Fermented Dill Pickles

A family recipe from Julie Sperlich.

Getting ready: 30 min · Cooking: 15 min · Feeds: 4

Ingredients

• Pickling cucumbers
• 12 fresh dill flower heads, or 2 Tbsp dried dill weed and 2 Tbsp. dried dill seed
• 10 to 12 cloves garlic
• 6 to 8 peppercorns
• ¼ cup vinegar
• ½ cup salt
• 1½ quarts water

Directions

1. Refrigerated Clausen type, 1 gallon jar.
2. In 1 gallon jar add pickling cucumbers. Rinse but do not wash the cucumbers.
3. Add dill flower heads or dried dill weed and seed, garlic, peppercorns, and vinegar.
4. Dissolve salt in water and add to jar.
5. Fill jar the remaining way with water.
6. Add weight to keep cucumbers under brine.
7. Fermentation sequence: 1. Clear brine, no cloudiness for 1 to 3 days. 2. Cloudy brine with gas formation, 2-3 days. 3. Cloudy brine, no gas formation, 5 to 6 days.
8. Pickles ready to eat after 10-11 days. Refrigerate pickles if you do not want to process them.
9. To process the pickles: Fill clean, sterilized quart jars with pickles to within 1/2 inch of the top.
10. Wipe, seal, and process in a hot water bath at 170 degrees for 15 minutes.
11. Remove and place on towel in a draft free area. Let jars stand for 12 hours.
12. Label and date. Store in a dark, cool area.