Mama Lilly's Best Dill Pickles
Everyone who tasted Lilly's pickles fell in love. She won awards with these crispy treats and to duplicate them outside of her kitchen, one had to be very precise. And yet as a child in the kitchen watching her, I didn't see her really measure anything-ever. She felt the temperature of the water and tasted it. The dill and cucumbers were pulled from the garden when she was ready to pickle. Maybe that is the difference, those fresh, fresh ingredients. Still, I love her pickles and the jars she canned are long gone so it is up to a new line of cooks to make her pickles.
Everyone who tasted Lilly's pickles fell in love. She won awards with these crispy treats and to duplicate them outside of her kitchen, one had to be very precise. And yet as a child in the kitchen watching her, I didn't see her really measure anything-ever. She felt the temperature of the water and tasted it. The dill and cucumbers were pulled from the garden when she was ready to pickle. Maybe that is the difference, those fresh, fresh ingredients. Still, I love her pickles and the jars she canned are long gone so it is up to a new line of cooks to make her pickles.
- Carbohydrate 518.693578567514 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 2.61860000105175 g
- Fiber 0.977999992370606 g
- Protein 700.999000532186 g
- Saturated Fat 0.501980000315525 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (15406g)
- Sodium 1178898.19778969 mg
- Sugar 517.715578575143 g
- Trans Fat 0.38776000021035 g
- Calories 5123 calories
Step-by-step
- Soak prepared cucumbers(we quartered lengthwise) in salt water and ice for three hours.
- The salt water should taste like sea water if you have it right.
- Keep water iced as this makes for crisper pickles.
- Put 1/4 head dill in each quart jar and pack the cucumbers tightly.
- Boil the brine and pour over cucumbers in jars.
- Seal.
- Place in pressure cooker and bring pressure up to 5#, then turn off.
- Rest jars on towels.
Salt acts as the primary structural agent in this formulation. Dissolving a full cup of salt into four quarts of water creates a hypertonic solution that draws excess moisture out of the vegetable cellular walls. Maintaining an ice-cold bath during the initial three-hour soaking phase prevents the pectin-degrading enzymes from softening the plant tissue. Quartering the cucumbers lengthwise increases the surface area exposed to the brine, allowing acetic acid from the vinegar and volatile oils from the dill heads to penetrate the flesh uniformly. Ground mustard contributes allyl isothiocyanate compounds, which impart a subtle background sharpness that balances the high acidity of the two-quart vinegar volume.
Processing and Thermal Control
Packing the glass jars tightly minimizes trapped oxygen pockets that could discolor the produce over storage time. Pouring the boiling brine over the packed cucumbers initiates rapid thermal transfer, sealing the exterior of the vegetables before pressure processing begins. Raising the pressure cooker to five pounds of pressure and immediately turning off the heat source avoids overcooking the produce, which destroys crispness. Rest the hot jars on folded towels to prevent thermal shock against cold countertops.
- Soft pickles usually result from failing to keep the initial soak adequately iced during the full three-hour window.
- Cloudy brine can indicate the use of table salt containing anti-caking agents or iodine; switch to pure pickling salt for clarity.
- Improper sealing happens when jar rims are not wiped completely free of vinegar residue prior to applying lids.
