{This post is sponsored by Ball® Fresh Preserving}
As August rolls along, I’m usually busy in the kitchen canning up whatever I can! Whenever there is an excess in the garden I try to preserve it so that I can enjoy it through the fall and winter. I particularly love making pickles, even more so if they are dill pickles! These kosher dill pickles are delicious, vinegary, just a bit salty (not too much), and very simple to make.
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- Jar Lifter
- Canning Funnel
- Bubble Remover/Headspace Tool
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Kosher Dill Pickles Recipe
Pickles are one of the easiest ways to preserve cucumbers. It doesn’t take a whole lot of prep work, and everything comes together pretty quickly. This recipe is perfect for beginning canners!
The first thing you want to do is prepare your boiling water canner. Heat 4 pint jars in simmering water until ready to use, but do not boil. Wash the lids in warm soapy water and set aside with the bands.
To make the pickles it is best to use pickling cucumbers. They hold up better to the canning process than regular cucumbers, so it’s worth seeking them out if you don’t have them growing in your garden. Try looking for them at your local farmer’s market or natural foods store.
Related: Dilly Beans Recipe for Canning
You will need about 2 1/2 pounds of pickling cucumbers. Wash them well and trim the ends off so they measure to be about 3 inches long, then cut them lengthwise into quarters.
Combine the water, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small stainless saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then lower the heat to simmer.
Using a jar lifter, grab one canning jar, place on a towel or wooden cutting board, then place 1 garlic clove, 3 dill sprigs, ½ tsp mustard seed, 1 bay leaf, 1 hot pepper (if using), and Ball® Pickle Crisp (if desired) into the hot jar.
Pack the cucumber spears into jar, leaving a 1/2 inch headspace (this headspace tool is perfect for this). Trim any cucumbers that may be a bit too tall.
Ladle hot brine into a hot jar leaving a ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim. Center lid on jar and apply band, adjust to fingertip tight. Place jar in boiling water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.
Once the water is boiling, process the jars for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off the heat, remove lid, and let jars stand in the water for 5 minutes.
Remove the jars and let them cool undisturbed on a towel or wooden cutting board for 12-24 hours. Check lids for seal, they should not flex when the center is pressed.
These kosher dill pickles are so delicious! They are perfect for a party appetizer platter, alongside a sandwich, or simply for snacking!
Totally worth the small amount of time it takes to can them up. I’ll never buy store bought pickles again!
If you want some more awesome and easy canning recipes to try, check out these recipes for strawberry honey butter and green tomato salsa verde!
What Makes a Pickle Kosher?
I was curious, so I had to look up what makes a pickle kosher. It turns out that it actually has to do with the flavorings rather than having the kosher certification for eating.
So kosher pickles may not actually be kosher, so to speak!
The traditional flavorings in kosher dill pickles are garlic and dill, plus a salty brine. Some kosher dill pickles are fermented (see my recipe for fermented cucumber pickles here), but many are in a vinegar and salt brine like the ones in this recipe.
If you want a super quick, non-canning version of pickles, see my recipes for dill pickles and bread and butter pickles.
But I must admit that these kosher dill pickles are my favorite of the bunch!
Kosher Dill Pickles
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds 3-4 inch pickling cucumbers
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup Ball® Salt for Pickling and Preserving
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 small bay leaves
- 12 dill sprigs
- 2 tsp yellow mustard seeds
- 4 small hot peppers optional
- Ball® Pickle Crisp optional
Instructions
- Prepare your boiling water canner. Heat 4 pint jars in simmering water until ready to use, but do not boil. Wash lids in warm soapy water and set aside with bands.
- Wash them well and trim the ends off so they measure to be about 3 inches long, then cut them lengthwise into quarters.
- Combine the water, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small stainless saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then lower the heat to simmer.
- Using a jar lifter, grab one canning jar, place on a towel or wooden cutting board, then place 1 garlic clove, 3 dill sprigs, ½ tsp mustard seed, 1 bay leaf, 1 hot pepper (if using), and Ball® Pickle Crisp (if desired) into the hot jar.
- Pack the cucumber spears into jar, leaving a 1/2 inch headspace (this headspace tool is perfect for this). Trim any cucumbers that may be a bit too tall.
- Ladle hot brine into a hot jar leaving a ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim. Center lid on jar and apply band, adjust to fingertip tight. Place jar in boiling water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.
- Once the water is boiling, process the jars for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off the heat, remove lid, and let jars stand in the water for 5 minutes. Remove the jars and let them cool undisturbed on a towel or wooden cutting board for 12-24 hours. Check lids for seal, they should not flex when the center is pressed.
Hello there This is my go to recipe for a few years now, its the best recipe for pickles that I have found. I always used pints to make these but today I have one liter wide mout jars and I would like to use them. Does anything change in the time for canning? Or will I use the same time as per pints. Thanks so much for the recipes.
Yes, you’ll want to add an extra 5 minutes to the processing time!
Can you use kosher salt instead of picking salt
As long as it doesn’t contain any anti-caking agents.
Is there any need to add pickling spices (premade from a jar kind) to this recipe?
The only dried spices I used were mustard seeds. You can use whatever pickling spices you prefer.
can you omit the sugar in this recipe or use honey instead?
Yes, you can!
How long do they keep for?
If properly canned and stored, many months or years before the flavor begins to degrade.
How much pickle crisp in each jar?
Hi Kimberle. You’ll need to follow the instructions on the Pickle Crisp jar for the exact amount.
I just tried this for the first time. I had extra brine left over. Can I freeze it and it when I get more jars and cucumbers?
Thank you in advance!
Hi Daniella. Yes, freezing it is fine.
I do not have bay leaves what else could i use? I also dont have the flowering part of the dill plant only have the dill leaves.can i use those instead and how many.
You can omit the bay leaves if you don’t have any and yes, you can just use 12 dill leaves.
If I cannot find fresh dill can I use the dried dill weed and if so, how much? First time making pickles🤞
Hi Vicky. Yes, you can use dried herbs, but be sure to add less, since dried herbs are more potent. I would try about a tablespoon for this recipe if you really enjoy the dill flavor, if not, maybe start with a half tablespoon and adjust if needed.
How much kosher dill pickle mix do you put in each quart jar, do you reduce pickling salt if you use mix?
I add enough brine to cover the pickles leaving ½ inch headspace.
thank you I will try and prepare these. I know these will be great
You’re welcome, Dianna!
They were delicious but really salty. Would it be possible to cut back on the pickling salt amount?
How long after canning them should you wait to eat them? Obviously, the longer you wait the better they will taste. This will be my first time every canning anything so I’m not really sure about that. Sorry if this Is a ridiculous question.
At least 6 weeks
Making this now! Only I don’t like spears so mine are coins. Haven’t tasted them yet, but they look wonderful.
I can tell you why they probably are called kosher. Because back then, in the olden times in Europe, our ancestors used to make a lot of these kind of stored for the winter time. So the original receive is probably from a kosher cookbook. According to general kosher standards today they would be kosher if the ingredients are kosher: the vegetables and spices checked for insects and and the vinegar would be either a vine vinegar with a kosher seal (heksher) or an apple vinegar. Great blog!
When placing jars in the canner is the water already boiling or do you start the heating process after all jars are in the canner?
How much kosher dill pickle mix do you
Put in each jar?
Already boiling. Put your water on to boil first thing. Esp. if you have a large canner and are making quarts instead of pints
Looks so good. Thank you for this! Definitely making this the next time I head to the grocery store.