Dill Pickles
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2007. Makes 3 pounds of crock-fermented pickles; allow about 2 weeks.
Ingredients
- 5 1/2 oz Salt, pickling, about 1/2 cup
- 1 gal Water, filtered
- 3 lb Cucumber, pickling, 4 to 6 inches long
- 1 tbsp Black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp Red pepper flakes
- 2 clove Garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp Dill seeds
- 1 bunch Dill, large
Directions
- Stir the salt into the water until dissolved.
- Rinse the cucumbers and snip off the blossom end.
- Put the peppercorns, pepper flakes, garlic, dill seed and dill in a 1-gallon crock and the cucumbers on top. Pour in brine to cover completely.
- Pour the remaining brine into a 1-gallon zip-top bag, seal it and set it on top to keep the pickles submerged. Keep in a cool, dry place.
- After 3 days, bubbles mean fermentation has begun. From then on check daily and skim off any scum; rinse the bag if scum forms on it.
- Fermentation is done when the pickles taste sour and the bubbles stop, about 6 to 7 days. Cover loosely and refrigerate 3 days, skimming as needed.
- Store up to 2 months in the refrigerator, skimming as needed. Discard if they turn soft or smell off.