A Gallon of Refrigerator Dills

Submitted by autoguy9171

"Perfected over years of making pickles from my garden."

 

• Ready In: 15mins
• Ingredients: 10
• Yields: 1 Gallon

ingredients

• 4 quarts pickling cucumbers, washed
• 4 heads fresh dill, washed
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 small yellow onion, quartered
• 7 1⁄2 cups water
• 2 cups vinegar
• 1⁄2 cup kosher salt, scant
• 1 -2 hot pepper, if desired
• 1⁄2 teaspoon alum, if desired (keeps them crunchy)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cream of tartar, if desired (keeps them crunchy)

directions

1. Bring brine of water, vinegar and salt to a boil. Remove from heat to cool.
2. Note: be sure to use Kosher salt if you can. Regular salt is about 15% heavier than Kosher, so it doesn't measure the same and can make any dish too salty if Kosher salt is called for. It is possible to use regular salt, but quantity 'must' be adjusted.
3. In a one gallon container (like and ice cream bucket) layer pickles, dill, garlic and onion. Use smaller cucumbers whole and halve or quarter larger ones. Sprinkle with alum and cream of tarter if desired.
4. After the brine has cooled, pour over the cucumbers. Cover and place in the refrigerator.
5. Pickles are best after 3 or 4 days, but you probably won't be able to wait that long. I can't. They keep easily for several months, but won't last that long.
6. You can easily make this recipe your own by adding or removing or increasing the dill, hot peppers, etc. ENJOY!