Homemade Refrigerator Dill Pickles

Once you make your own dill pickles, you'll wonder why you ever bought them at the grocery store!

 

My pickles!

What wasn't to like about Aunt Bee from The Andy Griffith Show?  Remember her, and the "Pickle Story" episode from way back in the early 60’s?   (Most of you probably weren't even born then!)

Aunt Bee's pickle

Aunt Bee is a wonderful cook, except that she can't seem to make a tasty pickle.  No one wants to hurt her feelings and tell her that her homemade pickles are the worst ~ they taste like they float in kerosene.
  
This puts into motion, 'operation pickle switch’:   Andy, Barney, and Opie come up with the brilliant idea of substituting good store-bought pickles for her horrible homemade ones.  

Opie, Barney & Andy in "operation pickle switch"

Naturally, Aunt Bee thinks these pickles are the best she’s ever made, and decides to enter them in the country fair.  She's sure they’re worthy of a blue ribbon.

Hearing this news, Andy and the guys know it would be unfair to the other contestants if Aunt Bee won.  The only solution is for them to eat all 8 quarts of pickles before the contest, causing Aunt Bee to make another batch of her own for the contest. 

Here’s some fun pickle facts:

• 26 billion pickles are packed each year in the U.S.  That’s about 9 pounds of pickles per person.
• Amerigo Vespucci, for whom America is named, was a pickle merchant before becoming an explorer.  
• In September 2000, when the Philadelphia Eagles thrashed the Dallas Cowboys in sweltering heat, the Eagles avoided cramping by guzzling pickle juice prior to and during the game.  By the time the game was over, everyone agreed it had worked very well.  It is now referred to as the “The Pickle Juice Game."
• (As a note, my mother drank pickle juice to relieve leg cramps after her  doctor advised her of this many years ago.)
• “Pickle Polka” is the theme song of Pickle Packers International.
• Approximately 20% of pickles are sold refrigerated.
• Dill pickles are the most popular pickle.
• The phrase “in a pickle” was first introduced by Shakespeare in his play, The Tempest.  The quote reads, “How cam’st thou in this pickle?” and “I have been in such a pickle."
• The noise that’s made when a pickle is bit into is called the “snap."
• A good snap can be heard from 25 feet away.

Should you make these pickles, you'll hear the snap!

The farmers’ market had an abundance of Kirby cucumbers waiting to be pickled.  A few cucumbers, some canning jars, and the following recipe was all I needed...

Most importantly, use either Kirby or pickling cucumbers.  They’re short and squat and make great crisp pickles.  Begin with  cutting the tip off the blossom end, or both ends of the cucumber, like I do.

Slice them into strips or however you like them, and stuff them into sterile jars.  Make the brine, chill it, and pour over the cucumbers, dividing equally.  Seal well, refrigerate and let them set for at least a day before eating.

Hope you like them!

Yield: 4-5 quartsAuthor: Pam

Homemade Refrigerator Dill Pickles

These dill pickles are tasty with a great snap!

Ingredients:

3 pounds Kirby cucumbers, (about 14 small to medium), slice each into quarters
1½ cups distilled white vinegar
4 tablespoons kosher salt
1½ tablespoons sugar
5 cups water
6-10 dill sprigs
9 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 teaspoon dill seed
½ teaspoon coriander seed
1½ tablespoons peppercorns

Instructions:

Wash cucumbers in cold water, slice into quarters, drain.
Combine vinegar, salt and sugar in a stainless steel or teflon pan over high heat.
Whisk until the salt and sugar is dissolved.
Transfer to a large bowl and whisk in the cold water.
Refrigerate brine until ready to use.
Stuff the cucumbers into four or five 1-quart jars, add dill sprigs.
Combine garlic, and spices in a small bowl.
Divide the mixture equally among the jars.
Fill jars with chilled brine; If necessary, add a a bit of cold water to the jars until the brine covers the cucumbers.
Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Pickles will keep in the refrigerator for up to one month. 

Enjoy!