When I was about five years old, I watched my dad build a sandwich with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, pickles, and mayonnaise, and I decided that it was time for me to start eating pickles as well.
So I uncharacteristically asked my dad to add a couple pickles to my sandwich.
I quickly realized why I never put pickles on my sandwiches: I didn’t like them.
I still don’t, and I’ve since learned that it’s because I dislike both vinegar and dill.
My husband, on the other hand, adores pickles, especially Claussen Dill Sandwich Slices.
He regularly eats pickle sandwiches: just bread, mayonnaise, and pickles.
It never occurred to me to make pickles.
I don’t have a garden, and I don’t do canning.
Recently, though, my uncle was telling me about his pickle-making adventures last summer, which included making refrigerator pickles.
I immediately realized that refrigerator pickles would be like my husband’s favorite Claussens, so I had to try making them just for him.
They turned out great.
My husband says they’re better than Claussen pickles, and they make him very happy, so I keep making them even though I’ll never eat them.
REFRIGERATOR DILL PICKLES
1½ pounds pickling cucumbers
3 tablespoons coarse salt, divided
1¼ cups white vinegar
¾ cup water
1 package fresh baby dill (⅔ ounce or so)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1. Wash cucumbers well. Cut off ends. Cut lengthwise into halves, quarters, or ¼-inch-thick sandwich slices, or slice crossways into ¼-inch-thick rounds. Put cucumbers in a colander and sprinkle them with 1½ tablespoons salt. Toss well. Let sit in sink or a bowl for about 2 hours. Rinse cucumbers well; set aside.
2. In a small pot, combine vinegar and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in remaining 1½ tablespoons salt. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
3. In a 1-quart glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, put dill and garlic. Add cucumbers. Pour vinegar mixture over top. Add more water, if necessary, to fill jar. Cover with lid. Allow to pickle in refrigerator for at least 3 days before eating. Pickles will keep for about 3 weeks.
Makes 16 servings.
Nutrition facts per serving: 6 calories, 0 g total fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 400 mg sodium, 1 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 0 g sugars, 0 g protein.
Posts
5 comments:
This reminds me of all sorts of food my parents pickled and canned when I was little. Opening up a pantry and seeing big jars of pickles, tomatoes, cherry compote, etc, was such a joy!
That woukd make a very pretty gift and I think I am with your hubby on the loving pickles front :)
Smells incredible...will be hard to resist the next few days. Already wishing I bought stuff for two batches. My family will devour these first time I give go ahead. Thanks!
I've made these and am not sure what went wrong---they were WAY to tart from the vinegar. I know I followed the recipe exactly! Any thoughts?
Dorothy: This recipe was designed to make pickles my husband likes. He likes a strong vinegar flavor. However, you could easily alter the proportions to 1 cup each water and vinegar or even 1 1/4 cups water and only 3/4 cups vinegar, and see if that suits your taste better.
Post a Comment