PICKLING RECIPES: Dill Sandwhich Slices ... Pickled Red Onions ... No-Fuss Pickles

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Dill Sandwich Slices

13 13 cups sliced trimmed pickling cucumbers

3 tablespoons pickling spice

4 cups cider vinegar

4 cups water

¾ cup granulated sugar

½ cup pickling salt (see note)

5 bay leaves

5 cloves garlic

2½ teaspoons mustard seeds

5 heads fresh dill (see note)

Wash 5 pint jars, lids and the screw bands in warm soapy water. Rinse and set aside.

Place rack in the bottom of the canner. Place jars on top of the rack. Fill canner with water until it covers the jars by about one inch. Bring water to a simmer.

Place lids in a small saucepan filled with water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Keep lids hot until ready to use them.

Slice cucumbers and set aside.

Tie pickling spice in a square of cheesecloth, creating a spice bag.

In a large stainless-steel saucepan, combine vinegar, water, sugar, pickling salt and spice bag. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt. Reduce heat and boil gently for 15 minutes, until spices have infused the liquid.

When pickling liquid is ready, remove jars from the canner. Place 1 bay leaf, 1 garlic clove, ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and 1 head of dill in each jar. Pack cucumber slices into hot jars to within a generous ½ inch of the top of jar. Ladle hot pickling liquid into the jars to cover cucumbers, leaving ½ inch head space. Insert small spatula or similar slender nonmetallic object into the jar two or three times to help release air bubbles. Wipe jar’s rim with a damp, clean cloth or paper towel.

Center lid on top of jar. Place screwband on the jar. Twist screwband until fingertip-tight.

Place jars back into canner, place lid on canner and bring water to a full rolling boil over high heat. Let jars process for 15 minutes. Then turn heat off, remove lid and let jars stand in the water for 5 minutes. Then remove jars from canner. Let jars sit upright on a towel. Let cool, undisturbed, for 24 hours.

Note: If you do not have fresh dill, use 1 to 2 teaspoons dill seeds or 2 teaspoons dried dillweed instead of each head of fresh dill.

Yield: 5 pints.

Pickled Red Onions

About 1¼ pounds (2 medium-large) red onions

1½ cups red wine vinegar

¾ cup sugar

Trim and discard root end of onions. Cut in half from top to bottom. Remove outer layer along with skin. Cut a V in interior of the bottom portion to remove core. Cut into 18-inch thick slices following the direction of the lines that run up and down on exterior of the onion; you will end up with thin wedges.

Pack into clean 1-quart canning jar; reserve any slices that don’t fit.

Combine vinegar and sugar in small nonreactive saucepan and bring to boil on high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Pour hot vinegar mixture over onions. Once onions begin to wilt, you can add remaining onions to jar. Cover and let cool.

Refrigerate at least 24 hours or up to four weeks.

Yield: About 4 cups.

No-Fuss Pickles

2 pounds pickling cucumbers or “baby” cucumbers (less than 5 inches long)

3 tablespoons kosher or other coarse salt

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

5 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed (bruised)

1 pound carrots, peeled, cut on diagonal into ¼-inch thick slices

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, cut into ½-inch pieces

1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, cut into ½-inch pieces

2 medium onions, peeled, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

4 cups cider vinegar

2¼ cups brown sugar

1 teaspoon fennel seed

1 teaspoon ground cloves

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon yellow mustard seed

2 tablespoons prepared Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons whole allspice berries, cracked (see note)

2 teaspoons coriander seed, toasted, cracked (see note)

Cut cucumbers into ¼- to C,-inch thick rounds. In medium nonreactive bowl, combine cucumbers and salt; toss to coat. Cover with ice cubes and let stand in refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.

Drain cucumbers and rinse well with cold water. Drain again. In a deep, medium skillet, combine oil, garlic, carrots, bell peppers and onions. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent browning, until carrots are cooked tender-crisp, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and combine with cucumbers in large bowl.

In nonreactive saucepan, combine vinegar, brown sugar and spices. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil 5 minutes. Pour over vegetables and cool to room temperature. Spoon into canning jars, seal and refrigerate up to 4 weeks.

Notes: To crack spices, place in zipper-style plastic bag and pound with mallet or bottom of heavy pot. To toast coriander, place in small skillet and place over medium-high heat. Shake handle to rotate seeds over heat. Toast until lightly browned.

Yield: About 12 cups

Pickled Sugar Snap Peas

1½ cups white wine vinegar

1¼ cups water

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1 pound sugar snap peas, stemmed and strung

4 garlic cloves, peeled, sliced

1 or 2 small dried red chilies, sliced lengthwise

2 fresh tarragon sprigs

In medium, nonreactive saucepan, bring vinegar, water, salt and sugar to boil on high heat, stirring to dissolve salt and sugar. Set aside to cool.

Pack peas, garlic, chilies and tarragon into clean, 1-quart canning jar. Pour cooled liquid over peas and cover jar. Store in refrigerator for at least 2 weeks before eating. Refrigerated, they will keep for several months.

Yield: About 4 cups

Pickled Cherries

8 cups unpitted cherries, red cherries preferred, stems removed, washed and patted dry

1½ cups water

1½ cups red wine vinegar

1 23 cups sugar

10 whole cloves

Pack cherries into two clean 1-quart canning jars; tap jar on counter to make additional room for more cherries.

In medium nonreactive saucepan, combine water, vinegar and sugar. Bring to boil on high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Pour over cherries; mixture should cover top of cherries. If it doesn’t, add a little additional water and vinegar. Place five cloves in each jar. Seal with lids.

Refrigerate at least 24 hours or up to four weeks. Caution guests that cherries are not pitted.

Yield: 8 cups

Bourbon-Pickled Apricots or Peaches

1 cup cider vinegar

1 cup orange juice

½ cup white grape juice

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup maple syrup

2 teaspoons whole allspice berries

8 whole cloves

Finely minced zest of 2 oranges (colored portion of peel)

1 tablespoon peeled, minced fresh ginger

8 apricots, quartered, pitted, or 8 medium peaches, peeled, quartered, pitted

½ cup bourbon

In a nonreactive saucepan, combine vinegar, orange juice, grape juice, sugar and maple syrup; bring to boil over high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar.

Add allspice and cloves. As soon as mixture comes back to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer five minutes. Remove from heat; add zest and ginger. Cool to room temperature. Add apricots or peaches and bourbon; gently toss. Spoon into canning jars and seal. Refrigerate at least two days or up to six weeks. Serve with pork chops or ham or ribs, or as an accompaniment to a cheese platter.

Yield: About 4 cups.

Crisp Bread and Butter Pickles

4 1-quart jars

3 cups distilled white vinegar

2½ cups sugar

4 teaspoons coarse salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon turmeric

9 unwaxed cucumbers, unpeeled, scrubbed and thinly sliced

3 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and thinly sliced

4 medium onions, thinly sliced

Combine vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard and turmeric in a large flameproof casserole over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until sugar dissolves. Turn up heat until mixture is quite hot — do not let boil.

Add cucumbers, peppers, and onions to vinegar mixture. Heat thoroughly for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, but do not let mixture come to a boil or the cucumbers will be overcooked and lose their crispness.

Ladle vegetables and their liquid into jars and cover with lids. Store in refrigerator for as long as 1 month.

Yield: 4 quarts.

Deep-Fried Dill Pickles

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup ice water

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons sour dill pickle brine

4 cups drained sour dill pickles, sliced into 1/4-inch thick medallions

Vegetable oil for frying

Stir flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt into large bowl.

Make a well in center; add water, egg yolk and pickle juice, all at once. Stir with wire whisk to make a smooth batter. Cover bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Heat at least 2 inches of oil in deep fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees.

In batches, dip pickle slices into the batter to coat evenly and lightly. Fry without crowding in hot oil until golden and crisp, 1½ to 2 minutes.

Drain on paper towels and serve at once.

Yield: Serves 8.

Better Homes and Garden Dill Pickles

6 1-pint jars

3 pounds 4-inch pickling cucumbers (about 36)

3¾ cups water

3¾ cups cider vinegar

¼ cup pickling salt

12 to 18 heads fresh dill or 6 tablespoons dill seeds

1 tablespoon mustard seeds

Thoroughly rinse cucumbers. Remove stems; cut off a slice from blossom ends.

In large stainless-steel, enameled or nonstick saucepan, combine water, vinegar and salt. Bring to boiling.

Pack cucumbers loosely into hot, sterilized pint canning jars, leaving ½-inch head space. Add 2 to 3 heads of dill or 1 tablespoon dill seeds and 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds to each jar.

Pour hot vinegar mixture over cucumbers, leaving a ½-inch head space. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids.

Process in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes (start timing when water returns to boil). Remove jars and cool on racks. Let stand 1 week.

For kosher-style dills, prepare as above, except omit mustard seeds and add 1 clove garlic, halved to each jar (6 garlic cloves total).

Note: If pickling cucumbers are not available, cut regular cucumbers into 4-inch spears.

Yield: 6 pints.

Cucumber Pickles

7 pounds cucumbers (weigh after sliced)

3 cups lime

5 pounds sugar

3 pints vinegar

1 teaspoon whole cloves

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon mace

1 teaspoon celery seed

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Slice cucumbers, not real thin. Soak for 24 hours in 2 gallons water into which 3 cups lime has been added.

Dip cucumbers out of lime water. Wash and soak in cold water for 4 hours, changing water every hour.

Drain off water.

Prepare a spice bag with a doubled piece of cheese cloth and spices, tied with string or dental floss.

Boil sugar and vinegar. Add spice bag to mixture. Allow to boil for about 5 minutes.

Let mixture cool until almost cold. Pour over drained cucumbers. Let stand overnight.

Boil soaked cucumbers about 1 hour on low (simmer barely boiling).

Put into hot jars and seal.

Yield: 12 pints.

Spiced Cucumber Rings

7 pounds cucumbers, after sliced

1 cup lime

3 cups vinegar

1 tablespoon alum

1 1-ounce bottle red food coloring

10 cups sugar

8 sticks cinnamon

1 box Red Hots

Peel cucumbers; removed seed, slice in rings. (Or you can seed and slice cucumber into bite-size pieces.) Cover with lime and enough water to cover. Let stand 24 hours.

Wash and rinse cucumbers well. Put ice over and let stand 3 hours. Mix 1 cup vinegar, alum, red food coloring, water to cover; simmer cucumbers in this mixture for 2 hours.

Pour off mixture above. Mix and bring to boil 2 cups vinegar, 2 cups water, sugar, cinnamon, sticks and red hots.

Pour spice mixture above over cucumbers; let stand 24 hours.

Pour off mixture in above step, saving. Boil liquid. Pour over cucumbers. Let stand 24 hours.

Pour off liquid again. Again, bring to boil and pour over cucumbers. Put into jars and seal.

Yield: About 10 pints.

Zesty Corn and Bell Pepper Relish

4 to 4½ pints or 8 to 9 half pints

6 cups cooked whole-kernel yellow corn (9 to 12 medium-size ears, see note)

1 large red bell pepper, diced (1½ cups)

1 medium green bell pepper, diced (1 cup)

1 medium onion, finely chopped (1 cup)

2½ cups distilled white vinegar (5 percent acidity)

1½ cups sugar

2 teaspoons celery seed

2 teaspoons yellow mustard seed

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

¼ cup water

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Combine chopped vegetables; set aside.

Combine remaining ingredients except water and cornstarch in a 6-quart saucepan; bring to boil. Add vegetables; return to boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes. Spoon off foam.

Combine water and cornstarch; stir into corn mixture. Heat, stirring until mixture starts to thicken, 3 to 5 minutes.

Ladle into sterilized pint or half-pint canning jars. Cool. Put lids on jars and refrigerate. Store in refrigerator 2 to 3 months.

Note: Husk corn, remove silk and rinse well. Cook ears of corn in boiling water for 3 minutes. Cool in cold water. Cut kernels from cobs. Do not scrape cobs.

Yield: 8 to 9 pints.

Green and Gold Refrigerator Pickles

4 pints or 8 half-pints

2 cups sugar

1 cup cider vinegar

3½ cups yellow summer squash, thinly sliced

3 ½ cups zucchini, thinly sliced

1 cup green bell peppers, finely chopped

1 cup red bell peppers, finely chopped

1 cup onions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon dill seeds

1 tablespoon salt

Heat the sugar and vinegar in a nonreactive 4-quart saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Add remaining ingredients and chill overnight.

Transfer vegetables to sterile jars. Cover with vinegar mixture, cap and seal. Keep in refrigerator as long as two months.

Yield: 4 pints.

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