Looking for How to make pickles - made easy, and illustrated! in 2024? Scroll down this page and follow the links. And if you bring home some fruit or vegetables and want to can, freeze, make jam, salsa or pickles, see this page for simple, reliable, illustrated canning, freezing or preserving directions. There are plenty of other related resources, click on the resources dropdown above. If you are having a hard time finding canning lids, I've used these, and they're a great price & ship in 2 days.
If you have questions or feedback, please let me know! There are affiliate links on this page. Read our disclosure policy to learn more.
Click here for a PDF print version
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.
Note: this is the easiest way to make pickles. If you want to put a little more effort into it, you can have pickles that are more crisp and crunchy than this method provides. See this page for crispy low temperature processed pickles!
I've added free labels for your jars here, in a Word format! Just download, edit, and print in label paper.
Other types are:
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!
For cucumber pickles, use cucumbers intended for pickling that are no more then 2 inches in diameter. Start with crisp raw vegetable varieties to get crisp pickled vegetables.
The most important factor in getting crisp pickled vegetables is to start with fresh, just-picked vegetables. Overripe cucumbers make mushy pickles. Vegetables become soft as their pectin structure changes due to microbial activity, excess heat or improper handling. As each day passes, vegetables lose crispness. Once a vegetable is soft it cannot be made firm again.
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 -inch to spare..
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 -inch, the blossom harbors microbes that can cause softening. ) and then slice them lengthwise if you like spears. I remove both ends, but, since the enzymes are in the blossom end, the key is removing the blossom end; you can leave the stem end on, if you like.
You can also leave them whole or cut them cross-wise for bread-and-butter pickles.
Set them aside for use in step 7.
The dishwasher is fine for the jars; especially if it has a "sanitize"
cycle. 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!
Fill the canner about 1/2 full of water and start it heating (with the lid on).
Put
the lids into a pan of hot, but not quite boiling water for at least several minutes.
Note: everything gets sanitized in the water bath (step 7) anyway, so this just
helps to ensure there is no spoilage later!)
Get them all here, delivered direct to your home, at the best prices on the internet!
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. (
If you want to
make your own seasoning
see this page! )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 (grocery stores, like Publix, Kroger and Safeway and local "big box" stores, sometimes even local hardware stores) 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.
To
interject a crass commercial here - hey, 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 them all here, delivered direct to your home, at the best prices on the internet! Get everything you need to make pickles: mixes, salt, brine, etc. here! or here:
See here for related tools, equipment, supplies on Amazon
Bring
the mix and vinegar to a near-boil - just simmering! The directions on the
packet will tell you how much vinegar to add, it's usually about 4 cups
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.
Pack
the raw cucumbers from step 3, whole or slices in and pour the simmering
pickle mix liquid over them. Fill them to within -inch of the top, seat
the lid and hand-tighten the ring around them.
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.
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, but if you leave them on, at least loosen
them quite a bit, so they don't rust in place due to trapped moisture.
Once the jars are cool, you can check that they are sealed verifying
that the lid has been sucked down. Just press in the center, gently,
with your finger. If it pops up and down (often making a popping sound),
it is not sealed. If you put the jar in the refrigerator right away, you
can still use it. Some people replace the lid and reprocess the jar,
then that's a bit iffy. If you heat the contents back up, re-jar them
(with a new lid) and the full time in the canner, it's usually ok.
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...
See this page for a more complete set of frequently asked pickling questions and answers
This 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 will never need anything else except jars & lids (and the jars are reusable)!
There is also a simple kit with just the canner and rack, and a Pressure Canner, if you want to do vegetables (other than tomatoes). 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* |
||||
Item | Quantity | Cost in 2024 | Source | Subtotal |
Cucumbers | 30-36 (about 3 per pint jar) | free from the garden, or $3.00 at a PYO | Pick your own | $3.00 |
Canning jars (pint size, wide mouth), includes lids and rings | 12 jars | $8.00/dozen | Grocery stores (Publix, Kroger, Safeway, etc.) | $8.00 |
Vinegar | 4 cups | $0.99 | Safeway, Publix, Kroger, grocery stores |
$0.99 |
Pickle mix | 1 packet | $3.00 per package | Grocery stores (Publix, Kroger, Safeway, etc.) | $3.00 |
Total | $15.00 total or about $1.25 per jar INCLUDING the jars - which you can reuse! |
|||
* - 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, Classico Spaghetti sauce is in quart sized jars that work with Ball and Kerr lids and rings. See this page for information about reusing jars from commercial products for home canning. |
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 |
Click here for the page of frequently asked questions (with answers) about making pickles.
These are my favorite essential canning tools, books and supplies. I've been using many of these for over 50 years of canning! The ones below on this page are just the sampling of. my preferred tools. but you can find much more detailed and extensive selections on the pages that are linked below.
This is THE book on canning! My grandmother used this book when I was a child.; It tells you in simple instructions how to can almost anything; complete with recipes for jam, jellies, pickles, sauces, canning vegetables, meats, etc.
If it can be canned, this book likely tells you how! Click on the link below for more information and / or to buy (no obligation to buy)The New Ball Blue Book of Canning and Preserving
Canning and Preserving for Dummies by Karen Ward
This is another popular canning book.
Click
here for more information, reviews, prices for Canning and Preserving For Dummies
Of course, you do not need to buy ANY canning book as I have about 500 canning, freezing, dehydrating and more recipes all online for free, just see Easy Home Canning Directions.
I have several canners, and my favorite is the stainless steel one at right. It is easy to clean and seems like it will last forever. Mine is 10 years old and looks like new.
The black ones are 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, It's much cheaper than buying the items separately. It's only missing the bible of canning, the Ball Blue Book.
You will never need anything else except jars & lids (and the jars are reusable)!
The complete list of canners is on these pages:
If you plan on canning non-acidic foods and low acid foods that are not pickled - this means: meats, seafood, soups, green beans corn, most vegetables, etc., then you ABSOLUTELY must use a Pressure Canner.
Of course, you can use a pressure canner as a water bath canner as well - just don't seal it up, so it does not pressurize. This means a Pressure Canner is a 2-in-1 device. With it, you can can almost ANYTHING.
There are also other supplies, accessories, tools and more canners, of different styles, makes and prices, click here!
From left to right:
Don't spend money on books. that you don't need to. Almost everything you can find in some book sold online or in a store is on my website here for free. Start with theEasy Home Canning Directions below. That is a master list of canning directions which are all based upon the Ball Bblue book, the National Center for Home Food Preservation and other reputable lab tested recipes. Almost every recipe I present in addition to being lab tested com. is in a step by step format with photos for each step and complete. explanations. that tell you how to do it, where to get the supplies and pretty much everything you need to know. In addition, there almost always in a PDF format so you can print them out and use them while you cook.
[ Easy Home Canning Directions]
[FAQs - Answers to common questions and problems]
[Recommended books about home canning, jam making, drying and preserving!]
Water bath canner with a jar rack
Pressure canners for gas, electric and induction stoves: Presto 23Qt or T-fal 22Qt
Canning scoop (this one is PERFECT)
Ball Blue book (most recent version)
Get the
most recent version of
the Ball Blue Book
Get the
most recent version of
the Ball Blue Book of Home Canning