Recipe courtesy of BostonSidewalks.com
Ingredients
  • 4 c water
  • 2 T + 2 t kosher salt (without anti-caking agent)
  • Note - We are going for a 3 1/2% brine solution if you have a scale. I use kosher salt from the San Francisco Salt Company but you can use any pickling salt or kosher salt that does not contain an anti-caking agent, like table salt. From my understanding Diamond Crystal does not contain an anti-caking agent but Morton's does. However, Morton's and Ball both make specific pickling salt that you should be able to find at your local grocer. While you can use salts with additives, they may turn the pickles dark or add odd flavors and/or textures to your pickles.
  • 4-6 pickling cukes
  • Note - The fresher the better and the smaller the better in my mind. If you start with an old or soft cucumber, there is no way you are going to get crispy pickles. This is much more important if you are going to leave them out fermenting for any period of time.
    Note - I prefer pickling whole cukes but you can certainly cut them lengthwise into spears. They will react a little more quickly so I would try the spears at 3-4 days as opposed to the 7 days for the whole cukes. Again, experiment and find what you like, there is no right and wrong here.
  • 1/4 t of Pickle Crisp
  • Note - This is calcium chloride, the same ingredient you find in canned tomatoes originating in the US as opposed to Italy where they don't typically use it. Which is why San Marzono tomatoes fall apart when you pick them up but Hunt's stay whole and round. See the write up on Tomatoes that discusses calcium chloride, although I encourage you to read the whole article.
  • 1 lg clove garlic, lightly smashed and cut in half
  • Several sprigs of fresh dill
  • Note - When I buy a bunch of fresh dill there is way too much to use for one batch of pickles. So I portion it out into the amount I would use for a jar of pickles, place it in a sandwich bag and then in a freezer safe bag or vacuum sealer and freeze it. You will have fresh dill for your pickles year round. And feel free to use the fresh dill you find in the produce section of your grocery store. You should be able to get 5-7 quarts of pickles out of one of those plastic containers.