Crunchy Dill Pickles Canning Recipe

Of all the canned pickles, I think crunchy dill pickles are the easiest to make and the most loved. Who hasn’t eaten a dill pickle? Now that Hubs is retired and eating at home most of the time, I’ve dusted off my old-fashioned pickle canning recipes. Over the years, I’ve noticed that many canning recipes have become much more complicated. Jars are sterilized and then filled with unsterilized cucumbers; old canning recipes are relabeled as refrigerator pickles, and extra steps are added to make the pickles crunchy. This recipe is simple and no fuss, just the way canning used to be.

Canned foods fall into two basic categories: high acid and low acid. Pickles are high in acid, so there is no need to use a pressure canner. They are very easy to make. I promise, if you can boil water, you can make homemade pickles. Just pay attention to cleanliness. Clean counters, towels, jars, and well-washed hands help avoid bacteria as much as possible.

Canning Equipment

There are a few basic items needed for the canning process, no matter what you are making.

How to Make Crunchy Dill Pickles

Step 1: Purchasing Cucumbers

Everyone wants their dill pickles to be crunchy and crisp. The secret to crunchy dill pickles is the cucumbers you choose and how they are prepared.

Use cucumbers that are meant for pickling. Choose small varieties, about the size of your thumb. During canning season, grocery stores often carry them labeled as pickling cucumbers. This variety is commonly referred to as Kirby cucumbers and is easy to recognize by its small size and prickly skin.

Always use the freshest pickling cucumbers possible. For the best results, can them as soon as you can. The longer you wait, the more likely the pickles are to turn soft.

Store fresh cucumbers cold in the refrigerator, ideally in a pan of cold water, until you are ready to use them.

Step 2 – Sterilizing Jars and Lids for Pickles

The first step in any canning recipe is sterilizing the jars, lids, and rings. There are four ways to sterilize jars: in the oven, dishwasher, microwave, or on the stovetop. The method you choose often depends on how many jars you are preparing. Below are two common options.

How to Sterilize Jars and Lids with Boiling Water

Wash and rinse your canning jars thoroughly, making sure all soap residue is removed. Take a very large pot and fill it with hot (not boiling) water. Place the jars open-side up into the pot and add enough water to cover the jars by at least one inch.

If there is room, you can place the rings and lids in the same pot. If not, place them in a second pot and boil them the same way.

Bring the water to a full boil and boil continuously for ten minutes.

How to Sterilize Jars and Lids in the Dishwasher

Today I made a double batch of this dill pickle canning recipe, so I needed ten quart jars. Because this would require more than one pot of boiling water, I chose to sterilize my jars using the dishwasher with the heated drying cycle turned on.

When sterilizing jars in the dishwasher, do not add anything else besides the jars, lids, and rings. Time the cycle so the dishwasher finishes when you are ready to begin making the pickles.

Step 3 – Dill Pickle Canning Recipe

This old-fashioned dill pickle recipe uses very simple ingredients.

Pickling vinegar is a white vinegar that is more acidic than regular white vinegar, which helps the pickles stay crisp and shelf stable.

Pickling salt is pure sodium chloride without additives. Using pickling salt prevents the brine from becoming cloudy or dark.

Ingredients for 5 Quarts of Dill Pickles

Prepare the Pickling Cucumbers

Avoid using large cucumbers or any with blemishes. I prefer making whole dill pickles, but you can cut them in halves or quarters if you like. This will not affect the final result.

Wash cucumbers well in cold water. Cut off the blossom end of each cucumber and prick each one a couple of times with a fork. Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside.

Make the Dill Pickle Brine

Combine the pickling vinegar, water, pickling salt, and sugar in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Do not add the dill or garlic at this stage.

Stir until the salt and sugar are fully dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer while you fill the jars.

Pack Cucumbers in Canning Jars

Place one sprig of dill in the bottom of each jar. Pack the jars tightly with cucumbers, then place a second sprig of dill on top. If making garlic dill pickles, add one peeled garlic clove to each jar.

Leave ½ inch of headspace at the top of each jar. Fill jars with the hot brine. Place a hot lid and ring on each jar and tighten.

Water Bath Canning

Some newer recipes recommend water bath canning pickles for 10 minutes or storing them in the refrigerator. If you feel more comfortable doing so, you may water bath can them.

Fill a water bath canner with enough water to fully submerge the jars. Bring the water to a boil. Using a jar lifter, place the hot jars into the canner. Return to a full boil and process for 10 minutes.

Once processed, place jars onto a towel-covered rack and let cool completely. As the dill pickles cool, you will hear the jar lids “pop.” Once the jars are cool (24 hours), push the center of the lid to test if they have a good seal. If the lids push down, the seal failed and you must store the dill pickles in the fridge and use them within two months.

Be careful not to overprocess. The longer cucumbers are cooked, the softer the pickles will become.

Remove jars and place on a towel-lined surface. Let cool completely. You will hear the lids pop as they seal. After 24 hours, test the seals. If a lid does not seal, store the jar in the refrigerator and use within two months.

Step 4 – Storing Homemade Dill Pickles

Once you realize how easy this dill pickle canning recipe is to make, it becomes surprisingly fun. Hubs certainly enjoys it, and every batch brings a new variation to try. For best quality, allow pickles to cure before using and store sealed jars in a cool, dark place.

This crunchy dill pickle canning recipe uses simple ingredients and an old-fashioned method that really works. Be sure to read through the full post before you begin, then save it for later by pinning the image below.

Other Canning Recipes to Try