Quick Homemade Spicy Dill Pickles Recipe
Sinkology is proud to present Emily Schuermann, our food-loving guest blogger who runs Food for a Year. Emily is here to share some recipes she has created exclusively for the Sinkology blog that reflect her view of a copper sink: simple, timeless, affordable, and beautifully rustic.
Summer is in full swing and whether you have your own vegetable garden or are reaping the benefits of someone else’s green thumb, fresh veggies are in abundance! And it’s that abundance that is the inspiration for this Sinkology recipe.
For this recipe, I am using cucumbers, green onions, a small amount of a garden fresh hot pepper and some thin strips of lemon zest ((for a little unexpected zing)). But virtually every vegetable can be turned into a pickle. Carrots, squash, peppers, cauliflower, beets, radishes and even green tomatoes can make a tasty pickle.
Start off by sanitizing your jars and washing the lids & rings in hot soapy water.
Allow the jars & lids to dry and move onto the brine. To prepare the pickle brine, combine vinegar, water, kosher salt and sugar in a large pot over medium-high flame. Stir the liquid until the salt & sugar are dissolved. Continue heating the brine mixture until it comes to a rolling boil.
While keeping a close eye on the brine, prepare the veggies as listed:
- wash and chop the cucumber (I prefer thick sliced pickles, but thin will work nicely too)
- slice the green onions lengthwise (be sure the onion won’t be too tall for the jars you are using)
- use a vegetable peeler to remove zest from the lemons in strips
- chop the hot pepper (if desired, to reduce heat – remove seeds and veins of the pepper)
Begin adding cucumbers, onions, lemon zest strips, hot pepper & dill to the prepared jars. Next, add ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon peppercorns to each jar.
Once the brine is boiling, remove it from the flame and (using a funnel) pour it into each jar, being sure to leave ½” space between the pickles/brine & the lid.
Now – because I am making “QUICK” pickles, I am skipping the step of canning these jars. If you would like to store these pickles in the pantry, rather than the fridge, go through the canning steps recommended by your canning device.
Use a clean chopstick or knife to pack the dill, cucumber and other veggies down into the liquid. Place the lid on the pickles and allow them to rest on the counter until they reach room temperature. Once the jars have completely cooled, store them in the refrigerator at least 24 hours before serving.
Summer gardens are in full production – what a perfect way to enjoy the bounty all year long ((and with minimal effort)).
These crisp, salty dill pickles have a hint of sweet, a perfect pop of heat and a surprise lemony brightness. Each bite really has it all! Although these pickles can last up to 6 months in your fridge – I predict they won’t last a week!
- 2 lbs cucumbers (I used English cucumbers), washed & sliced
- 3 green onions, quartered lengthwise (be sure the onions aren't too tall for the jar)
- 1 medium hot pepper, cut into ½" chunks (optional)
- 2 lemons, zest peeled into strips (8-10 strips of lemon zest)
- 8-10 sprigs on fresh dill
- 1 t red pepper flakes
- 1 T peppercorns
- 3 c apple cider vinegar*
- 3 c water
- 5 T kosher salt
- 1 T sugar
- Sanitize 4 pint-sized jars & wash lids and rings in hot soapy water. Set aside to dry and begin preparing pickle brine. Combine brining ingredients in a medium pot over medium-high flame. Stir to dissolve the salt & sugar. Bring brine to a boil.
- While keeping a close eye on the brine prepare the veggies as listed
- - wash and chop the cucumber (I prefer thick sliced pickles, but thin will work nicely too)
- - slice the green onions lengthwise (be sure the onion won't be too tall for the jars you are using)
- - use a vegetable peeler to remove zest from the lemons in strips
- - chop the hot pepper (if desired, to reduce heat - remove seeds and veins of the pepper)
- Begin adding cucumbers, onions, lemon zest strips, hot pepper & dill to the prepared jars. Next, add ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon peppercorns to each jar.
- Once the brine is boiling, remove it from the flame and (using a funnel) pour it into each jar, being sure to leave ½" space between the pickles/brine & the lid.
- Use a clean chopstick or knife to pack the dill, cucumber and other veggies down into the liquid, submerging completely under the liquid.
- Place the lids and rings on each jar and allow the pickles to cool to room temperature before placing into the fridge. Pickles must be refrigerated at least 24 hours before serving in order to allow the flavors to fully develop.
- Makes 4 pints
- Refrigerate up to 6 months**
- *white vinegar can be substituted for apple cider vinegar.
- **if you prefer to can these pickles rather than refrigerating, follow the recommended canning instructions that accompany your canning device.
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