Making Fresh-Pack Dills

In canning terms, pickling includes not only cucumber pickles but any fruit, meat or vegetable prepared with vinegar and/or salt. It’s particularly important to use top-quality ingredients and proper procedures in “pickling.”

Pickle products are generally grouped into one of four categories: brined pickles, fresh-pack pickles, fruit pickles and relishes. Fresh-pack (also called quick-process) pickles are the fastest and easiest of these to prepare, making them a good choice for novices.

Some home canners raise their own pickling cucumbers (not to be confused with immature slicing cucumbers); others purchase them at farmers markets, roadside stands or supermarkets. Avoid waxed cucumbers: The pickling solution won’t be able to penetrate the skin unless they’re sliced.

For best results, the pickling process should begin within 24 hours after harvest. When this isn’t possible, the cucumbers should be refrigerated; they deteriorate rapidly at room temperature.

Use white distilled or cider vinegar with an acidity between 4% and 6%; pure granulated or canning and pickling salt is optional for the fresh-pack method (table salt can be used, but it may make the brine cloudy). Whole fresh spices are preferred.

Soft water should be used in the brine; minerals in hard water will affect pickle quality negatively. If soft tap water isn’t available, distilled water may be substituted. Hard water can be softened by boiling 15 minutes, then letting it stand 24 hours. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface and ladle the water from the container without disturbing the sediment on the bottom. Add one tablespoon of vinegar per gallon of boiled water before using.

Special equipment needed for pickling includes a non-metallic pan for making the brine, canning jars with new seals and a boiling water bath canner. A jar lifter--a tong-like device with heat-resistant handles and soft-plastic-coated wire to protect the jars--is another good item to have on hand.

Fill the water bath canner half full of water and place on the stove top to begin heating. Wash the jars with hot, soapy water, rinse and place in the canner until needed.

Also wash the canning jar lids and bands and rinse well. Place these closures in a saucepan, add water and bring to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat, leaving the closures in the hot water.

Wash the cucumbers thoroughly in cold water. Slice off one-sixteenth inch from the blossom end of each cucumber (this may be the source of enzymes that could soften the finished pickles).

Some recipes require the cucumbers to be placed in the brine solution for several hours or overnight; however, the following fresh-pack pickle recipe omits this step. The ingredients for the brine are simply combined and brought slowly to a boil.

Meanwhile cut the cucumbers lengthwise into quarters (Step 1), sixths or eighths with a sharp knife. Remove one jar at a time from the canner and pack with spears (Step 2). Keep the water in the canner at a simmer.

Add a chile, one-half bay leaf, head of flowering dill and whole garlic clove (Step 3) to each jar. Fill jars with brine to within one-half inch of the top (Step 4); distribute the spices equally. Wipe the rim and threads of the jars with a clean, damp cloth.

Using tongs, remove lids from the saucepan and place with the sealing compound against each jar (Step 5). Add the bands, screwing down firmly.

Stand the filled jars in the rack, which has been removed from the canner. When full, lower the rack into the water. The water should cover the jars by at least two inches; if it doesn’t, add more simmering water. Cover the canner.

Begin counting the processing time as soon as the jars are placed in the water. This reduces the development of a cooked flavor and loss of crispness in the finished pickles.

Remove the jars from the canner and place on a wooden or cloth surface, several inches apart and away from drafts. Allow to cool at least 12 hours, then remove the bands and test the seals. Properly sealed jars should be stored in a dark, dry, cool place.

Fresh-pack pickles typically require four to five weeks to cure and develop flavor. They should be used within one year.

Note: To depict steps clearly, jars and ingredients were cool when photographed.

Bruce Henstell’s secret in the following recipe is to use flowering dill--green dill won’t do. The other ingredients can be varied according to personal taste. He prefers the pickles very crisp and often opens a jar a day or two after canning, as the cucumbers soften with longer storage.

MR. B’S EAT-A-QUART-AT-ONE-SITTING LIGHT DILLS

4 cloves garlic, sliced

4 heads flowering dill

2 teaspoons whole pickling spices

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

2 1/2 quarts water

1/2 cup white vinegar, about

1/4 cup kosher salt, about

6 to 8 (6-inch) pickling cucumbers

4 whole cloves garlic

4 small dried hot red chiles

2 bay leaves

Combine sliced garlic, dill, pickling spices, mustard seeds and water in non-metallic pan. Add vinegar and salt to taste. Bring slowly to boil over low heat.

Cut cucumbers lengthwise into quarters, sixths or eighths. Pack into hot, sterilized jars. Add 1 whole clove garlic, 1 head flowering dill from brine, 1 chile and 1/2 bay leaf to each jar.

Fill jars with brine to within 1/2 inch of top. Distribute spices equally among jars. Seal jars. Process in water bath 5 minutes. Makes 4 quarts.

Variation: Simple version may be made using only salt, pepper and garlic to flavor brine.