Pops Dill Pickles
Pops has been making these crunchy, best tasting pickles for years. I have been making for about 4 years, and recently started adding fresh garlic cloves to my canning jars. I know there are a lot of good pickle recipes out there, but this is one of the best tasting pickles ever. Some people eat their pickles about a week after, but I say wait, because the longer you wait the better they are.
Pops has been making these crunchy, best tasting pickles for years. I have been making for about 4 years, and recently started adding fresh garlic cloves to my canning jars. I know there are a lot of good pickle recipes out there, but this is one of the best tasting pickles ever. Some people eat their pickles about a week after, but I say wait, because the longer you wait the better they are.
- Carbohydrate 244.950110797841 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 4.245012856 g
- Fiber 19.0256947599457 g
- Protein 26.05500324 g
- Saturated Fat 1.3779834152 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Recipe (5825g)
- Sodium 55951.4671496447 mg
- Sugar 225.924416037895 g
- Trans Fat 1.3706060256 g
- Calories 1163 calories
Step-by-step
- Place cucumbers in a large pot and cover with ice cubes. Let them sit for at least 2 hours but no more than 8. Drain and pat dry.
- Place the water, vinegar, sugar, pickling salt, and pickling spice into a saucepan. Bring to boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.
- Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the cucumbers into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/2 inch of the top. Place 1 dill head and 1 clove of garlic into each jar. Pour the hot pickling liquid into the jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the rim. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
- Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 5 minutes, or the time recommended by your county Extension agent.
- Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). If any jars have not sealed properly, refrigerate them and eat within two weeks. Store in a cool, dark area, and wait at least 1 week before opening.
Unlike quick refrigerator pickles that rely purely on immediate acid penetration and are eaten within days, traditional canned dill pickles undergo a thermal processing stage that alters both cellular structure and flavor integration. Preserving crispness through a canning process requires specific preparatory steps to prevent the cucumbers from turning soft during the five minutes of boiling water processing.
- Submerge the cucumbers in an ice-water bath for at least two hours before processing to draw out excess moisture and firm up the cell walls.
- Maintain a vinegar-to-water ratio of one-to-one in the brine mixture, ensuring sufficient acidity to prevent bacterial growth while balancing the three-quarters cup of white sugar.
- Simmer the pickling liquid containing the enclosed pickling spice for fifteen minutes to fully extract the volatile oils from the spices before pouring it over the vegetables.
- Fill the sterilized quart jars to within one-quarter inch of the rim with the hot brine, ensuring adequate headspace for the thermal expansion that occurs during processing.
- Process the sealed jars in a boiling water bath for five minutes, then test the vacuum seal by pressing the center of the cooled lid to verify it remains stationary.
Allowing the jars to rest in a dark environment for a minimum of one week lets the acetic acid and garlic compounds thoroughly penetrate the dense cucumber flesh. Proper storage in ambient, dark conditions yields peak flavor development over several months.
