Favorite Kosher Dill Pickles Recipes

Steps:

• Pour 1/2 gallon of water into a large container or pot. Cover loosely and allow to sit for 24 hour to allow dissolved chlorine to escape.
• Crisp cucumbers by storing in the refrigerator or soaking in very cold water for 1 hour.
• Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Add salt and stir to combine. Set aside to cool.
• Wash cucumbers in cold water and remove any blossoms that may be clinging to them. Quarter large cucumbers lengthwise. Cut medium cucumbers in half lengthwise. Leave gherkin-sized cucumbers whole.
• Peel and gently crush garlic cloves, but don't splinter them into fragments.
• Pour cooled salt water into a 1/2-gallon Mason jar. Add cucumbers, garlic, dill, and dried chile peppers, arranged attractively. Pack cucumbers tightly; they will shrink as they pickle. Fill the jar with the dechlorinated water until cucumbers are just covered to avoid overly diluting the brine.
• Loosely cover the jar and set aside at room temperature. Set the jar on a dish if it is very full, to catch any dribbles. Give the pickles 12 to 24 hours to begin fermenting. Refrigerate them, in brine and loosely covered, as they approach the stage of pickling you prefer: new, half-sour, or sour. Don't overshoot the mark, as refrigeration slows, but does not stop, fermentation.

Steps:

• Cut 1/4" from both ends of each cucumber and discard. Cut into spears.
• Toss with 2 tablespoons pickling salt. Let stand at room temperature at least 3 hours and up to 12 hours. Rinse very well.
• Prepare canning equipment.
• Combine vinegar, water, remaining 2 tablespoons salt and dill weed in a non-aluminum saucepan. Bring to a boil.
• In hot jars, place Ball Pickle Crisp, 1 garlic clove; pack in cucumbers.
• Ladle hot brine through a fine mesh sieve (to strain out the dill weed) over cucumbers; leaving 1/2" head room.
• Wipe rims, add hot lids and rings, finger tighten and process quarts 15 minutes/pints 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.
• Remove without tilting to a heatproof surface. Cover loosely with a towel and leave undisturbed until cool.
• Label and store in cool, dark place.

Steps:

• Combine the salt and 1 cup boiling water in a large bowl; stir to dissolve the salt. Add a handful of ice cubes to cool the mixture, then all the remaining ingredients.
• Add cold water to cover. Use a plate slightly smaller than the diameter of the bowl and a small weight to keep the cucumbers immersed. Set aside at room temperature.
• Begin sampling the cucumbers after 4 hours if you quartered them. It will probably take 12 to 24 hours or even 48 hours for them to taste pickled enough to suit your taste.
• When they are ready, refrigerate them, still in the brine. The pickles will continue to ferment as they sit, more quickly at room temperature and more slowly in the refrigerator. They will keep well for up to a week.