jar, broken into cloves and peeled
1 bunch fresh dill, about 4-5 sprigs per jar
21 pickling cucumbers, washed with the ends cut off and sliced lengthwise into spears
2 1/3 cup water
3 2/3 cup white-wine vinegar (look for large bottles at specialty food stores like Fresh Market)
1/3 cup sea salt
2 teasp pickling spices
1 teasp dill seeds
1 teasp whole black peppercorns

Combine the water, vinegar, salt, and other spices in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil on high for 3 minutes. Leave to cool. Begin to sterilize the jars.

Pack the cucumbers 2/3 full in each jar. Add the fresh dill sprigs and garlic throughout each jar, then wedge in as many cucumbers as possible until it's full. Don't let the spears go above the lower lip of the jar.

Pour the cooled mixture over the cucumbers to cover by 1/2 inch. Seal the jars and label. Store in the refrigerator for 3 weeks before eating. Use in 2-3 months. Alternatively, seal the jars and process in the canner for 10 minutes. Rest the jars on a towel to cool to room temperature. Label and store in a cool place from 3 weeks to up to one year.