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🥒 Spicy Garlic Dill Pickles
These crunchy pickles are packed with garlic, fresh dill, and spicy chili, giving them a bold, tangy flavor. They’re great as a snack or alongside burgers and sandwiches.
🛒 Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) small cucumbers (pickling cucumbers work best)
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 tbsp salt (pickling or kosher salt)
- 3–4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1–2 tsp red chili flakes (adjust for spice)
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp mustard seeds (optional)
- 3–4 sprigs fresh dill (or 1 tsp dried dill)
- 1 bay leaf (optional)
👨🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Prepare the Cucumbers
Wash cucumbers well. You can leave them whole, slice into spears, or cut into rounds.
2️⃣ Make the Brine
In a saucepan, combine water, vinegar, and salt. Heat until the salt dissolves, then remove from heat.
3️⃣ Fill the Jar
In a clean glass jar add:
- garlic
- chili flakes
- peppercorns
- mustard seeds
- dill
- bay leaf
Pack the cucumbers tightly into the jar.
4️⃣ Pour the Brine
Pour the warm brine over the cucumbers until fully covered.
5️⃣ Cool and Refrigerate
Let the jar cool, then seal and refrigerate.
⏳ Ready Time
- Lightly pickled: 24 hours
- Best flavor: 3–5 days
💡 Tips for Extra Crunch
- Use very fresh cucumbers.
- Add ½ tsp calcium chloride (Pickle Crisp) if available.
- Trim the blossom end of cucumbers to keep them crisp.
If you want, I can also show you:
- 🌶 extra-spicy restaurant-style pickles
- 🥒 fermented probiotic dill pickles (no vinegar)
- 🥪 famous deli-style garlic pickles recipe.