DILL PICKLES
Tips for Making Dill Pickles at Home
Choose the Right Cucumbers: Look for small to medium-sized cucumbers that are firm and crisp.
Use Fresh Dill: Fresh dill is key to achieving that quintessential dill pickle flavour. Use generously, both the fronds and the seed heads. If you can’t find fresh dill, you can substitute with dried dill, although the taste may vary.
The Brine is Everything: A simple brine of water, vinegar (white or apple cider), salt and sugar is essential. Balance the vinegar to water ratio according to your taste preference; if you like it tangier, add more vinegar.
Add Flavorful Extras: Experiment with spices. Garlic cloves, mustard seeds, peppercorns, and red pepper flakes can add depth to your pickles. Toss in a couple of bay leaves for a lovely touch.
Sterilise Your Jars: Properly sterilised jars prevent spoilage and ensure your pickles last. You can sterilise by boiling them in hot water or running them through a dishwasher cycle without detergent.
Refrigerate for Quick Pickles: If you're looking for a fast pickle fix, the refrigerator method is for you! Let your jars sit in the fridge for at least 24 hours before diving in; they'll taste even better after a few days.
Experiment with Fermentation: If you’re feeling adventurous, you can ferment your pickles instead of using vinegar brine! This method adds a delicious tang and probiotic benefits. Just be sure to follow proper fermentation techniques.
DILL PICKLES
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DILL PICKLES 〰️
8 small cucumbers
30gm dill, washed
1 table spoon mustard seeds
1 table spoon whole black peppercorns
1 table spoon coriander seeds, optional
8 garlic cloves, peeled**
1 cup white vinegar
1.5 cups cold water
1/4 cup caster sugar
2 table spoons salt
Grab your largest heat resistant jar and tightly pack the cucumbers into it. If you don’t have a big enough jar for whole cucumbers you can cut the cucumbers into quarters long ways to fit down, or just cut the cucumbers into slices and fill up a jar with them.
Add in to the jar the fresh dill whole, mustard seeds, black peppercorns, coriander seeds and garlic.
In a small pot add vinegar, water, sugar and salt, place on high heat and bring to a super high simmer. Once the high rolling simmer is hit, pour the hot solution into the jar and make sure it fills to the top. Quickly close the lid on top tightly and then turn the pickled jar upside down. This helps seal the top and gives everything a chance to move and get touched by the solution. Leave at room temperature until its completely cool down.
Once the pick jar has cooled turn right side up and pop into he fridge for minimum a couple of hours. Enjoy the pickles from the fridge whenever you like.
Homemade pickles tend to last up to around 4 weeks, but just keep an eye when you open the jar. Common traits of homemade pickles going off are as follows…
Unpleasant Smell: If your pickles emit a foul or sour odour that's different from their usual tangy scent, it's a sign they may have spoiled.
Change in Colour: Fresh pickles should have a vibrant colour. If they turn dull or develop dark spots, it’s time to toss them.
Bubbling or Foaming: Bubbles on the surface or a foamy layer indicate fermentation gone wrong. This is a clear sign of spoilage.
Mould: Any signs of mould on the surface or within the jar means your pickles are no longer safe to eat. garlic going blue as mentioned before is completely normal.
Slimy Texture: If your pickles feel slimy to the touch, this is a definite red flag for spoilage.
Unusual Taste: A sour, off, or overly fermented taste compared to your original flavour profile signals that your pickles have gone bad.
**IMPORTANT NOTE that if your garlic turns blue DO NOT WORRY. When garlic is pickled, it can sometimes turn blue, which is a curious phenomenon. This colour change is primarily due to a reaction between the sulfur compounds in garlic and the acids used in pickling, particularly if vinegar is involved.
Garlic contains alliin and when crushed or chopped, it transforms into allicin, which is responsible for its characteristic flavour and aroma. In the presence of an acid, the amino acids in garlic, specifically alliin, can react with trace amounts of copper that may be present in the soil, in the water, or even in the tools used to chop the garlic.
This reaction leads to the formation of complexes that can result in those lovely blue or green hues. It’s completely harmless and does not affect the flavour or safety of the garlic. So, if you find some funky-looking pickled garlic, don’t fret! It’s just garlic having a little fun with its colour palette.