Pickles!!

Although this post ended up in the ‘Eat Drink & Dessert’ category I seriously debated putting it in the ‘Life & Style’ category… because this is LIFE!

The good life.

Seriously!

Families and traditions and get-togethers and PICKLES!  My hubby and I have been together for almost 10 years and one of the first memories I have while dating him was of him eating pickles straight from the jar in his parents house.  THESE pickles… I kid you not!

Well, last weekend I finally got to join in making some and with the family’s permission I give you ‘Grandma Henrietta’s Dill Pickles’!

Here we are in all our pickling glory!  I will add that we didn’t just do pickles, hubby and I did some peppers and garlic, and cousins did some jalapenos and green beans too!  (That’s me in the Glazer’s camera shirt, hubby managed to evade the camera)  ;)

Grandma Henrietta’s Dill Pickles

Pack cucumbers in a wide mouth quart jar.

Add:

1 head of dill

1-2 cloves of garlic

1 thick slice of onion

1-2 chili tepinos

Brine:

1 quart vinegar

2 quarts water

2/3 cups of pickling salt (non-iodized)

Bring to a boil and pour over jars and seal!

Tips:

You can wash the cucumbers in a washing machine if you don’t have a high efficiency one yet.  Just cold water and ice and a few minutes of agitation.  No spin cycle!!  If you have upgraded to a high efficiency… then the sink and a scrub brush is calling your name.  It called ours ;)

Make sure the jars are clean and sterile, run them through the dishwasher!

Lids should be new every year, but rings can be re-used if they are not rusty.

When the hot brine gets added over the pickles in the jar leave about 1/2 inch of room in the top.  Wipe the top of the glass jar after adding the brine, then put on the lid and ring but don’t tighten too much.  You want the lid firmly on there.

Let the jars cool and remove to storage for several weeks.  The jars will bubble and ferment.  Some will stay completely clear, others will get a little cloudy… both are acceptable.

Figure about 10 cucumbers per jar plus the small ones that go on top that are extra small.

Hubby and I added a couple dried chilis to most of our jars too for some extra spice!

And after typing in the recipe and tips from my email here, I want to thank hub’s Aunt Jill, whom I suspect emailed those tips along so our generation could attempt to pickle on our own!  She gave me a jar of pickles at my bridal shower (like I said… it’s a family thing) and I tortured hubby because I would only let him eat 1 pickle from MY jar.  I felt like it was initiation into his family.  :)

Enjoy the recipe, I certainly enjoy it and the family it comes from.  With love today,

Sam