Tulo

Kosher Dill Pickles Recipe

A glass jar packed with cucumber spears, fresh dill heads, and garlic cloves submerged in cloudy brine, with a few pickles laid out on a wooden board next to it.
Photo by Polina Tankilevitch on Pexels

A salty vinegar brine poured hot over cucumbers packed with garlic, dill, and pickling spices draws out moisture fast while the spices infuse the brine, so the cucumbers turn into full-flavored pickles in days instead of weeks, no water bath canning needed.

Prep
20 min
Cook
10 min
Total
30 min
Servings
12

Ingredients

Servings12
  • 3 lbs pickling cucumbers (Kirby), quartered lengthwise into spears
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup kosher salt
  • 8 cloves garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 large bunch fresh dill, heads and stems
  • 2 tbsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tbsp black peppercorns
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 leaves bay leaves

Nutrition per serving

Calories
168
Protein
8g
Carbs
22g
Fat
9g

Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.

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Instructions

  1. 1Wash the cucumbers well and trim a thin slice off the blossom end of each one (the end opposite the stem), then cut into spears, halves, or leave whole.
  2. 2Combine the water, vinegar, and kosher salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the salt fully dissolves, then remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
  3. 3Divide the garlic, dill, mustard seeds, peppercorns, coriander seeds, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves between two clean quart jars.
  4. 4Pack the cucumbers into the jars as tightly as possible without crushing them, standing spears on end where you can.
  5. 5Pour the warm brine over the cucumbers, covering them completely and leaving about 1/2 inch of headspace at the top of each jar.
  6. 6Let the jars cool uncovered on the counter to room temperature, about 30 minutes, then screw on the lids.
  7. 7Refrigerate for at least 3 days before tasting, turning the jars upside down once a day to redistribute the spices. Flavor peaks around day 5 to 7.

Tips & variations

  • Use Kirby or other small pickling cucumbers, not English or slicing cucumbers, which have thinner skin and far more water and turn mushy in brine.
  • For extra crunch, soak the cut cucumbers in ice water for an hour before packing the jars.
  • Add a grape leaf, oak leaf, or a pinch of dried black tea to the jar; the tannins help keep the pickles firm.
  • For a spicier version, add a sliced fresh jalapeno or double the red pepper flakes.
  • Half-sour pickles (less vinegar, more fermented tang) can be made by cutting the vinegar to 1/4 cup and letting the jars sit at room temperature for 24 hours before refrigerating.

Storage & reheating

Keep the jars refrigerated at all times; these are not shelf-stable canned pickles. They'll keep well for 1 to 2 months in the fridge, and flavor continues to deepen for the first couple of weeks. Always use a clean fork or tongs to remove pickles so the brine stays free of contamination.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

  • If a cucumber floats above the brine line, wedge in a small piece of parchment or a fermentation weight so it stays submerged; exposed spots can turn soft or discolored.
  • Tap water treated with chlorine can occasionally give pickles an off flavor over time; filtered water avoids the issue if it's noticeable.

FAQ

Are these shelf-stable like store-bought pickles?

No. This is a refrigerator pickle recipe, not a water-bath canning recipe, so the jars must stay refrigerated the entire time and are meant to be eaten within a couple of months.

Why did my pickles turn out soft instead of crisp?

Soft pickles are almost always caused by leaving the blossom end on the cucumber, using slicing cucumbers instead of pickling cucumbers, or letting the cucumbers sit too long after picking or buying before brining them.

Can I reuse the brine for a second batch?

It's not recommended. The brine loses salt and acid concentration after the first batch of cucumbers releases water into it, so a second batch won't cure or preserve properly.

What makes a pickle 'kosher dill' specifically?

The name refers to the heavy use of garlic in the brine, a technique associated with kosher-style New York deli pickles, rather than any religious certification of the ingredients themselves.

Can I use dried dill instead of fresh?

Yes, substitute about 2 tablespoons of dried dill weed per jar, though fresh dill heads give a brighter, grassier flavor that dried dill can't fully replicate.

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