My Mom’s Dill Pickles
Recipe
September is a great time (and the last call) to make a trip to a farmer’s market or a generous friend with a garden to get fresh cucumbers. This recipe is from my mother who has been making pickles ever since I can remember from my days in Poland. Her pickles always turn out delicious, crunchy, crispy, and super healthy. The fermentation process produces billions of probiotics essential for our gut health and our immune system, and it’s just in time before the cold and flu season hits.
Ingredients:
Quart of filtered water for the brine
Cold filtered water for soaking
Approximately 10 small to medium pickling (Kirby) cucumbers
2 TBS of salt (I use sea salt or pink Himalayan salt)
1 TBS of sugar
Several peppercorns
A few bay leaves
4 garlic cloves
One medium carrot, sliced
2 small pieces of ginger
Several springs of fresh dill
2 clean quart-size jars
Method:
Wash the cucumbers well, place them in a big bowl and cover them with very cold water for a few hours or longer (keep the bowl in the fridge if they are being soaked overnight).
Boil one quart of water adding salt, sugar, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Let it cool to room temperature.
Place carrot slices, ginger, garlic, and a few springs of dill at the bottom of each jar. Pack cucumbers tightly with a few more dill springs and a garlic clove; pour the brine into each jar covering the cucumbers and herbs but leaving about 1 inch at the top.
Cover the jars with lids or paper towels secured with rubber bands. Keep the jars on the kitchen counter in room temperature (about 70 degrees) for 3-7 days until the pickles taste sour (I like them “half-sour” and firm and it usually takes 3-4 days to achieve this taste and texture). After the pickles are ready, the jars covered with tight lids can be stored in the fridge for a few months.
Health facts:
Rich in probiotics and prebiotics
Good source of fiber
Good source of vitamin K
High in sodium*
GF, dairy free, low in sugar
* Be aware of high sodium content if you have high blood pressure.