The Perfect Pickle....seriously.

 About two years ago I was flipping through my Better Homes and Gardens magazine, and found a recipe forThe Best-Ever Dill Pickles.  As a huge dill pickle lover I could not wait to try this recipe, and the recipe truly creates the Best-Ever Dill Pickles.  Each summer since, I've used the recipe and it never disappoints, so I wanted to share it with all the other dill pickle fans that may read this blog.

The Best-Ever Dill Pickles

Ingredients

3 - 3 1/4 lbs. small pickling cucumbers ( I've used regular cucumbers and they still come out great.)

4 cups water

4 cups white vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup pickling salt ( I usually use sea salt)

6 tbsp. dill seeds

( half garlic dill jars/ half dill jars)

Directions

1. Before slicing cucumbers, thoroughly rinse cucumbers. Remove stems and cut off a slice from each blossom end. Slice cucumbers into thick slices (the slices should be 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick). In a large stainless steel, enameled, or nonstick saucepan combine water, vinegar, sugar and pickling salt. Bring to boiling.

2. Pack cucumbers loosely into hot, sterilized pint canning jars, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. Add 1 tablespoon dillseeds to each jar. Pour hot vinegar mixture over cucumbers, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. Discard any remaining hot vinegar mixture. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids.

3. Process in a boiling-water canner

Note:  I normally skip the boiling water canning process and just put the mason jars in the fridge and in about two weeks you have the Best-Ever Dill Pickle.  They will not last as long as if you can the pickles, but I've kept them for a couple months. 

Garlic Pickles:  I've also used this recipe and added garlic cloves to make garlic dill pickles.