Making homemade dill pickles is an art. Ask anyone who makes pickles and they will probably tell you about an heirloom recipe passed down for generations. They might drone on about it for, oh I don’t know, 1800 words or so.
(You can [wprm-recipe-jump], BUT there is an excellent story about this recipe, and you might get a chuckle or two if you stay with me)
When we first planted our garden, I added a few pickling cucumber plants thinking I would make a few quarts for fun. My husband was not at all interested in this endeavor because his recollection of homemade dill pickles differed significantly from mine.
His memories of homemade dill pickles were soft, mushy little vessels of pure vinegar that made your mouth pucker for a week.
I made them anyway, tossing his concern to the wind – I bottled ten beautiful jars that summer and they were elegant green gems in pristine glass bottles that I obsessively admired.
That was the start of the homemade canning obsession.
Oh, and if you are curious, when we finally cracked them open three months later they were flipping awesome.
I was very disappointed we only made ten jars. Those homemade pickles vanished from the pantry before we harvested our fall cinderella pumpkins.
The following year I made 24 quarts, the year after that 32 – we still run out long before the next batches are ready. I don’t think I have a garden big enough to grow enough cucumbers for the two of us for a year.
What kind of cucumbers do you need for homemade dill pickles?
You can’t make homemade dill pickles with regular cucumbers; you need to have freshly picked pickling cucumbers.
I’ve been testing cucumbers for a few years, and I still haven’t landed on the one that will be a mainstay in the garden plan every year. This year I tested “Cool Breeze” and “Homemade Pickles” – the former has a case of gummy stem blight, and the latter has a touch of powdery mildew. They both grow in the same bed up trellises, and it’s fascinating to see that the diseases have not passed to each other (yet).
We’re about a third of the way through our growing season, and I’m a might bit worried that as the season progresses my yields will trickle off due to the current disease floating around my pickle bed.
The horror of all horrors that we might have to survive a dill pickless winter. (I like to make up words, I added pickless to my homemade dictionary. A testament that around my house you can DIY anything you want).
I haven’t found a cucumber cultivar yet that I didn’t have a mid-season issue with, but I continue my hunt. For now, the vines are producing well.
The first homemade dill pickle batch of the season.
I was surprised yesterday when my husband said we should harvest the cucumbers. I haven’t been checking them because the last time I did, we didn’t have much so I figured it was going to be quite a while.
To make a batch worthwhile, you need to have quite a few, and I didn’t think we had more than a handful because it was still quite early in the season for us.
He ignored me, of course, and went and pulled all the cucumbers from our vines and came in with a huge bucket that he presented to me on the counter with a thud that said: “Told you so.”
I was pleasantly surprised to see that they had set quite prolifically! If the vines hold out (fingers crossed), we may hit this year’s quota of 48 quarts.
Pickle brine and a vintage recipe that works like a charm
You know how some people go to thrift stores or garage sales and find things like $100,000 lost artworks? Yeah, well I have one of those finds. Ok, maybe not $100,000 catch but still – what I discovered was almost as good.
During a summer garage sale, I stumbled on a 100-year-old homesteading book. It was in seriously rough shape, but since I am a lover of things that need tending I picked it up.
I thought no for a dollar it would, at the very least, make another pretty flower pressing book (because you can’t have enough of those!)
When I got home, I realized the book was three books, a homeopathic medicine book, an agricultural reference manual – and a cookbook. Oh my god a 100-year-old recipe book what on earth was I going to find in there?
It was a treasure trove! The book recipes are super exciting, but the handwritten notes on beautiful cards were the highlight. The small clippings cut out of old newspapers delicately pinned inside the book were so incredibly charming I just about lost my mind.
I found my original recipe for rhubarb jam the exact same way – there are countless beautiful recipes from the past if you’re lucky enough to find them.
I kept thinking about the women who had that book through those ten decades, and it left me very nostalgic.
There were recipes for award-winning lemon tarts (yes please, let me test that), recipes for weird sounding salads (yup, gonna test those out on hubby) and a beautiful recipe for homemade dill pickles.
That recipe had a brine ratio that was perfect, not too much vinegar, not too much salt, and in the end, created the best pickle I ever ate.
Let’s talk about Mrs. Evans’ Homemade Dill Pickle recipe for a second
It’s unclear how old the recipe card is. The recipe was written on beautiful vellum paper ( I looked for a watermark to see if I could date it like the wild NCIS recipe sleuth that I am, but no dice). Although the book itself is copyright for 1914, there were recipes from newspapers dating in the ’40s, and 50’s so it’s unclear the actual age of the recipe.
This recipe card grabbed my attention immediately because of the perfect handwriting. The card read “Homemade Dill Pickles – Mrs. Evans’.”
I felt if someone was going to spend the time to write down and save Mrs. Evans’ Homemade Dill Pickle recipe with such care it had to be a winner.
There was also something tugging at me about this recipe because I feel like it was known back then, around these parts, that Mrs. Evans’ homemade dill pickle recipe was the one worth keeping.
It almost feels historical to me, but I’m a crackpot for this stuff. I love anything old, vintage, or historical – that’s my jam, or in this case my pickle.
And as crackpotty (oh look I made up another word), as my brain might be – I was right in this instance. Mrs. Evans’ pickle recipe was bloody perfect. The perfect brine ratio of salt, vinegar and water – and FRESH dill.
Only fresh dill and let me tell you why!
I’m going to put on my serious face here for a second and stand on my soapbox and ring a bell and get everyone to gather around for a listen. If you’re going to take the time to craft homemade dill pickles, do Mrs. Evans a solid and make her recipe with FRESH dill. Don’t skimp! Fresh ingredients make all the difference in the world.
The time and effort it takes to grow your cucumbers, preserve them and then wait three months before you can eat them make me feel adamant that the process is worth the fresh dill.
Most recipes call for dill seed – I prefer the taste of fresh 100% over dill seed. We tested both last year, and we both wholeheartedly agreed that the homemade pickles made with dill seed were nowhere near as good as the ones with fresh dill.
Ok, Laura shut up about the pickles and the dill already and give us the recipe (I know, I can hear you!)
The trick to make CRUNCHY homemade dill pickles
If you want crunchy pickles and not soggy horrible blasphemy pickles you need cucumbers as fresh as fresh can be. That means picked this morning, cleaned and soaked in cold water for an hour and processed the same day.
What?
I never said it was going to be easy; I just said if you wanted perfect crunchy pickles I knew how to get them!
You also need to ensure you remove the blossom end. If the blossom end remains, it will release enzymes that will make your pickles mushy over time.
The third piece to the crunchy pickle puzzle is a secret ingredient. I use Pickle Crisp; it’s a calcium chloride additive made by Ball that prevents the cucumbers from going soft. Since I started adding it to my pickle jars, I’ve never had to endure another soggy blasphemy pickle.
Is there an option beyond Pickle Crisp for crunchy homemade dill pickles?
If you want to go au naturale, you can try the grape leaf method. Add two grape leaves to the top and bottom of your pickle jars before canning. This method is claimed to yield crunchy pickles.
I haven’t tested it because where I live you’re hard-pressed to find grapevines just growing in the wild.
If you want a more crunchy granola way to do it – grape leaves might do it for you.
Mrs. Evans’ Homemade dill pickle recipe with some adaptations
For this recipe, I used 7% pickling vinegar. It’s much stronger and requires less vinegar vs water in the batch. I made the assumption this is what was used since the acidic solution was low.
If you do not have access to picking vinegar, you can use white distilled vinegar at a 1:1 ratio. The recipe would call for 2 quarts of water and 2 quarts of regular distilled vinegar.
Please check your local food safety extensions if you are at a high altitude. The processing times will vary greatly.
I also took liberties with the recipe as far as spices go, we add in a bunch because we like spicy garlic pickles. The other change we made was to make the pickles in a water bath canner and follow the safe canning recommendations for quart size pickle jars.
How to Make Perfectly Crunchy Homemade Dill Pickles
Crunchy homemade dill pickles that stay crisp even after processing. These garlic dills are lip puckering perfection.
Ingredients
- 6 pounds fresh pickling cucumbers
- 3 quarts fresh water
- 1-quart pickling vinegar (7%) * see note below
- 1 cup pickling salt
- 7 tsp black peppercorns
- 7-14 cloves fresh garlic
- 7 tsp Sriracha (or red pepper flakes) , optional
- 7-14 sprigs fresh dill
- 2 tsp Pickle Crisp
- ( alternate brine recipe : If you cannot find pickling vinegar at 7% go ahead and use regular distilled white vinegar, at a 1:1 ratio. For this recipe it would mean changing the water to 2 quarts and the vinegar to 2 quarts)
Instructions
- Clean and prepare cucumbers. Wash off the debris and clean your cucumbers under cool running water. Once clean, cover with cool water and leave for an hour.
- Prepare 8 quart-sized mason jars, lids, and canner for processing. Start your water bath now so it is ready when it is time to process the jars.
- Add two whole garlic cloves, a sprig or two of fresh dill, 1 tsp peppercorns to the bottom of the mason jars along with 1/4 tsp of Pickle Crisp
- Prepare the brine. Add the water, vinegar, and salt to a large pot and bring to a rolling boil.
- Remove the blossom end from the cucumbers and begin filling the jars. You can add spears, or whole cucumbers, but keep them on the thick side. Do not make your spears too small.
- Pack the mason jars tight with your cucumbers leaving at least 1-inch headspace at the top.
- Ladle, or carefully pour the boiling brine over the top of the pickle jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
- Gently press a spatula against the pickles and down the inside of the jar to create a path for trapped air to escape. Repeat several times around the inside of the jar.
- Wipe the rims, add the lids and rings and twist until finger tight.
- Process in a water bath for 15 minutes for quarts, 10 minutes for pints). Remove your jars from the water bath and set them aside where they will not be disturbed. Be sure to use a cutting board, trivet, or dishcloth underneath to protect your surface from the hot jars. For high altitude locations please check notes below for link with proper water bath timings.
- Leave to rest for 24 hours without disturbing.
- Check to ensure the jars sealed. They are good for up to a year in storage. If the lids did not seal, do not attempt to reseal. You can refrigerate any unsealed jars up to 4 weeks.
Notes
For high altitude locations please verify your water bath canning times with your local extension.
A few additional notes about pickle making
These homemade dill pickles require at least three months storage before they are ready to eat.
We add lots of spicy heat to our jars and find that one tsp of Sriracha gives us a nice kick. Go easy on the spice because they do develop and tend to get stronger over time.
My suggestion if you are unsure how hot you want them is to do a few tests and mark your jars. This way you know for next year what was perfect.
You can get a bit creative with the “mix-ins” for your pickles. We’ve tried all kinds, and this recipe is by far our favorite. This year we’re going to test adding smoked kosher salt to see what impact it will have on the flavor of the homemade dill pickles. I’ll update the blog post if it is a winner!
Janette Brantner says
Have you ever tried using Himalayan pink salt, or do you think the type of salt makes a difference. Thankyou
Laura Kennedy says
Hey Janette, great question. I personally have not used it, I know it can be used, but there are a few “buts” when using something other than pickling salt. So first pickling salt is 100% salt, no additives no caking agents, just pure old salt. The purity of the salt prevents cloudiness in the brine. So I don’t know what pink salt could do to the brine, but technically it would pickle a pickle the same way as pickling salt, but you’re going to have to verify the weights. Himalayan salt, by volume, will be very different from pickling salt, and thats a pretty important measurement. You are going to want to make sure you get the right amount of pink salt to compensate for the larger granules. What you can’t do is sub it out in canning recipes 1:1 because they have very different volumes. Personally, I love salt in all variations, flakey, pink, black, smoked, all the good stuff. I would say that the difference in taste wouldn’t even be noticeable because once that salt is broken down and diluted into the brine, it essentially tastes like salt. I don’t know any benefits of pickling with pink salt over pickling salt, so, for this reason, I wouldn’t waste my good pink salt for my pickles. I’d use pickling salt because truly, it is the best for pickling. Cheers!
MONICA NELSON says
This is my first year making dill pickles on my own. I’ve stood with my mother and sister for years in their kitchens helping them can. My husband helped me this year and we had a blast in the kitchen together. The hardest part is listening to my guys whine that they have to wait a couple of months for the best pickles EVER. LOL I’m sure we’ll crack open a jar or two before that waiting period is over. We made them yesterday and my husband wants to taste them now. Thank you so much for posting the story and your successes with the recipe. – Monica in Minnesota
Laura Kennedy says
Hi Monica, don’t let him taste them too soon! They will be incredibly salty, and not at all edible. I made that mistake my first year pickling and I almost tossed the whole batch until I was told I had to wait. Thanks for the comment, and I hope you guys enjoy your homemade pickles!
Kat says
Laura do you add spice to the brine or just the jars?
Laura Kennedy says
Hi Kat, I just add my spices to the jars. I know there are those that add it to the brine and then filter them out, but we really like the punch of pepper and garlic left in the brine. Cheers!
Amelia Thelin says
I’m making these as we speak. I only have enough cucumbers for 4 quarts, but I am making brine for double that so it will be ready when more cucumbers are. (I have a small raised bed garden, never enough room for everything I want to grow. I don’t have pickle crisp OR grape leaves for this batch, but I’ll get it for the next and experiment with all three methods.
Laura Kennedy says
Good luck Amelia, I am sure they will turn out great! Nothing better than a good homemade pickle.
Sandra says
My mom used horse radish leaves (not roots), black currant and cherry leaves for crunchy pickles, and mine are always crunchy.
Laura Kennedy says
Thanks for the tip Sandra!
Julie Wade says
My family has been making a dill pickle recipe just like Mrs. Evens…cucumbers, dill, salt, vinegar and of course water, for probably 100 years. But we have never put them in a water bath. What is the purpose of the water bath? And is absolutely necessary in your opinion?
Laura Kennedy says
I know I have had countless emails and comments about the water bath. It’s necessary to destroy any bacteria that may be present. All raw pack vegetable canning requires some kind of water bath to ensure safe canning. The size of the jar (pint, quart), as well as the altitude, will change the water bath timing. If you check your local extension office you can find all the details about safe canning instructions and methods. You can find your local extension by going here ( if you are in the US) https://pickyourown.org/countyextensionagentoffices.htm
A.D. Ohio says
Hello! I’ve just made my second batch of the year (2nd batch ever!) and my recipe and tastebuds say they’re good after 48 hours. I do them in the fridge. Why do these take so much longer to be ready? I’m scared of actual canning so I’ve been doing fridge pickles. I’m sad because they don’t keep long-term, but I don’t understand why this recipe takes so long. Is it the fridge temp v cupboard temp? Thanks for your advice!
Laura Kennedy says
Hi There A.D. You can each them after a few days, no problem. Brined pickles take time to develop the flavors, so although the pickles are perfectly fine to eat after a few days, they are not even close to how good they get a few months down the line.
Polli says
I do use fresh grape leaves from our garden and they produce crunchy pickles.
I used them for bread and butter pickles last year and i didn’t have one jar that lasted until October. Crunchy crunchy goodness!
I have been growing grapes for many years. Concord are hardy, disease resistant and can be found almost any place garden plants are sold.
I don’t spend much time or effort training them. I actually thought that they died a couple times but they rallied.
You don’t get grapes right away, but leaves certainly are there from the start. BONUS! Amazing grape jelly when the grapes do start.
Polli
Laura Kennedy says
Hi Polli, it’s so good to know that someone has actually used the grape leaf method and it worked for them, I am sure there are lots of people who would rather use a more natural method. Thanks so much for the comment!
Robyn says
Hello Laura, Love your story and looking forward to making your version of Mrs. Evans pickles. When do I cut the cucumbers? After washing and sitting for an hour or cut before sitting for an hour in cold water. Thanks.
Laura Kennedy says
Hi Robyn, sorry I was away this weekend so I apologize for the late delay in responding. You will soak your cucumbers whole and slice them after their soak. Good luck with your pickle making. Actually, I am totally jealous everyone is already making pickles. My plants haven’t even started climbing yet!
Robyn says
Thank you, Laura, No apology needed, your response time was perfect. Just finished making a half batch. Now comes the hardest part, waiting 2 months to taste!
Alissa says
I too use the grape leaf method and a recipe very similar to yours with garlic, peppercorns, fresh dill and a chili pepper instead of flakes. The pickles are very crunchy and are a much anticipated gift among my friends and family.
Benjamin Schmid says
Can’t wait to try, in step 10 you say to “process in a water bath for 5 minutes.” I’m assuming that means boiling water bath? I’m wondering because I feel this is what makes my pickles soggy and curious if you had another way to seal your jars. Thanks!
Laura Kennedy says
Hi Benjamin. Yes you need to process these in a water bath, it assures the pickles are safe. My pickles are still nice and crisp even though I still water bath. If you make sure you remove the blossom end, start with super fresh cucumbers, and use the pickle crisp, your pickles should turn out fine even with the water bath. Cheers!
Jarina says
Love reading your story and the wonderful book, lucky you.
Laura Kennedy says
Thanks so much Jarina, for the lovely comment. I am glad you enjoyed the post.
Aurelia says
Can you modify and make them sweet?
Laura Kennedy says
Hi Aurelia, You will want to look for a ” Bread and Butter” pickle recipe if you’re looking for something sweet. I myself do not enjoy sweet pickles and have not tested the recipe with any level of sugar. I think it would be best to find a recipe that is specific to that type of pickle to ensure the acid and PH levels are correct. Cheers!
Ellie Snow says
Thanks Laura! Our ” pickle days” are a great family affair..kids get to scrub with Grandma inspecting..and they can pack too! Assuming you do the spatula routine to clear bubbles?…we are DEFINITELY trying these! Thanks again…ES both TN and Canada
Laura Kennedy says
Hi Ellie, thanks for the comment. I do use a small spatula to remove the bubbles and I added that as an additional step to the recipe. Thanks for pointing that out!
Michael says
I have used grape leaves and horseradish leaves and neither leaves the “dills” with that classic crunch! I will be trying Mrs. Evans recipe this season! Thanks for the story!
Laura Kennedy says
Hi, Michael. If you use the pickle crisp I can almost guarantee you crispy pickles! I just cracked the last bottle from last summer and they were still crispy and delicious. Good luck with your pickles this year and thanks so much for the comment!
Dorothy says
I am looking for a pickle juice recipe for leg cramps. I don’t want the pickles just the brine. Will this work?
Laura Kennedy says
Hi Dorthy, I have never heard of pickle juice for leg cramps so I have no idea if it would work or not. Since the brine is mostly salt and vinegar (and very high in sodium), I can only imagine that drinking it would increase water retention. Sorry, I can’t be more help!
Donna says
I have used a mixture of ACV and white vinegar and it does make a yummy difference.
Laura Kennedy says
I am absolutely going to try a batch like that this year. I am getting the gardening itch now and eager to get the garden started, going to be a while yet because the snow is still piled high, but soon! Thanks for the tip Donna!
Paula D says
White or Apple cider vinegar?
Laura Kennedy says
White pickling vinegar works best. I don’t ever use apple cider vinegar in my pickles, but I do use it in my relish. Maybe this year I should try a batch with ACV and see how they turn out.
But for this recipe, plain old white pickling vinegar is what is required. Cheers!
Diane/"Gamma" says
Hello, and thanks, Laura, for story and recipe. Please tell which vinegar you have used for best results. Looking forward to reading your reply. DWD
Laura Kennedy says
Hi Diane, I use pickling vinegar, usually, Heinz is the brand I can easily find but any type of pickling vinegar will do, cheers!
valerie bona says
what kind of salt do you use.
Laura Kennedy says
It’s pickling salt and thank you for pointing that Valerie, I am about to amend the recipe. Cheers!
Dottie adams says
hi, love your pickle recipe, but one thing is unclear, …after you process in the water bath for 5 minutes, you say leave to rest for 24 hours without disturbing. Does that mean leave them IN the water bath for 24 hrs before you remove them from the water bath, or take them out of the water at the end of 5 minutes, then leave them alone
Laura Kennedy says
Hi Dottie, you will remove them from the water bath after 5 minutes and let them rest undisturbed for 24 hours. No poking, tilting, or checking the seal. I will amend the recipe to make that more clear, thanks for the comment and good luck with your pickle making!