Easy Dill Pickles

In our house we go through insane amounts of pickles. Pickles on sandwiches, chopped pickles in salads, pickles eaten while they drip on my kitchen floor (ahem).

Despite the nearly rain-free summer we've had here in Indiana, our local farmer's market still has cucumbers, which means I can have homemade pickles. In the past I've made the kind that mirrors bread starter where you have to feed it floue every day or it dies (you know, the Ziploc baggie full of sludge your 'friends' give you to show how much their friendship means... but DOES produce dang good cake-like bread in the end.)

Anyway, this year I wanted simple. Not only has Indiana been rain-free here, it has been HOT. So the less I have to stand over the stove, the better.


Easy Dill Pickles

Prepare jars for pickles (which means make 'em clean with hot, soapy water). You decide how many jars you're making based on how thin you cut your cukes. The liquid is enough for 2-3 pint jars.

4-6 medium cucumbers    (I judge by how big around I want my pickles)
1 cup white-wine vinegar 
1/4 cup sugar
3 TBS salt
2 cups water
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed 

          (smashing tip: place clove on cutting board after peeled; take a wide butcher knife and lay it flat on the clove; pound down with your fist and voila! smashed garlic)

2 sprigs fresh dill per jar

Place dill springs in jars. Set aside.

In medium saucepan combine vinegar, sugar, salt, water and garlic cloves. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.

Cut pickles into desired thickness....we like ours a bit thick. Place inside, leaving 1" head space. Pour liquid over pickles in jars, screw on seals/lids tightly. Let jars stand at room temperature to cool 1 hour. Store in fridge up to 2 weeks.