Spicy Dill Pickles

A couple of years ago I decided to try my hand at making pickles. Since I had never made them before I decided that I needed to stick with refrigerator pickles (not the kind you have to can) and I only made a small batch out of fear they would be terrible (they have to sit for a week, you can't taste as you go.)

When I cracked open that first jar I realized I should have made a lot more! They actually tasted like pickles (I seriously doubted my pickling abilities) and they were so good! They remind me of Claussen pickles, which happen to be the only ones I really care for, and they are so simple and inexpensive to make.

After waiting too late in the season to get cucumbers last year I was determined not to do the same thing this year. I stopped by a house in town where an old man sits out in his drive way selling vegetables from his garden and bought eight pounds of cucumbers. A little fresh dill and some Thai chilies and I was ready to pickle!

Spicy Dill Pickles (refrigerator pickles)

Ingredients
(makes approximately 8 pints)
16 pickling cucumbers
fresh dill
1 white onion
16 + garlic cloves
8-16 thai chilies
1/2 cup pickling salt
1 cup vinegar
2 quarts water

I looked up a ton of different recipes and took bits from them to make these. This isn't an exact recipe but that's the beauty of these pickles, they're pretty much fool proof! You can use any tight-sealing glass container to make these since you will not be sealing them. I used pint jars and my canisters I found while shopping at a local thrift store.

Peel the garlic and place in the bottom of the jar. The amount is a matter of preference. I used 2/pint, but wish I would have used more.
Peel the onion and cut into 1 inch cubes and place one cube into each pint.
Place 2 (or more) chilies into each jar.
Add 2-3 stems of fresh dill into each jar.
Clean the cucumbers and cut off the ends (this is supposed to help keep the pickles crisp-who am I to argue?) Next cut them in half then cut each half into quarters. (Or you can slice them, I did some of each.) Pack them tightly into each jar.
In a pan heat water, vinegar and salt to a boil and stir to dissolve salt. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Pour brine into each jar leaving about a 1/2 inch headway and put lids on securely.
Let sit over night to allow to cool to room temperature. Place in refrigerator and wait one week to eat. (The longer they sit the better they taste!)
I think next time I'll throw a few peppercorns in there too!

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