We’re getting into peak garden season and although we’re eating as fast as we can pick the fresh vegetables there’s bound to be some we need to preserve for future enjoyment. That’s where this easy summer pickle recipe comes in! Jenn Legnini from Turtle Rock Farm was in our demo kitchen this week teaching us how to make her zippy Summer Pickle recipe. Cheers to the season!
Pickling Blend
Yield: ~1.6 cups
Ingredients
3/4 C Dill seed
1/2 C Mustard seed
1/4 C Bay leaf, crushed
2 Tbsp Black peppercorns
Instructions:
1) Just mix, mix away! We recommend making a large batch like this and keeping it on hand for
future pickles. Cover and store at room temp.
Pickles Yield: 3 pints/1.5 quarts
Ingredients
3lb Cucumbers
1/2 C Sea salt, divided
3 Tbsp Pickling blend (see above)
2 C Distilled vinegar
2 C water, plus more for soaking
Equipment
large bowl (ceramic, glass, stainless steel, or food-grade plastic)
colander
3 sterilized pint jars with lids
pot
wooden spoon/rubber spatula
ladle
clean towel
water bath
canner (if preserving for pantry)
Instructions:
1) Remove the blossom end of cucumbers (opposite end of the stem). Cut into chips no thicker than
1/4” or slice lengthwise into spears. If you choose spears, we recommend halving lengthwise, then
halving again (and once again if you fancy thin, crisp pickles!). Make sure they’re no longer than
the lowest thread/ridge on the top of the jar.
2) Place prepped cucumbers in a bowl with 6 T sea salt and 4 C cold water. Toss and let sit at
room temperature for an hour. Cover and let rest for another 8 hours, or overnight.
3) Rinse cucumbers in a colander and let drain.
4) Fill pint jars with 1 garlic clove & 1 tablespoon spice blend each. Pack the cucumbers in so they
are snug but not too tight. Resist the urge to force any to fit, as you may bruise them by packing
with abandon. Just move on to the next jar or leave them out.
5) Combine the vinegar, water, and remaining 2 T salt in pot and bring to a boil. Stir with
a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to make sure salt has dissolved. Remove pot from heat and ladle
brine into packed jars, leaving 1/2” headspace (this limits oxygen exposure). Tap jar gently to
remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rim with a clean towel and screw lids on tightly.
Storing
For refrigerator pickles: Allow jars to cool to room temp before refrigerating. They will get better
and better for 6 weeks or so (though we won’t fault you for breaking in after several days if you
can’t hold out) and will last 4.5 months in the fridge.
For pantry pickles: Process pint jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. (If not at sea level, there
are terrific canning resources online such as this for different process times at different altitudes.)
Remove jars from the bath and place them on a towel to cool for 24 hours. Test that lids have sealed
properly—the center should not pop up and down when pressed (if not sealed, treat as
refrigerator pickles). The flavor will get better and better for 6 weeks or so but will last up to one
year in the pantry. Refrigerate once open.
