Sun Dill Pickles - Day 1

Continuing my streak of food related posts, I must speak of my garden's bounty. The cucumber, yellow cherry tomatoes, and jalapenos just won't quit. I dehydrated the jalapenos, but the kids and I are quite tired of eating cucumbers and tomatoes. With a bigger garden in next year's plan, I need to learn how to can.

My good friend Dede mentioned that she makes dill pickles by letting them sit out in the sun in the jar. Okay, I can handle that. Sun dill pickles, here I come.

First of all, I must say that making dill pickles is an experience filled with fantastic smells: from the cucumbers, to the garlic, to the dill, and even the vinegar. There is just something really calming and refreshing about the smell of a cucumber. Add in the fact that Colby had all the kids outside playing golf in the yard, and I had a lovely, quiet time to make pickles.

I started by scrubbing the freshly picked cucumbers. The variety we grew this year is particularly prickly. I cut some into spears and some into round slices, and then I stuffed the jars full of cucumbers. They are such a beautiful green.


The brine is really simple. Combine all the ingredients until the salt is dissolved.
6 c. water
2 c. white vinegar
1/3 c. canning salt

Add dill and a whole clove of garlic to the top of each jar. Now, the recipe calls for fresh dill. My neighborhood market didn't have any, so at Dede's suggestion I used dill seed. I just dumped some in. I hope the amount is acceptable. I guess we will soon find out. Pour the brine into each jar of cucumbers, and put the lids on the jars.

Set the jars out in a sunny spot for three days and three nights, giving them a little sloshing around every day. Of course, it's my luck that today is cloudy, so I'll probably give them an extra day outside.


Unfortunately, I put our pickles in the dogs' favorite deck look-out spot.


After three days, bring the pickles inside to the refrigerator. I have seen other sun dill pickle recipes that add a hot chili pepper to each jar. With all the jalapenos growing in the garden, I may just try pickling them.

I will update you later once we've had the chance to try our first Vescapades pickles.