The quest for crunchy dill pickles
A couple of weeks ago my friend Nanda called me from California looking for a canned dill pickle recipe. "Do you have a good one?" she asked. "No," I replied. "I'm surprised; I'd thought you of all people would have one."
It's actually not that surprising when you think about it. Everyone says their recipe makes "the best" dill pickles or "pickles like your grandma's." They lie. A recipe that would produce pickles with the crunch of those you find in the refrigerator case would be worth millions. If the company that produces the leading refrigerated pickle could find a recipe for a shelf stable version with the crunch that its stork peddling competition claims to have, they'd be all over it. It would save them untold amounts of money to ship in regular trucks and not have to pay for refrigerated space in the store.
So it is that each year I find myself looking for canned dill pickle contenders and each year I find myself coming back to my old standby recipe for refrigerator dills. This is the recipe that I passed along to Nanda. I started with Marion Cunningham's Victory Garden recipe which makes very pleasant pickles if you're, say, having a Junior League Tea in Atlanta. But it doesn't produce anything anyone would recognize as a dill pickle on a Chicago dog. Not happy with Marion's version, I found myself picking the brain of former C-U resident and community studies professor, Sonya Salamon about her husband Myron's refrigerator dills. Sure, many of you may have known Myron as a physicist and engineering dean, but the man's culinary passion was and is refrigerator pickles-jars and jars of them. While Sonya never handed over Myron's recipe, she did give me a few hints. From there, I continued to play with the vinegar ratio, until last year, when I think I finally got it right.
These are easy enough that a child could make them, providing said child is allowed to play with stoves and boiling liquids.
Refrigerator Dill Pickles
Pickling Solution:
- 4 to 5 pounds firm cucumbers (the smaller in diameter, the better)
- 2 t dill seed, or 12 to 15 heads of fresh dill
- 1 T of pickling spice (cloves removed)
- pinch of red chili flakes
- 4 cloves of garlic
Wash cucumbers. Cut in half lengthwise. Seed if larger, and cut again lengthwise or however many times to get desired spear width. Cut in half crosswise, if necessary, to create 4 inch long spears. Alternatively cut smaller diameter cucumbers into 3/8-inch thick slices (see photo). Layer cucumbers, garlic, fresh dill if using, in a 1 gallon glass lidded jar or divided among quart canning jars with lined lids.
- 6 cups water
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
Bring ingredients for the pickling solution to a boil. Turn off heat. Pour hot vinegar solution over cucumbers. Use wooden skewers to keep cucumbers below brine. Let the mixture rest with lid open on kitchen counter for 3 or 4 hours covered with a clean flour sack towel. Close lid. Refrigerate. Pickles are ready to eat in 2 to 4 days and will keep for about a year.
5 comments
Heather—currently suffering through the late-July realization that balanced-calendar teaching has its drawbacks—will be ecstatic to know there’s a Home Claussening recipe.
My goodness, that sounds easy enough that even I could do it…. although I’m not allowed around stoves and boiling liquids.
I love me some pickles. and I have to say, the Claussen ones freak me out because they are just unnaturally crunchy. Freaky crunchy. Alien crunchy.
I made these this weekend, albeit without the Pickling Spice. They are fucking tremendous. Wish I had local cukes, but alas they looked good and crispy at the store the other day.
Here is more: they were ready within 12 hours. Now, I suspect they will get better with a little time in the fridge, but you can start enjoying them almost right after they chill.
Nice Anna!
Kimversations
I made a few modifications but love this recipe. Thanks for the tip about removing the cloves from the pickling spice. The pickles cam out great and they don’t last long! I’m posting the recipe with my modifications on my blog with a link back to this page.
~Kim
Andy
Thanks for the recipe! I haven’t been paying close enough attention to my garden (between work, travel, and the hurricane this weekend, I just haven’t had time!) and suddenly needed a way to deal with a whole lot of cukes. They’re a lot bigger than the probably ought to be for pickling, but I gave it a shot. I’ll find out in a few days or a week how they worked out!
Most Recent Food Comments
Cara, I agree there are many scenarios where a food truck makes perfect sense. You suggested a great example. What makes your example different is (in theory) the food truck received permission to be on private property and is following all existing laws.
Color me confused, but am I the only one who noticed the discrepancy in licensing between a “transient food peddler” and a “mobile food vendor”? Maybe I’m splitting hairs here, but “transient” seems to imply “visiting”—meaning, not staying in the community-at-large for an extended period of time.…
One of the benefits of food trucks is that they can go where the people are and provide meals (in a food-safe preparation area) for people who don’t have the time or means to go out for lunch or dinner; or at non-traditional times. Also, think about…
Starting a business is a huge risk even without the risk of an unpredictable government. I certainly do not want the city to get a reputation with prospective job providers that it is flaky and you can’t trust the advice of city officials when performing your due…
As a liberal conservative, and a person who favors taxes & services ... and also a sense of proportion; I savor the comic potential that still exists in this comments section. I’m pretty sure we can goad more anti-government rhetoric from confirmed progressives and government employees. If…
Did the Crave Truck get a permit to park in city metered spots and city right of way? Or did they just get a permit? The city clerk’s office seems to be a suspect here, but it’s not clear they did anything wrong. Did the Crave Truck…
High-profile whining. AKA Lobbying.
it’s quite choice. looking forward to seeing how it and its patronage grow and develop over the course of the year. could be a neat little ecosystem.
“It was at this point, before he started his business, that working with city employees should’ve raised red flags…” But they didn’t because: 1) The City Clerk’s office originally mis-interpreted the rules, or are indeed re-interpreting them. 2) Champaign’s brick-n-mortar merchants hadn’t yet started whining about The Crave Truck.
Most Popular Food Articles (60 days)
- Triptych’s “work of art” in danger
- Bar-B-Q on a budget
- Rick’s bakery serves up tasty pastries
- Aroma Cafe, putting the sexy back in toast
- Picking up dinner at Peking Garden
- Cafe Zojo steals the show
- Champaign pulls rug from under food trucks
- Triptych bypasses another hurdle, waits for results
- BEST Food & Drink
- Speakeasy-style cocktails shake up downtown
Most Recent Comments
wedding dressesAre you wanting to pick the most perfect wedding favor for your personal guests? This may be a real challenge! However, the wedding and reception favor is an important perhaps the overall planning of your wedding. It is a one thanks gift that you will give…
Let’s hope they’re not using toothpaste, or antiseptic ointments. I’d stay away from soaps, too. Wearing clothing in summer seems a little odd, but maybe that’s just me. Either way, the shaving needs to stop.
Cara, I agree there are many scenarios where a food truck makes perfect sense. You suggested a great example. What makes your example different is (in theory) the food truck received permission to be on private property and is following all existing laws.
Color me confused, but am I the only one who noticed the discrepancy in licensing between a “transient food peddler” and a “mobile food vendor”? Maybe I’m splitting hairs here, but “transient” seems to imply “visiting”—meaning, not staying in the community-at-large for an extended period of time.…
One of the benefits of food trucks is that they can go where the people are and provide meals (in a food-safe preparation area) for people who don’t have the time or means to go out for lunch or dinner; or at non-traditional times. Also, think about…
Go Matt!
Parasol has PLENTY of air conditioning. It’s gonna be like Hoth up in here.
One word of advice on BBQing butt or brisket, especially if you’re inexperienced. Given the long and uncertain time to readiness, consider cooking one day then serving the next. Pulled pork and brisket (leave that whole; it slices better cold anyway) do fine in the fridge overnight.…
Starting a business is a huge risk even without the risk of an unpredictable government. I certainly do not want the city to get a reputation with prospective job providers that it is flaky and you can’t trust the advice of city officials when performing your due…
As a liberal conservative, and a person who favors taxes & services ... and also a sense of proportion; I savor the comic potential that still exists in this comments section. I’m pretty sure we can goad more anti-government rhetoric from confirmed progressives and government employees. If…
Did the Crave Truck get a permit to park in city metered spots and city right of way? Or did they just get a permit? The city clerk’s office seems to be a suspect here, but it’s not clear they did anything wrong. Did the Crave Truck…
High-profile whining. AKA Lobbying.
it’s quite choice. looking forward to seeing how it and its patronage grow and develop over the course of the year. could be a neat little ecosystem.
“It was at this point, before he started his business, that working with city employees should’ve raised red flags…” But they didn’t because: 1) The City Clerk’s office originally mis-interpreted the rules, or are indeed re-interpreting them. 2) Champaign’s brick-n-mortar merchants hadn’t yet started whining about The Crave Truck.
Super cool! Excellent track, Excellent band.
Looking forward to trying this place!
I’m in the middle (or the beginning or end, depending on how you look at it) of re-reading Slaughterhouse Five. What a great companion column.
Get yours early. The Rave’s CD will be available at Exile and at The C-U Flea on Saturday. C-U Flea details here: http://www.smilepolitely.com/news/sp_radio_podcast_c-u_flea_arrives/
I don’t know about Gerard and a random police sargeant. My (mild) outrage is based on this: “...he worked closely with Champaign City Clerk Marilyn Banks to make sure he was licensed properly as a transient food peddler, filling out the necessary paperwork and paying a $225…
Local Yocal pretty much nails it here. I suspect there will be merchants who oppose food trucks because they arguably don’t pay their fair share to locate their trucks in high traffic (high rent) areas. The food trucks take away business from rent payers, park in city…
Facebook
Twitter
Full Site
Let’s hope they’re not using toothpaste, or antiseptic ointments. I’d stay away from soaps, too. Wearing clothing in summer seems a little odd, but maybe that’s just me. Either way, the shaving needs to stop.