Aunt Bonnie's Garlic Dill Pickles

4.14 from 112 votes

Aunt Bonnie's Garlic Dill Pickles

A family heirloom canning recipe for crisp, garlicky dill pickles made with Kirby cucumbers and cider vinegar - processe for pantry storage or refrigerate for extra crunch.

Course Condiments

Cuisine American

Keyword Garlic Dill Pickle Recipe, Garlic Dill Pickles

Prep Time 20

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 8kcal

Author Shelby Law Ruttan

Ingredients

14 pounds pickling cucumbers
2 quarts water
2 cups cider vinegar
½ cup canning or kosher salt
4 garlic cloves per jar
1 Large head of fresh dill per jar

Instructions

Soak the cucumbers in ice cold water 3-4 hours.
Fill a large pan with water and bring it to a boil. Add the canning jars and lids to sterilize.
In a large saucepan, bring the water, apple cider vinegar, and salt to a full boil. Reduce the heat to low to keep it hot.
Remove one hot jar from the pan with tongs and place on towel lined counter top.
Place the garlic and dill in the hot jar and pack with prepared cucumbers until tightly packed.
Pour the hot brine solution over cucumbers. Slide a thin rubber spatula into the pickle jar to release any air bubbles. Using clean towel blot any liquid that may be on the lip of the pickle jar.
Place the sterilized sealing lid on the jar and seal with screw cap. Repeat the process with the remaining jars.
Place the hot pickle jars on a towel. When done, cover the pickles with another towel to prevent air circulating around them until completely cool.
Be sure all lids have sealed. Any jars that did not seal will need to be refrigerated.

Notes

This is the canning process my family has used for generations, handed down from Aunt Bonnie. Due to updated safety recommendations, I now recommend a 15-minute hot water bath (for altitudes up to 1,000 feet) for any jars you plan to store on the shelf. If you prefer the crunchiest texture and don't mind refrigerator storage, you can skip processing entirely - just be sure to keep those jars refrigerated from processing entirely - just be sure to keep those jars refrigerated from the start. As always, if a jar doeson't seal, refrigerate it rather than storing it on the shelf.

Please read this article on how to pickle safely.

This recipe produces approximately 7 quarts of pickles.

Nutrition