Dill Pickle Recipes

The battle for who has the best pickle recipe has been going on since I got married. It isn't whether I like my mother's recipe or my husband likes his mother's recipe. It is I love my mother-in-law's recipe and my husband loves my mother's recipe. Another problem is that my brother-in-law (married to my husband's sister) also loves the pickle recipe of our mother-in-law so I have to be sure I get my fair share before he does. He coffee's at her house every morning so I'm sure he's had more than his share!

As many of you know cooking is an individual art so a lot of this is according to your own taste. I'm a big believer in doing it according to individual taste. When I cook, it's using condiments sparingly and letting each person add what they want to their own plate of food.

Garlic Dills: (my mother's recipe): You will need 1 quart jars. Put dill in the bottom of the sterilized jars. Add 1 Tbsp. pickling spice, 1 Tbsp. non-iodized salt and two garlic buds per jar. Add however many cucumbers needed in jar. Put more dill on top. Mix 1 gallon hot water with 1 quart vinegar and use for liquid in jars. Put lids on and turn over and over to dissolve salt. Seal in water bath canner; according to instruction. They should be ready in about 2 weeks.

Dill Pickles: (my mother-in-law's recipe): Wash small cucumbers, pack in clean jars. Put 1 clove of garlic, 1 head of dill or more if you like in each jar. Combine 3 1/2 Quarts cold water and 1 1/2 quarts vinegar and 1 cup pickling salt in a large kettle and bring to a boil. Let boil for a few minutes. Pour over cukes in jar and seal with lids. Process in water bath canner according to instruction. Ready to eat in about 3 weeks.

So, I guess the difference is pickling spice? I see that my mother uses it but my mother-in-law doesn't. I just know they are both good in their own right! You can use small cucumbers or even slice them for hamburger dills.

I have also used carrots in pickling. Just par cook them first. They are a sweet/salty flavor. There are also bread and butter pickles, celery pickles, sweet pickles or beet pickles. I've never done watermelon pickles, although I have seen them.

BON APPETIT!