How To Make Dill Pickles (Easy Canning Recipe)
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Learning how to make dill pickles is so worth it! If you loved the taste of grandmas old fashioned homemade garlic dill pickles when you were a kid then this easy recipe will become your new favorite. Enjoy this super easy canning recipe on your hamburgers and sandwiches all year long.
Dill pickles have always been one of my favorite snacks even when I was a kid I would always be into the pickles especially the garlic dill pickles!
They are cold and crunchy with a slightly sour taste and perfect for serving with a wide range of meals or enjoying on their own.
So it’s no wonder that I just couldn’t get enough of them. I’m still the same way!
Of all the different things we can each year I always look forward to making many different types of pickles.
The good news is, that it’s so easy to make homemade dill pickles! You can make up a few pint or quart jars in only 40 minutes or less including the processing time.
Tips For Making Perfect Dill Pickles
Use The Best Cucumbers
One of the most important parts of making great homemade pickles is to start off with the right cucumbers.
Make sure you are using pickling cucumbers as many types sold as slicing cucumbers don’t hold up well to pickling and canning.
Select fresh cucumbers that feel firm, avoid cucumbers that feel limp, wrinkly or soft.
What Size Of Cucumbers Are Best For Pickles?
Cucumbers for pickling are best picked between 2 and 5 inches long. The smaller sized ones are perfect for making baby dill pickles and the larger ones work great cut into rounds, pickle spears or long slices.
Trim Off The Flower Ends
Always remove a thin slice from the end of the cucumber that had the flower growing. It contains enzymes that can cause the cucumbers to go soft.
How Long Until Homemade Dill Pickles Are Ready?
Have you been wondering how long does it take for a cucumber to pickle? Once the jars have been processed and stored, let them sit for 4 to 5 weeks before opening.
Cucumbers need at least this long to allow the brine to fully soak in and develop that great pickle taste.
Do I Need To Sterilize Jars For Pickles?
The jars you use to pack your pickles in need to be clean but according to current standards, there is no need to sterilize them if you are processing the jars for 10 minutes or more. The jars will be sterilized during the canning process.
How To Substitute Dill Heads?
I love using dill heads in my pickle jars because they look pretty and add a great flavor. But if you don’t have any fresh dill then substitute 1 tsp. of dill seed for each head of dill.
How To Make Dill Pickles
Supplies You Need For Canning Pickles:
- Water bath canner
- Ladle
- Canning funnel
- Jar lifter
- Canning jars
- Jar lids and rings
- Sharp knife
- Large pot
- Large bowl
- Towles or dishcloths
- Cucumbers
- Fresh dill
- Pickling spice
- Pickling salt
- Garlic
Before starting make sure to wash and remove the spines from the pickling cucumbers and then set them aside.
Wash your quart-sized canning jars and set them on top of a towel or wooden surface. Then into each quart jar place 1 fresh dill head, 2 cloves of peeled garlic and 1 tbs. pickling salt.
Next, get your cucumbers and take a thin slice (1/16th) off the blossom end of each cucumber and then pack into your prepared jars.
You can cut the cucumbers into any shape you like. I use this same recipe for making icicle pickles, rounds, long thin slices that are perfect for burgers and yes even whole pickles.
This homemade pickle recipe is very flexible so just cut them up any way you like or do a mixture of styles.
To make the brine combine the vinegar and water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Pour the brine over the pickles, leaving 1/2 inch of headroom.
Remove any air bubbles from the jars and wipe the rims clean and place the lids on finger tight. Place the jars into a water bath canner and process for 15 minutes adjusted for your altitude.
See making your own homemade dill pickles wasn’t hard, was it? With just a few minutes in the kitchen, you can easily make up a few batches of pickles and enjoy their tangy, crunchy taste all year!
More Yummy Pickle Recipes
Easy Garlic Dill Pickles Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 pounds pickling cucumbers
- 14 cloves garlic
- 7 Tbs. pickling salt
- 7 tsp. pickling spice
- 7 dill heads
- 8 cups water
- 8 cups vinegar
Instructions
- Wash and remove the spines on the pickling cucumbers. Cut into rounds or icicles if desired or leave them whole.
- Combine vinegar and water in a large stockpot and bring to a boil.
- In each quart-sized canning jar place 1 head of dill, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 tsp. of pickling spice, 1 tbs. of pickling salt.
- Pack the cucumbers into the canning jars, then cover with hot brine leaving 1/2 inch of headroom.
- Remove any air bubbles from the jars, wipe the rims clean and place the jar lids on finger tight.
- Process in a water bath canner for 15 minutes or according to your altitude.
- After canning remove the jars and place on a towel in a draft-free place to sit for 24 hours. Any jars that have not seeled in 24 hours need to be reprocessed or placed into the refrigerator.
Notes
These values are from a nutritional database and automatically calculated, and should only be used as an approximation.
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Kim Mills is a homeschooling mom of 6 and lives on an urban homestead in Ontario, Canada. Blogging at Homestead Acres she enjoys sharing tips to help you save money, grow and preserve your own food.
How much water do you put in the canner?
This is the recipe I lost from a move. Ma’s recipe: red pepper flakes or a fresh hot pepper instead of pickling spice. Also, if you put a grape leaf in the jar- crisp pickles.
First time making homemade pickles. They look like they will be good. 👍🏼
Ended up making a dill with the devil for a great pickle. 😅
I have been using this recipe for years. I got it from the farmer’s almanac. It is a keeper!
Thank you so very much . It’s been a very long time (20 yrs ) since I did pickles and this is the best walk through pickle recipe !! Just did two dozen and my fears are gone !!!!
Only thing I would add is make sure it’s 5% vinegar, since the stores are now selling 4%.
4% will not preserve for very long as far as I’m told.
Does it make a difference if using apple cider vs white vinegar?
Hi,
Just made this recipe and didn’t ask if makes a difference if using white vinegar vs apple cider vinegar. Does it? Because I used cider….
Hi Kim,
Just double checking. The recipe says 1tbp of salt. Is that really 1 tablespoon or should it be 1 teaspoon? Hoping it is the tablespoon because that is what I used.
Thank you.
Hi Kim
I have made dills for years with a recipe that calls for the salt and pickling spice all go into the vinegar and water bring to a boil then pour into packed hot jars. I have never water bathed them as I think they will get to soft. What is the reason for the water bath please?
Velma—water bath is to make sure of jar sealing, to keep for months.
I have many older recipes for pickles, which take days to cure and involve all kinds of processing. I tried this recipe, and I was very, VERY pleased! We opened the first jar about a week ago after allowing them to sit a couple of months. The flavor was superb and they had a crunch as well! I even used old cucumbers with seeds I had to cut out, they were so hard. After seeding, I cut the cucumbers into chunks. The flavor was perfect. This recipe is a keeper!
Are the sterilized jars needing to be hot for packing and do you boil your jar lids before placing them on the jars before proceeding with the hot water bath method as recommended by the jar manufacturers
@Robyn, By today’s standards sterilization of jars is not required. Processing the pickles for 15 minutes is enough.
@Robyn, i do both. I throw lids in sterilied water with jars. I get away with just doing that usually . No problem jars seal. Do a jar at a time to make sure all is hot.
When processing due the jars get completely covered with water.
Process 15 minutes? What does that mean? Boil the jars? Interview them for internship? Book them into jail?
@B, Hahaha! Yes, obviously you meant to prosecute your pickles.
@B, Process them in a water bath or steam canner.
@B, Book them into jail, its a no brainer.
Is it okay to leave out the pickling spice and just use dill and garlic?
What causes pickles to get soft after canning?
Hi Judy, there are a few reasons pickles can turn soft. Not trimming off the blossom end can leave enzymes that can make them turn soft over time. Using cucumbers that are a bit older or starting to get soft before canning can do it too. But the process of canning can also soften the pickles as they are essentially being cooked in the water bath canner. There are some ways you can help that though. Many find that using pickle crip added to their jars helps, some like to put a grape leaf in the bottom. Other options are using the low-temperature pasteurization method instead of the normal water bath canning or making fermented pickles instead.
Hello –
My husband found this recipe and my children and I tried it today in our new pressure canner. I set 7 quart-sized jars in our 16-quart-capacity pressure canner/cooker, with the recommended 3 quarts of water in the bottom, using the rack. All seemed to be in order.
However, upon reading further, the directions say only half-pint and pint-sized jars may be used in this size canner, and that it is not tall enough to allow adequate space for quart jars!
Do you have any thoughts?
Thank you!
@Jennifer, You don’t pressure can pickles. You water bath or steam can them. Hope this helps 🙂
How many 1 quart jars would be needed for this recipe? 🙂
Doesn’t this re iPod call for salt?Can I add it?
If you mean is there salt in the recipe yes, pickling salt is listed in the recipe above.
Hi Kim, just wanted to stop by and let you know, I have never canned pickles before, my hubby and daughter love dill pickles, and since our good hearted neighbor with a garden full of cucumbers shared with us.
I thought I’d try your recipe and they turned out Great!!!
I followed your recipe to a T and couldn’t be happier with the results
WOW what flavor ! I will be using this recipe as my go to for dill pickles.
So if your looking for a Wonderful pickle recipe this is IT !!!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with all of us, Be Blessed !
Have to use pickling spices or can use peppercorns?
I do not have picking spices ( but can go get some ) and was wondering if I can substitute peppercorns.. or are the spices necessary for good pickles? thanks…
@joan cole, I would suggest using the pickling spice instead,
since they lend a great mixture of flavors.
Hello Kim, just made your Dill Pickles for the first time today. I have been making your pickled beets for years and am certain the pickles will be just as great. Thank you for all your recipes.
What type of vinegar is best for dill pickles, white or apple cider?
@Cheri Martin,
Good Afternoon, I have discovered you and your lovely dill pickle recipe. However,I do not have the Boston Spice Southie in my kitchen. Could you please recommend what to use as an alternative? Or shall I wait, and order the spice? Blessings, Judy
@Judith Meyncke, You can use regular Pickling Spice. No certain brand is necessary.
What is the difference between dill seed and dill weed. I have not been able to find fresh dill this year.
@Sarah, The dill weed is just the top of the dill plant that has the seeds on it. The dill seeds, are just the seeds that have been removed from the plant. there is no difference in the flavor you get from either one. So, just add 1 teaspoon of dill seeds to each quart jar of cucumbers & you have it made.
I was taught many years ago that a water bath is just make sure the jars will seal!!
Hi How long after they have been canned that you can eat them?
@Sue, YOU SHOULD LEAVE THE SEALED JARS SET IN A COOL, DRY, PLACE FOE 4 TO 5 WEEKS. iT TAKES THAT LONG FOR THE BRINE TO “PICKLE” THE ENTIRE CUCUMBER.
I am going to be putting mine in pint jars so how do you fix recipe for that.
@Donna,You will need to use half of each ingredient.
Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar?
White vinegar
Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar?
I use white vinegar. White or pickling vinegar is normally used for pickles unless the recipe says otherwise. 🙂
Hi! Thanks for the recipe. I’m new to canning and hope to use this recipe with my smart canner. As far as pickling salt, can you use any type of salt? We use what is called “real salt” for everyday food. Would that work or is there something different about pickling salt? Thanks!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I’ve been wanting to start fermenting my own pickles at home. Do you know how long a shelf life they have after they are sealed for 24 hours? Thank you for sharing!
Hi Brittany! This recipe is for canned pickles not fermented, they are a bit different. Homemade pickles that have been canned in a water bath canner are shelf-stable for 1 year based on the studies the USDA has done. Many people including myself eat them past a year, but no studies that I know of have been done on anything older.
You can also make these bean pickles and instead of canning them, keep them in your fridge as refrigerator pickles for a few months.
If you want to make real fermented pickles, the process is a bit more involved but here is a good recipe to start with.