Dill Pickles

Rinsed and waiting for fresh brine

Pickles are a deli staple. My favorite pickle memory is my then two year old son scarfed down a whole tray of sliced pickle spears in a Chicago deli while we waited for our sandwiches. He finished the small tray and looked up at us and asked if there were more- truly a sour tooth.

In any event, having always been a fan of pickled veggies I was delighted to come across a recipe in Michael Ruhlmans masterful tome Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing. This first batch turned out a bit on the salty side so I am soaking them in fresh water for a day or two to knock down the salt content. But having said that this is one of those cooking projects that requires only patience.

More after the break.

Home made dill pickles

(from Charcuterie)

5 tb kosher salt

1 tsp dill seeds

1 tsp black peppercorns

1 tb pickling spice

1 bunch fresh dill

10 baby cucumbers

1/2 cup vinegar

1 qt water

In a sauce pan boil all brine ingredients, allow to cool to room temp and then pour over the cucumbers in a glass container. Add a small plastic bag of brine to the top to ensure that all cucumbers are fully submerged in the brine (this ensures you aren’t growing anything nasty on them). Place in the refrigerator for 3 weeks and enjoy. Pickles will keep forever- they’re pickled.

Waiting to exhale