Running Into Life

I heart veggies. I know. That sounds super cheesy, but it’s true. There’s so much you can do with them: sauté, grill, steam – or even just a simple wash and eat. I paid a visit to the Farm at Agritopia again this weekend for their “U-Pick”. I wasn’t sure what I wanted until I got there, but when the lady said they had cucumbers, a vision of homemade pickles on the table of snacks for my Summer Solstice party came to mind.

I am still a novice when it comes to canning, but I find the process intriguing. When I decided to make pickles last winter, I came across the wonderful Food in Jars blog. Marisa McClellan demystifies the canning process to make it more approachable for a newbie like me. I was so happy to see that Saveur Magazine featured Food in Jars in their “Sites We Love 2011”! If you haven’t checked out her site, I highly recommend it.

I snagged this recipe from Food in Jars and have made it several times. It’s pretty simple and easy to follow and the results have been very consistent for me. These pickles are crisp, tangy and slightly spicy – perfect for any sandwich, tuna salad or on their own.

Spicy Garlic Pickles

Makes approximately 4 pint jars (total yield varies depending on size of cucumbers)

Ingredients
3 pickling cucumbers or English cucumbers, sliced into fat coins*
4 cups apple cider vinegar
4 cups water
6 tablespoons pickling salt
16 garlic cloves, peeled and slightly smashed (2 per jar)
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper per jar (2 teaspoons total) – or more if you like more spice!
1 teaspoon dill seed per jar (8 teaspoons total)
½ teaspoon black peppercorns per jar (4 teaspoons total)

*To get a consistent thickness, I use my mandolin.

Directions
Wash and slice the cucumbers.

In a large saucepot, combine vinegar, water and salt. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally and remove from heat.

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil for the water bath.

While the pickling brine and water pot are heating up, arrange clean canning jars (I use Kerr jars that I’ve prewashed in the dishwasher) on the counter and add the spices to each. Pack the cucumber slices firmly into the jars.

Ladle the brine into the jars, leaving about ½ inch room at the top.

Wipe the rims, assemble the lids and place the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

When 10 minutes are up, promptly remove the jars from the pot and allow them to cool on the countertop. When the jars are cool, check the seals (by pushing/tapping on the lid). The button in the middle should not pop. If it does, you’ll need to store your pickles in the fridge. If it doesn’t, you can store then in a cool, dry place for up to a year. The longer they sit in the jars, the stronger the flavors.

Note: If you want to skip the boiling water process, you can just put the jars into the fridge once they’re cool. I like to keep at least one of the jars for the fridge because my husband will want to snack on them within a few days of me making them!