Making Homemade Pickles
Using the "Quick process" method
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Making and canning your own pickles, gherkins, kosher dills, bread and butter, sweet pickles, etc. is one of the easiest things you can do with produce! Here's how to do it, in easy steps and completely illustrated. It is much faster than the old method your grandmother used with tons of pickling salt and de-scumming the brine! Ugh! This method is so easy, ANYONE can do this! It's a great thing to do with your kids! I'm experimenting with the various techniques, such as soaking the cucumbers overnight in lime solution first, using "pickle crisp" etc. I'' revise this page as I taste the results in the weeks to come!
Types of Pickles
- Fresh-pack (or quick process) pickles are cured for several hours in a vinegar solution or are immediately combined with hot vinegar, spices, and seasonings. Examples include dills, bread-and-butter pickles and pickled beets. Quick Process is what these instructions (below on this page) show.
Other types are:
- Fermented pickles are vegetables soaked in a brine solution for 4 to 6 weeks. During this time, lactic acid bacteria, naturally present on the surface of vegetables, grows. Other microbes are inhibited by salt. The color of the vegetables changes from bright green to olive/yellow-green, and the white interior becomes translucent. Examples include dill pickles and sauerkraut.
- Refrigerated dills are cucumbers marinated for 1 day to 1 week in a salt and spice brine (in the fridge) and then stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. No canning is required! See this page for refrigerated dill pickle directions!
- Fruit pickles are whole or sliced fruit simmered in a spicy, sweet-sour syrup. Examples include spiced peaches and crabapples. See this page for directions to make spiced peaches!
- Relishes are made from chopped fruits or vegetables that are cooked to a desired consistency in a spicy vinegar solution. Examples include corn relish and horseradish. See this page for cucumber pickle relish directions!
Ingredients and Equipment
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Directions - How to Make Pickles
Step 1 - Selecting the cucumbers
It's fun to go pick your own and you can obviously get better
quality cucumbers!
At right is a of picture cucumbers from my garden - they are SO easy to grow. But be sure to grow the varieties that are labeled "pickling cucumbers" - they will be much more crisp!
The
picture at right shows a good cucumber for pickling (bottom) and a bad one
(top). The good one is dark green, firm, and not bloated. It
has lots of warts!
The bad one is overripe, it has yellow or white areas in the skin, and the warts are almost all gone. If you cut it open, you will see developed seeds. You don't want seeds!
Overripe cucumbers make mushy pickles.
Step 2 - How many cucumbers?
It takes about 3 or 4 cucumbers to fill a pint jar. Each cucumber is about 4 - 5 inches long and you will cut off the ends so they will fit with 1/4 inch to spare..
Step 3 -Wash and cut the vegetables!
I'm sure you can figure out how to wash the fruit in plain
cold water.
You will need to cut the ends off (about 1/4 inch) and then slice them lengthwise if you like spears. You can also leave them whole or cut them cross-wise for bread-and-butter pickles.
Set them aside for use in step 7.
Step 4 - Get the jars and lids sterilizing
The dishwasher is fine for the jars.
I get that going while I'm preparing everything else, so it's done by the
time I'm ready to fill the jars. If you don't have a
dishwasher, submerge the jars in a large pot (the canner itself) of
water and bring it to a boil.
Be sure to let it go through the rinse cycle to get rid of any soap!
Get the canner heating up
Fill the canner about 1/2 full of water and start it heating (with the lid on).
Start the water for the lids
Put the lids into
the small pot of boiling water for at least
several minutes. Note: everything gets
sterilized in the water
bath (step 7)
anyway, so this just helps to ensure
there is no spoilage later!)
Need lids, rings and replacement jars?
Get them all here, delivered direct to your home, at the best prices on the internet!
Step 5 - Mix the vinegar with the pickling mix and bring to a near boil
OK, you can make your own pickling mix from
spices, salt, dill, etc.; but it is MUCH more time-consuming, complicated,
and prone to problems. This method produces pickles which are just
as crisp - as long as you pick very firm cucumbers. It also helps to
add 2 grape leaves to every jar (I kid you not, they have something in
them that makes the pickles crunchier).
The stores (Wal-Mart, Publix, Kroger, etc.) sell several varieties of mixes - Kosher dill, bread-and-=butter and sweet pickles are the most commonly seen. And be sure to get them by July - they tend not to re-order them when they sell out. Mrs. Wages "quick process refrigerator pickle mixes" are the easiest, as they do not even require a water bath canner (but must be stored in the fridge!). The others require canning as shown in these instructions, and may be stored on the shelf.
Pickle Mixes
To interject a crass commercial here - hey,
my wife says I've got to pay for the
website somehow :) I have found the best (crispest, best tasting)
pickles from a mix are with the "Mrs. Wages Polish Dill Refrigerator Pickle
Mix" They REALLY are good AND you don't need a canner - you store them in
your fridge right after making them. They're ready to eat in 24 hours! Our affiliate sells the mixes
(and at really good prices, too)
Whether you want dills or sweet pickles; canning them or straight into the refrigerator; there is a mix for every taste and need here! Get everything you need to make pickles: mixes, salt, brine, etc. here!
Step 6 - Heat the pickle mix
Bring the mix and vinegar to a
near-boil - just simmering!
Be sure to use a NON-metal pot - or a coated metal (teflon, silverstone, enamel, etc.) without breaks in the coating. the metal reacts with the vinegar and makes the pickle solution turn cloudy.
Step 7 - Fill the jars with cucumbers and put the lid and rings on
Pack the
raw cucumbers from step 3, whole or slices in and
pour the simmering pickle mix liquid over them. Fill them to within 1/4 inch of the top,
seat the lid and hand-tighten the ring around them.
Step 8 - Boil the jars in the canner
Put them
in the canner and keep them covered with at least 1 inch of water. Keep
the water
boiling. Boil them for 10 minutes (or as directed by the instructions in
the pickle mix, or with your canner).
Remember to adjust for altitudes and
larger jars! Note: some mixes, such as the Ball
Kosher Dill mix call for only boiling for 5 minutes - I'll let you know
how that works out! generally, the longer you process the jars, the more
mushy (less crisp) the pickles will be.
Step 9 - Done
Lift the jars out of the water and let them cool without touching or
bumping them in a draft-free place (usually takes overnight) You can
then remove the rings if you like.
When can you start eating the pickles? Well, it takes some time for the seasonings to be absorbed into the pickles. That's at least 24 hours, but for best flavor wait 2 weeks! Ah... the wait...
Other Equipment:From left to right:
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Home Canning KitsThis is the same type of standard canner that my grandmother
used to make everything from applesauce to jams and jellies to tomato and
spaghetti sauce!. This complete kit includes everything you need and
lasts for years: the canner, jar rack, jar grabber tongs,
lid lifting wand, a plastic funnel,
labels, bubble freer, and the bible of canning, the Ball Blue Book. It's much cheaper than buying the items separately. You'll never need anything else except jars and lids (and the jars are reusable). To see more canners, of different styles, makes and prices, click here! |
Summary - Cost of Making Homemade Pickles - makes 12 pint jars, 16 oz each* |
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| Item | Quantity | Cost in 2004 | Source | Subtotal |
| Cucumbers | 30-36 (about 3 per pint jar) | free from the garden, or $3.00 cents at a PYO | Pick your own | $3.00 |
| Canning jars (pint size, wide mouth), includes lids and rings | 12 jars | $8.00/dozen | WalMart, BigLots, Publix, Kroger |
$8.00 |
| Vinegar | 4 cups | $0.99 | WalMart, Publix, Kroger |
$0.99 |
| Pickle mix | 1 packet | $3.00 per package | WalMart, BigLots, Publix, Kroger |
$3.00 |
| Total | $15.00 total or about $1.25 per jar INCLUDING the jars - which you can reuse! |
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* - This assumes you already have the pots, pans, ladles, and reusable equipment. Note that you can reuse the jars! Many products are sold in jars that will take the lids and rings for canning. For example, For example, Classico Spaghetti sauce is in quart sized jars that work with Ball and Kerr lids and rings. Note that the Classico's manufacturer does not recommend reuse of their jars: see what they have to say on this page: |
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How to make other pickles - recipes and instructions:
Canning processing times
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Type of pickling method |
Jar size | 0 to 1,000 ft above sea level | 1,001 to 6,000 ft above sea level |
| Quick process, (raw cucumbers put in the jar, hot liquid poured over them)- | pint | 10 min | 15 min |
| Quick process, (raw cucumbers put in the jar, hot liquid poured over them)- | quart | 10 min | 15 min |
Can't find the equipment? We ship to all 50 states! Use our Feedback form!
Answers to Common Questions
What did I do wrong if my pickles aren't crisp or crunchy?
You probably used overripe cucumbers or didn't measure the vinegar and water accurately. Of course, processing too long in the boiling water bath can do it, too! Adding a small fresh grape leaf to each jar helps too (there's something in them that helps - see a question below) and finally, Ball's and others making a commercial product called "Pickle crisp" that helps. Overall, you'll get the crispest pickles from using young, small cukes and then using a refrigerator method (See this page for refrigerated dill pickle directions) - you've probably notices the premium pickles at the grocery store must be refrigerated, too!
Why are my pickles cloudy?
There are a variety of possible causes for cloudy pickles:
In nonfermented pickles (fresh pack), cloudiness might indicate spoilage. Yeast growth may also make pickles cloudy or slimy. Check the pickles for signs of off-odors and mushiness of the pickles. If yeast growth is evident, discard the pickles. If these signs are absent, the pickles are (absent other problems) safe to eat.
Be sure to use a NON-metal pot - or a coated metal (teflon, silverstone, enamel, etc.) without breaks in the coating. the metal reacts with the vinegar and makes the pickle solution turn cloudy. This is the most common cause of cloudy pickles. There is no danger to these pickles, though!
Sometimes the fillers (anticaking agents) in regular table salt may cause slight cloudiness, so always use pickling salt. Obviously, if you used a packet mix (like Mrs. Wages) this should not be a problem.
Hard water might also cause cloudiness. If soft water is not available, boil the hard water and let it sit undisturbed overnight. Pour off the top portion and use it in the pickling solution.
When making quick process pickles, can I store any leftover pickling solution for future use?
If the pickling solution is fresh and has not been used to make pickles, cover it and store it in the refrigerator for later use. If the pickling solution has been used, it can be stored in the refrigerator and reused in a day or two for barbecue sauce, cole slaw dressing or a marinade. If mold growth occurs, throw it out.
Why did the liquid in my dill pickles turn pink?
Using overmature dill may cause this. If so, the product is still safe. However, yeast growth could also cause this. If yeast growth is evident, discard the pickles.
I don’t have the type of dill my recipe calls for. What can I substitute?
For each quart, try 3 heads of fresh dill or 1 to 2 tablespoons dill seed (dill weed = 2 tablespoons).
Can I use burpless cucumbers for pickling?
Burpless cucumbers are not recommended for use in fermented pickles. This is because at their normal mature size, they produce an enzyme that causes the pickles to soften during fermentation. However, if smaller burpless cucumbers (those with small seed) are used, they may be suitable for making fresh pack pickles.
I have an old recipe that calls for adding a grape leaf to each jar of pickles. Why?
Grape leaves contain a substance that inhibits enzymes that make pickles soft. However, if you remove the blossom end of the cucumbers (the source of undesirable enzymes) you don’t need to add grape leaves.
Why did the garlic cloves in my pickles turn green or bluish green?
This reaction may be due to iron, tin or aluminum in your cooking pot, water or water pipes reacting with the pigments in the garlic. Or, the garlic may naturally have more bluish pigment, and it is more evident after pickling. Immature bulbs should be cured two to four weeks at 70 ° F. The pickles are safe to eat.
Can I use flaked salt for pickling?
Most recipes call for granulated pickling or canning salt. Flake salt varies in density and is not recommended for pickling.
