Shelly's Recipe

HOMEMADE ZESTY DILL PICKLES AND PEPPERS

Category: Miscellaneous

Spice mixture makes about 5 cups of brine - more than enough for 2 quart jars filled with pickles and peppers. To decide how much you need, place your clean cucumbers and chiles snugly into your jars. Fill the jars with water, then pour off the water and measure the amount you used. Adjust the quantity of pickling brine if required.

2 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups distilled white vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons dill seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 1/2 teaspoon hot chile pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, thickly sliced
2 bay leaves
8 to 10 3-4 inch pickling cucumbers (as many as will fit snugly into two 1-quart jars)
some jalapeño or serrano chiles

Carefully clean your cucumbers of any dirt or grit. Pack them into clean jars, filling the spaces with a few chiles. If desired, measure the amount of brine needed as described above.

Add everything else to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes. Pour the hot liquid and spices over the cucumbers and chiles, filling the jars nearly to the top and distributing the spices evenly.

Seal each jar with a clean lid, let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Pickles will be ready in about 3 weeks, but will improve after a few months.