A quick and easy, small-batch recipe for dill pickle chips that can be enjoyed either as fresh, unprocessed pickles or processed for longer shelf life.
Course Preserves
Cuisine American
Keyword Pickles
Prep Time 30 minutesminutes
Cook Time 10 minutesminutes
Total Time 40 minutesminutes
Servings 2pints
Author Elizabeth at thewildolive.org
Ingredients
2sterilized pint canning jars with new lids
4cupsof sliced Persian or Pickling Cucumbers
1tsp.dried dillweeddivided
For the Brine:
1Tbsp.plus 2 tsp. pickling salt
2Tbsp.plus 2 tsp. sugar
1cupwhite vinegar
1cupwater
2clovesgarliclightly crushed
1tsp.dill seeds
1tspwhole black peppercorns
1/2tsp.red pepper flakesoptional
1/2tsp.turmericoptional
1bayleaf
Instructions
Make the Brine
Add all the brine ingredients to a stainless steel or other non-reactive pan (i.e. not aluminum or cast iroand bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes. Turn off heat and allow mixture to steep while you prep the cukes and fill the sterilized jars.
Prep the Cukes
Remove a small amount from both ends of each cucumber. Using a sharp knife or a mandoline, slice the cukes into 1/4" thick rounds. You will need about a pound of Persian cukes for this recipe. However, buy a few more - it's always better to have more than you need than not enough!
Fill the Jars
Arrange the cucumber slices neatly in the jars, packing tightly, but leaving a good amount of room for the brine. Sprinkle a 1/2 tsp. of dill weed on top of each jar.
Process the Pickles
You can enjoy these pickles two ways: as "fresh" pickles or traditional pickles.
For fresh pickles
Strain the slightly cooled brine into a quart glass measuring cup. Pour strained brine over sliced cukes in jars. Place lids on jars and seal. Pop your pickles in the fridge and consume them within a week or two.
For longer storage (traditional pickles)
Reheat the brine to simmering-hot before straining, then strain into a quart glass measuring cup. Pour strained, hot brine in jars, leaving half an inch of space at the top. Seal and process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 mins. Turn off heat, but leave jars in water a few minutes to cool a bit. Carefully remove jars and cool on a rack. Make sure jars seal properly before storing. If they don't seal, you can still eat the pickles. Just refrigerate them immediately and eat within a week or two.