How to Make Fermented Dill Pickles
- 1). Select pickling cucumbers that are dark green and firm. Avoid cucumbers with large amounts of white or yellow areas or with warts.
- 2). Wash the cucumbers under cool running water and scrub them with a vegetable brush. Slice the blossom end from the cucumbers and discard.
- 3). Add 1 tbsp. of pickling spices in the bottom of the slow-cooker, food-grade glass or plastic container. Add the pickling cucumbers to the container. Combine 1/2 cup pickling salt, 1/4 cup white vinegar and 8 cups water in a bowl. Stir until the salt dissolves. Add the remaining 1 tbsp. of pickling spices over the pickles.
- 4). Submerge the cucumbers in the solution by weighing them down with a clean dinner plate or pie plate. They need to sit 2 inches under the brine while they ferment. Fill two to three canning jars with water and place them down onto the plate to submerge the cucumbers. Cover the container with a clean towel to prevent dirt, debris or insects from contaminating the pickles.
- 5). Store the pickles at room temperature between 70 and 75 F for three to four weeks. Check on the pickles two to three times a week. Remove any mold or scum from the surface. Discard the pickles if they have a foul odor, appear slimy or are too soft.
- 6). Remove the pickles when they appear evenly translucent. Pour the pickle brine into a pan. Heat the brine and bring it to a boil. Simmer the brine for 5 minutes. Filter it through coffee filters.
- 7). Sanitize pint-canning jars in a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes. Boil the lids in a smaller pot of water for 4 to 5 minutes.
- 8). Fill the canning jars with the pickles. Pour the hot brine over the pickles and leave 1/2 inch of head space. Secure the lids onto the canning jars. Place the pickles in the refrigerator when cooled. They will last up to 6 months in the refrigerator.
