In just a few minutes, you can assemble a spicy jar of garlic and dill quick pickles that taste fresher, crunchier, and infinitely better than anything you’ll find sitting on a grocery store shelf. Just layer, cover with brine, shake, and let the fridge work its magic for a few hours. These spicy quick-pickled dill cucumbers with garlic will stay fresh for up to a week in the fridge, that is, assuming they even make it past day one. No fancy canning equipment and no melting over a hot stove in the middle of summer.
I’ve spoken here several times before about the evil nature of cucumbers and how the lil’ buggers are constantly out to get me. For some odd reason, cucumbers just don’t seem to like me. And unfortunately, for me, I just so happen to like them a whole heck of a lot. And, y’all, when it comes to pickled cucumbers, well, I think it’s safe to say that I adore them on a whole other level. To me, they are just the best dang thing ever. After mustard and pretzels, of course. Thankfully, they aren’t as against me as straight-up cucumbers, but yes, there are still times when even they just don’t want to sign up to be my friend. But this summer, I’m choosing to ignore their hostility. So what if they don’t want to be besties? I’m gonna scarf those lil’ suckers down anyway. I mean, seriously, what’s the worst that could happen? A little side cramping, an upset tummy, maybe a few minutes of discomfort. For these quick pickles, I’m willing to sacrifice.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 Cup White Wine Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
- 1 Tablespoon + 2 Teaspoons Granulated Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Mustard Seeds
- 3/4 to 1 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (See Suggestions)
- 3 to 4 Small Pickling Cucumbers
- 6 Whole Garlic Cloves, Peeled & Smashed
- 6 Sprigs of Fresh Dill
- Cold Water
Directions:
- In a glass measuring cup, measure the white wine vinegar. Whisk the salt, sugar, mustard seeds, and crushed red pepper flakes into the white wine vinegar; set aside.
- Rinse the cucumbers under cold running water to remove any dirt or debris. With a sharp knife, slice the cucumbers into thin or thick rounds, depending on your preference.
- Place 1/3 of the sliced cucumbers in the bottom of a clean, large canning jar. Add two cloves of garlic and 2 sprigs of fresh dill. Repeat this layering with the next 1/3 of the sliced cucumbers, then the final 1/3.
- Whisk the white wine vinegar brine mixture again, and then pour it into the jar of sliced cucumbers.
- Fill the jar with cold water almost to the top, making sure to cover all the cucumbers but leaving a little headspace.
- Place a lid on the jar, then tighten the rim. Make sure the lid is tight, then shake the jar several times so the seasoned brine is evenly distributed throughout the sliced cucumbers.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before eating.
Suggestions:
- Use a clean jar, lid, and rim for this recipe. They do not need to be sterilized in boiling water because these pickles will only be refrigerated for a week, but you still want to ensure everything is as clean as possible. I suggest running the jar, lid, and rim through the dishwasher before use. If you don’t have a large canning jar, you can always use a clean jar and lid from a store-bought jar of spaghetti sauce. It will be approximately the same size.
- Small firm cucumbers work best for this recipe. You can slice them thick or thin. I prefer to slice them thick, so that they have more crunch.
- After you peel the garlic cloves, smash them with the flat side of a knife. This will help release their garlicky flavor into the brine.
- Use fresh dill for this recipe. There is no substitute, and using dry dill isn’t an option. Pinch off the large tough stems before use; they will just take up space in the jar.
- For spicy pickles, add 3/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes to the pickling brine. For really spicy pickles, add 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes to the pickling brine. And if you don’t want any spice, simply leave it out.
- These pickles will last in the fridge for up to one week. Keep in mind that they will lose their crunch over time.
Improvements:
- You can use the pickled garlic cloves from this recipe in any recipe that calls for garlic.
- Use these pickles to make a sandwich with this Dill Pickle Shredded Rotisserie Chicken Salad.
- Replace one or two cucumbers with thinly sliced yellow or red onion.
- Make this Dill Pickle & Mustard Seed Cream Cheese Spread using these pickled cucumbers.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 Cup White Wine Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
- 1 Tablespoon + 2 Teaspoons Granulated Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Mustard Seeds
- 3/4 to 1 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (See Suggestions)
- 3 to 4 Small Pickling Cucumbers
- 6 Whole Garlic Cloves, Peeled & Smashed
- 6 Sprigs of Fresh Dill
- Cold Water
Directions:
- In a glass measuring cup, measure the white wine vinegar. Whisk the salt, sugar, mustard seeds, and crushed red pepper flakes into the white wine vinegar; set aside.
- Rinse the cucumbers under cold running water to remove any dirt or debris. With a sharp knife, slice the cucumbers into thin or thick rounds, depending on your preference.
- Place 1/3 of the sliced cucumbers in the bottom of a clean, large canning jar. Add two cloves of garlic and 2 sprigs of fresh dill. Repeat this layering with the next 1/3 of the sliced cucumbers, then the final 1/3.
- Whisk the white wine vinegar brine mixture again, and then pour it into the jar of sliced cucumbers.
- Fill the jar with cold water almost to the top, making sure to cover all the cucumbers but leaving a little headspace.
- Place a lid on the jar, then tighten the rim. Make sure the lid is tight, then shake the jar several times so the seasoned brine is evenly distributed throughout the sliced cucumbers.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before eating.
PIN THIS RECIPE
Don’t let this recipe slip away. How often do you find a recipe intriguing, yet forget where to find it when you finally get the hankering to make it? Instead of digging through old posts or wandering aimlessly around on the internet, why not Pin this recipe to Pinterest where you can find it when you eventually need it? Simply Pin the image above and you’ll have it when that time comes. You can follow us HERE on Pinterest or simply click HERE to find all of our pin-worthy recipes.
Black Pepper Quick Pickled Red Onions
