Easy Dill Pickles Recipe – No Canning Required

If you are looking for a great way to use up the cucumbers from your garden or Farmer’s market, this easy dill pickles recipe is for you! Best of all, because there is no special canning equipment required, anyone can make them!

Every year we plant both pickling and slicing cucumbers in our garden. And early in the summer we carefully watch the cucumber vines grow and spread over top of the garden rows.

We watch closely in anticipation of the first blossom and baby cucumber to appear. Once we spot the first one we know we will have fresh cucumbers ready to pick in just a few days.

Of course, the first few will never last long. After months of waiting, we will slice them and eat them before they even hit the crisper drawer in our refrigerator.

However, within just a week or two, there will be dozens to pick each day for the next month! And that means that we have to find ways to use them.

What To Do With All Those Cucumbers

So what do you do with all those cucumbers? We make our Cucumber, Onion and Tomato salad. And of course, we add them to our salads.

But the most popular way to use fresh picked, garden cucumbers is to make dill pickles.

We have several Pickle Recipes that we have shared over the years. From the Secrets to Getting Crisp Pickles to Overnight Bread and Butter Pickles, and everything in between.

But this Easy Dill Pickles recipe is one of our absolute favorites! In fact, it has been passed down from generation to generation in my household and I am proud to finally have the chance to share the recipe with you!

How To Make Easy Dill Pickles

The best part of this recipe is that there is no special equipment required. All you need is a container to store the pickles and a saucepan to heat up the brine.

You won’t need mason jars or any other special canning equipment to make these Easy Dill Pickles. And that means that your kitchen can stay nice and cool, which is important on those hot and sunny summer days.

Instead, these pickles are made by mixing together a simple hot brine and pouring it over the cucumbers. Then all you have to do is let them cool and put them in the refrigerator for 24 hours and then they will be ready to be enjoyed!

But in order for them to get that famous taste and texture of dill pickles, there are a few key steps to follow.

How To Get The Best Taste & Texture of Dill Pickles

1. Use Fresh Dill Springs

First, whenever possible, it is best to use fresh dill sprigs. The dill sprig is the stem with the fern like leaves that doesn’t have the iconic yellow blossoms.

When a recipe calls for fresh dill sprigs, the unspoken expectation is that you would use a 2-4 inch section of the plant. However, sometimes it is difficult to find fresh dill sprigs if you don’t grow your own dill plant.

Therefore, if you don’t have fresh dill available, the next best substitute for overnight pickles is to substitute dried dill seed. Although dill seed has a more pungent and intense flavor when compared to dried dill weed, it is best to use it as a substitution for pickling recipes that require a short brine time.

However, when making Canned Dill Pickles, it is best to use dried dill weed as the substitute. Here is the breakdown of how to substitute a sprig of fresh dill for either dill seed or dried dill weed.

• 1 sprig of fresh dill = 1 teaspoon dill seed
• 1 sprig of fresh dill = 1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed

2. Cut The Ends Off The Cucumbers

Another important tip to follow, especially to make sure that the pickles stay crisp, is to cut the ends off both sides of the cucumbers before pickling.

The ends tend to be more bitter, especially on the blossom end. They also contain an enzyme that can make the pickles soggy. Simply cut each end off and then proceed with the recipe as instructed.

3. Slice Them Into Rounds, Spears Or Leave Them Whole

While you are cutting the ends off the cucumbers to make these easy dill pickles, this is the time to decide if you want to make sliced pickles or leave them whole.

Really the choice is up to you. You can make them into pickle slices, spears or leave them whole. The only difference is that the smaller slices will capture the dill flavor much quicker than leaving the cucumbers whole.

Therefore, if you decide to leave the cucumbers whole, you may want to wait an extra day or two before eating them so that they have enough time to absorb the flavor.

4. Use Fresh Picked Cucumbers

Finally the last, but maybe the most important tip is to use fresh picked cucumbers to make this Easy Dill Pickle recipe. Cucumbers that have been sitting in your refrigerator crisper for days aren’t the ones that you want to use.

Cucumbers that are already becoming soft will make soft pickles. However, fresh picked cucumbers will result in what everyone expects a pickle to be, nice and crispy!

Easy Dill Pickle Recipe

*Complete recipe instructions including specific measurements, cook temperatures and times are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to keep reading for helpful tips and tricks when making this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 14 pickling cucumbers
• 25 fresh dill sprigs, or 8 Tablespoons dried dill seed
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
• 2 quarts water
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup salt
• 1 teaspoon mixed pickling spices*

One last note, if you don’t have any pickling spice, it is easy to make your own Homemade Pickling Spice.

INSTRUCTIONS

To make this easy dill pickle recipe start by cutting off each end of the cucumbers and discard. Then cut each cucumber lengthwise into 4 spears, or in 1/4 inch slices, or leave them whole.

In a large bowl, add the prepared cucumbers, dill and garlic and then set the bowl aside. Now it is time to make the brine.

In a large pot add the apple cider vinegar, granulated sugar, salt and pickling spices. Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil.

Be sure to stir the mixture frequently so that the sugar doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Continue to heat just until the sugar is dissolved.

Once the brine is ready, pour it over the cucumber mixture and allow it to cool completely. Then transfer the pickles and brine to a covered dish or pour into wide mouth mason jars.

Cover and refrigerate the Easy Dill Pickles for at least 24 hours before eating. Remember, if you made whole dill pickles, it is best to wait 48-72 hours before consuming.

Enjoy!

Mary and Jim

Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.

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