PICKLES!

This summer I grew boatloads of cucumbers.  While I love cucumbers, I finally ran out of things to do with fresh cucumbers.  So, I decided to make pickles.  My Mom couldn’t find her pickle recipe (she made the BEST pickles when I was a kid) so I went searching on the Internet.  I found a recipe for Spicy Refrigerator Pickles on Allrecipes.com, and then of course I changed it (because they were making sweet pickles and I don’t like sweet pickles!  I also like to use full-sized cucumbers and cut them in half and then into spears (quarters) – I just like the taste better that way (rather than using the official pickling cucumbers).

Since these aren’t officially canned, you must keep them refrigerated.  I don’t know how long they last since mine haven’t lasted past 2 months because they are eaten up!

So here is my adjusted recipe for Spicy Refrigerator Pickles.  You can make it a spicy as you want by adding more red pepper flakes or dried red peppers. This would also be a great gift if you put it into mason jars and wrapped a ribbon around it!!

Spicy Refrigerator Dill Pickles

Via Allrecipes, with changes by Barb

12 3-4 inch long pickling cucumbers (I used regular cucumbers and only used 3-4 of them)
2 cups water
1 3/4 cups white vinegar
1 1/2 cups fresh dill weed (I just guessed because I left it in sprigs – use a bunch)

1 T. white sugar

8 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed

1 ½ T. coarse salt

1 T. pickling spice

1 ½ t. dill seed

½ t. red pepper flakes or to taste (I ended up adding 2 whole red chili peppers to one jar in addition to this)

4 more sprigs of fresh dill weed

1. (optional step – makes them crisper)  Soak whole cucumbers in ice and water bath for two hours.
2. At same time, combine water, vinegar, all but 4 sprigs of fresh dill, sugar, garlic, salt, pickling spice, dill seed and red pepper flakes and let sit at room temp for 2 hours.
3. Drain water & chop cukes into spears or thick slices (if using larger cukes). Add cukes to water/vinegar mix (or add it to cukes – you will need a large bowl) and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours.
4. Remove the cukes to whatever jars you have (I used 2 one quart jars) – be sure to use a wide mouthed jar to make it easier.  Ladle in the liquid from the bowl to cover (you may have to add a little more water/vinegar if it won’t cover the cukes).  Distribute spices and garlic cloves among the jars. Place 1-2 sprigs of fresh dill in each jar, along with 1-2 dried red chili peppers depending on how hot you want it.  Refrigerate for 10 days before eating (although they were pretty good after 3-4 days).  Keep in refrigerator.