Easy Dill Pickles for Canning
Small batch canning for Dill Pickles in a 15 minute water bath with step by step instructions.
Servings: 4 Half Pints
Calories: 2tablespoons
Equipment
- Stock pot or canning pot (comes with beginner canning tools)
- Half Pint jars for canning (Ball)
- Ball Pickle Crisp (calcium chloride)
Ingredients
- 6 (6 to 8-inch) pickling or English cucumbers (about 5 cups sliced) (about 2.5 pounds) (peeling them is optional)
- 4 small bunches fresh dill weed or ½ teaspoon dried dill weed or ¼ teaspoon dried dill seed (per jar)
- 4 large cloves garlic (halved)
- ½ teaspoon calcium chloride granules, divided (optional) (Ball Pickle Crisp or Mrs Wages Xtra Crunch)
- 2 ½ cups water
- 2 ½ cups apple cider vinegar or white distilled vinegar (5% acid)
- 3 tablespoons pickling salt
Instructions
- Bring a very large pot of water to a boil. Place canning rack or round cooling rack in the pot.
- Wash jars in soapy hot water. Sterilize in boiling water 5 minutes and let dry.
- Peel the cucumbers, if desired.Slice the cucumbers ⅛ to ¼-inch thick if making hamburger chips. For pickle spears, slice each cucumber vertically into 4 spears.
- Place one bunch of dill and 1 to 2 garlic clove halves in each jar. Arrange the pickle slices or spears in the jars, packing firmly. Be sure to leave ½ inch headspace at the top.
- Add ⅛ teaspoon calcium chloride (Pickle Crisp) to each half pint jar.
- In a large saucepan, combine water, vinegar, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Using a liquid measuring cup or ladle, pour enough vinegar mixture over the cucumbers, leaving a 1 inch headspace at the top of the jar.
- Add the lids and twist on the jar bands.
- Water Bath Canning:
- Lower the jars into the boiling water with the rack positioned in the bottom with a canning jar lifter. Make sure there is 1 inch of water above the top of the jar. Boil half pint and pint jars for 10 minutes and quart jars for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the jars with the jar lifter and let cool completely.
- Pickles are ready to eat in 24 hours but even better in 3 days.
- Store in refrigerator up to 2 or 3 weeks. Store in cool dark place up to 1 year and sometimes longer.
- Yield: about 4 half pint jars.
Notes
Pro Tips for making crunchy pickles:
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- Use calcium chloride granules. (Pickle Crisp)
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- Soak your cucumbers in ice water at least 30 minutes before canning.
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- Choose thin-skinned, fresh-from-the-farm cucumbers.
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- Cut off the tip of the blossom end of the cucumbers. There are enzymes there that will turn your pickles to mush!
- Be sure to use 1:1 ratio vinegar to water to meet USDA and extension service safe canning guidelines.
