Organic Kosher Dill Pickle Recipe

Pickling and canning organic vegetables from farmers markets is one of our favorite fall activities. We love organic snacks here at Allgood Provisions and having great tasting organic vegetables available to use, eat and enjoy all winter long is extremely satisfying for us. We’re also pretty inspired by our neighbors here in Park City, Yee-haw Pickle Company, and their delicious, natural pickles that we just had to try a batch ourselves.

This past weekend we were lucky to score some great organic pickling cucumbers from the Salt Lake City Farmers Market.

Top on our list for pickling is the classic Kosher Dill Pickle.  Did you know the kosher pickle isn’t actually “kosher” in terms of following Jewish food law; it actually got its name from a flavor that Jewish pickle makers in New York created.  This is an easy Kosher Dill Pickle recipe that you and your family will have a great time making and eating!

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons sea salt

• 2 quarts of chlorine-free water

• 6 grape, oak, or horseradish leaves (adding these to the jars keeps an extra crunch in your pickles because of the tannins in the leaves; seriously, who wants to bite into a pickle with no crunch?)

• 8 cloves of peeled organic garlic – I say the more the merrier here, so add more if you like!

• 2 large heads of organic baby dill

• Spices (at your discretion, mix it up with whatever you like best!) We used: peppercorns, red pepper flakes and coriander seeds – also popular are mustard seeds, horseradish

• Organic Pickling Cucumbers – can use any type, we had about 30 medium organic pickling cucumbers

• You'll also need 3 Quart size mason (pickling) Jars

1. Bring the water and sea salt to a boil over to make your brine. Mix well, remove from  the heat and then let the mixture cool to room temperature.

2. In your pickling jars place a layer of your grape, oak or horseradish leaves

3. On top of the leaves place a third of your spices, a couple cloves of garlic and then a third of your dill.

4. Next, place a layer of your pickling cucumbers.

5. Repeat layers of grape leaves, spices, dill, garlic and then cucumbers until you fill to the top of the jar.

6. Pour the brine (salt and water mixture) over each jar filled with cucumbers

7. Finish the jar with a layer of grape leaves.

8. Close each jar tightly and place in a cool dry area such as a cellar or basement and leave the jars for up to 2 weeks. For faster results, leave in a room temperature location – this speeds the waiting time up to just 3-5 days.

9. Your delicious, homemade organic kosher dill pickles will be ready to eat when you see that the brine is cloudy and bubbling. Enjoy! Happy Organic Snacking!