Quick Pickles

Posted by jerseyjan at recipegoldmine.com 8/11/02 10:50:21 am

I love the taste of Claussen pickles. I have tried these quick and easy, no-canning , refrigerator pickles many times and find that the more fresh dill and fresh garlic I use, the more I love them. They're quick, easy and extremely tasty. I especially love them the next day. They're right next to the original Claussen's to me.

Makes about 1 gallon

Courtesy of Martha Stewart

5 pounds firm Kirby cucumbers, 3 to 5 inches
    long (about 20 cucumbers)
1 1/2 cups coarse salt
2 tablespoons mixed pickling spices
    (available premixed in supermarkets)
4 to 5 cloves garlic, unpeeled
4 to 5 sprigs fresh dill
2 1/2 cups apple-cider vinegar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Wash cucumbers well. Place in a large nonreactive container. Combine 1/2 gallon water with 1 cup salt, and stir until salt is dissolved. Pour over cucumbers. Place a plate on cucumbers to keep them submerged in liquid. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Drain and rinse the cucumbers, discarding brine. Pack into four to five wide-mouthed quart jars. Distribute pickling spices, garlic, and dill evenly among the jars.

Combine 6 1/4 cups water, 1/2 cup salt, vinegar, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, and pour into packed jars. Cool on a rack to room temperature. Cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

NOTE: I used 2 half-gallon wide-mouthed jars, with the metal clasp. Sterilize the jars in boiling water or run through the dish washer with the hot cycle. I love garlic, so I put about 10 whole cleaned cloves in each jar. I also put extra fresh dill into each jar along with 1 tablespoon pickling spices. I needed to make another half recipe of the pickling brine in order to cover the pickles.