My Favorite Easy Refrigerator Pickles (Claussen Dill Pickle Clones)

My friend Jill originally shared this recipe with me.  After glancing it over, I dismissed it thinking the recipe ingredients and process were too simple to actually yield a good pickle.  Foolish me!  3 years later, I tried Jill's pickles at a potluck and realized I had assumed wrong! 

I decided to make my own batch.  Since I found most pickle recipes to be too vague, I carefully measured all ingredients in order to share with you the exact amounts you will need and the specific process.

Notes:

Vinegar- I tested both white vinegar and apple cider vinegar.  The white vinegar yielded pickles with a "clean" mild flavor, while the apple cider vinegar was more noticeable and stronger flavored.

Salt- I used pink Himalayan salt but found that the minerals in the salt made it difficult to fully dissolve the salt in the water.  Next time I will use sea salt.

Pickling cucumbers- Use them as soon as possible after purchasing to ensure that the cucumbers are fresh and crisp!

Yields- 6 quart jars.

Photos of the process:

Onions, garlic and mustard seeds go in the bottom of each jar.

Then cucumbers are packed tightly into the jars along with a dill head in each jar.

The cucumbers are covered with a brine and the jars are secured with a paper towel or cloth and allowed to ferment at room temperature for 3 days before storing in the refrigerator for up to 9 months.

Claussen Dill Pickle Clones

• 6 cups water
• 2 cups vinegar (see note)
• 1/2 cup salt (see note)
• 6 lbs pickling cucumbers
• 1 sliced onion
• 6 whole garlic cloves OR 12 garlic scapes cut into 1" pieces
• 1 Tablespoon mustard seed
• 6 dill heads

Bring water, vinegar, and salt to a boil, or heat until the salt has dissolved.  Remove from stove and allow to cool to room temperature.

Prepare your cucumbers by washing them.  Slice off the blossom end of the cucumbers to prevent them from softening.  If the cucumbers are small, you can use them whole.  I used 5" cucumbers and chose to quarter them.  I found that I could pack exactly 1 lb in each quart jar.

Divide the onion slices between 6 quart jars.  To each jar add: 1 garlic clove or 2 garlic scapes and 1/2 tsp mustard seed.  Then tightly pack the jar with cucumbers and dill heads to prevent the cucumbers from floating.

Pour the cooled brine into the jars to fully submerge the cucumbers.  If you are slightly short on brine, you can add a few more tablespoons of plain water to top off the jars.

Cover with a coffee filter, cloth, or paper towel and secure with a rubber band.  Leave at room temperature for 3 days before refrigerating. 

They will keep in the refrigerator through the whole winter; I used my last jar in March.