Dill Pickles

By

Dill Pickles is the name for pickled cucumbers packed with fresh dill. You can use larger cucumbers, and cut them to fit the jars, or better still use small (pickling) cucumbers which are grown and harvested specifically to fit into the preserving jars whole.

Dill Pickles Recipe

Makes about 900g of pickled dills to pot. This is a simple cold packed recipe, using a special pickling spice blend recipe.

Recipe Ingredients:

  • 20 small pickling cucumbers
  • 2 litres water
  • 1 75g coarse sea salt
  • 15 garlic cloves (unpeeled)
  • 2 bunches fresh dill
  • 2 tbsp mixed pickling spice blend (see below)
  • 2 hot fresh red chillies

Recipe Method:

Scrub the cucumbers and rinse well in cold water. Leave to dry.

Put the water and sea salt in a large saucepan, and bring it to the boil to make a brine. Turn off the heat, and leave to cool to room temperature.

Using the flat side of a knife blade and lightly crush each garlic clove, breaking the papery skin.

Pack the cooled cucumbers tightly into one or two wide-necked, sterilized jars, layering them with the crushed garlic, fresh dill, dill seeds and pickling spice. Add one red chilli to each jar. Pour over the cooled brine, making sure that the cucumbers are completely covered. Tap the jars on the work surface to dispel any trapped air bubbles.

Cover the jars with lids and then leave to stand at room temperature for a week before serving. Store in the refrigerator.

Pickling Spice Blend

All the spices below need to be crushed very fine using a pestle and mortar, or run through a spice grinder, into powder. Store the pickling spice blend in a small seal-able jar and use with a few months to retain freshness.

  • 1 teaspoon chilli flakes (to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon of ground ginger
  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard seed
  • 2 tablespoons black Mustard seed
  • 2 tablespoons coriander seed
  • 2 tablespoons allspice berries
  • 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon dill seed
  • 1 tablespoon fennel seed
  • 2 teaspoons whole cloves
  • 2 teaspoons celery seed
  • 2 teaspoons mace blades
  • 8 small dried bay leaves

This pickling spice blend will keep for a few months sealed, use in any pickling recipe.

Posted in All Recipes.
Share

Related Posts

  •
    December 10, 2011

    Minst Pyes | 1624 Recipe

    This original Mince Pie recipe from 1624 was thought to have found its way into a file of state papers created by Edward Conway, secretary of state to King Charles I, and it is an excellent example of an authentic late Tudor and early Stuart pie of the 1600s. The recipe is also one of …

  •
    March 24, 2012

    Blackcurrant Jam

    Blackcurrant Jam is a very popular, and very tasty jam – it has a rich and deep, fruity-berry flavour, and a wonderfully strong dark colour, which looks good when spread on scones or freshly baked bread and butter. Blackcurrant Jam Recipe Makes about 1.3kg of jam to pot. You can add in an optional tablespoon …

  •
    September 1, 2015

    Pancakes With Blueberries & Cream

    This thin pancake recipe (like the continental crêpe) has a really great blueberry sauce, which is flavoured with sloe gin (a gin steeped in sloe berries). The blueberry sauce is slightly sweet, which is balanced nicely by the pancakes and the cream. One of the best features of this dish is the colour of the …

  •
    March 24, 2012

    Mulberry Jelly

    Mulberry Jelly is made with deep red mulberries, which are not often available in the shops, but you can find them growing on trees in local areas near you. A clear preserve like this jelly needs a ‘jelly bag’ to strain the fruit juice through – best left overnight. Do not be tempted to squeeze …