Everything You Need to Know to Make Kosher Garlic Dills the Old-Fashioned way

This is a recipe for classic kosher garlic dill pickles. A “kosher dill” doesn’t really refer to kosher in the sense of Jewish dietary restrictions but rather that it is in the style of the early 20th century New York Jewish pickle makers… with kosher salt and a generous amount of garlic and dill. These used to be prepared and sold in wooden barrels but this practice was made illegal in the US for commercial sale in the 1970s due to changing understandings and rules concerning food sanitation. While many would argue wood barrels are the ultimate medium for pickling cucumbers, this break from tradition forever altered the landscape of the pickles foods industry in the US.

Notably, these pickles are fermented instead of vinegar pickled, making them “probiotic,” meaning, containing healthy bacteria. (Canned vinegar pickles are sometimes called “dead” pickles because all bacteria, good and bad, are killed, which is a different approach to food preservation.) 

Specifically, these are naturally soured through the process of lacto-fermentation. That doesn’t mean there’s something “dairy” about them. It just means healthy, lactic-acid-producing bacteria will naturally sour the pickles for you over time. As a result, it is completely normal to see cloudy brine and “sediment” especially at the bottom, which is actually spent bacteria that has dropped out of suspension. Take a look at these pickles changing over time (the older, cloudier ones are on the left side)!

Fermented pickles have a different flavor profile than vinegar pickles. If you’re used to vinegar pickles, it may take a little getting used to. As with anything that requires time to develop a taste, don’t give up if you’re on the fence the first time. Besides being an ancient food preservation method from before vinegar pickling times, it has a unique and delicious flavor that many consider far superior to vinegar pickles. They also may help support a healthy gut microbiome, in a way vinegar pickles don’t.

Cucumber selection: When selecting cucumbers, young, firm cucumbers on the smaller side are preferable. Varieties specific for pickling (e.g. Kirby, National Pickling, Boston, cornichons, etc.) are best. The typical “salad slicer” variety in the supermarket is not a great choice but those are good in this senfgurken recipe. For more tips on making the world’s crunchiest ferment pickles, see my new video at the bottom of this page!

Herbal Seasonings: You can also swap the dill for other herbs to switch up flavors and experiment. It is also fine to omit the dill or other herbs. We have made rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, tarragon, parsley, and other pickles, to name a few, essentially following this same recipe in all other regards, with excellent results. (We are not fans of fermented parsley!)

This recipe also allows you to make these either spicy or regular

You will need:

• 1/2 gallon mason jar (or two quart jars)
• airlocks/fermenting lid(s) (recommended)
• fermenting weight(s)
• mortar & pestle to grind seasonings (recommended)
• Medium Saucepan (recommended)

Metric Jars and/or Swing-Top Jars: In Europe and elsewhere, it may be more common to find or use jars based on the metric system (i.e, liters). A liter jar is slightly smaller than a quart jar but is roughly equivalent. Thus, two liter jars can be used in place of two quarts. Or, instead of a single half-gallon jar, you may use a single 2L jar. Note also that these jars often have a built-in “swing-top” or “clasp” lock that will effectively allow the release of CO2 buildup and will eliminate the need for airlocks or airlock lids. (These are very convenient and often referred to by brands or styles such as Bail Wire, Kilner, or Bormiolo Rocco.) Bormiolo is a high-quality, popular brand in the US and is widely available at Target stores or Amazon.

Even if you are using a swing-top lid instead of an airlock-lid, it is important to use a ferment weight to keep all the produce below the surface of the saltwater brine.

Ingredients:

• 8-10 pickling cucumbers (to fill one 1/2-gallon jar or two quart jars)
• 4 cups clean or filtered water
• 2.5 to 3 TBSP Morton Canning Salt (or any non-iodized, additive-free salt); use 3 TBSP if you like salty pickles  
• Or, using a gram scale, use 4.6% salt by weight of the water. (e.g. 4 cups water = 946g x 0.046 = 44g salt 
• 6-8 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
• 8-10 sprigs fresh dill, base of stems can be removed
• 1 TBSP black peppercorns
• 2 tsp whole mustard seeds (1/2 black and 1/2 yellow is nice)
• 3-4 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 8-9 allspice berries
• 2 tsp whole coriander seeds

Optional add-ons:

• 1/2 tsp Ball Pickle Crisp or equivalent product (pure calcium chloride) to help maintain crispness for longer periods 
• Crushed pepper flakes (or a few slices of jalapeno or other hot pepper)

Directions:

1.) Make sure jar(s) and lid(s) are completely clean using warm soapy water then rinsed well.

2.) To make brine, dissolve salt in 2 cups warm water, then add 2 cups cold water. Give a good stir or shake vigorously with lid on.

3.) Toast the spices in a small saucepan for a couple minutes on medium-low, turning them routinely. Once pleasantly aromatic, remove from heat and coarsely crush in a mortar & pestle. Then add the toasted, crushed spices to the jar. (If you prefer to skip this step, just add untoasted coarsely ground spices to the jar.)

4.) Lightly wash the cucumbers and any other produce.

5.) Pack the cucumbers as tightly as possible (without bruising them). This is to avoid them rising to the surface. (A fermentation weight is strongly recommended; if weight is used, slightly less brine will go into the jar.)

6.) Add the garlic, bay leaf, and dill to the jar(s). Push down dill to keep from floating.

7.) If desired, add red pepper flakes or sliced jalapeno to taste (this may require some experimentation for individual preferences, but consider starting with about 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes for a half-gallon jar

8.) Pour saltwater brine into the jar(s) until filled to about 1″ from the top. Add the weight and make sure that everything is submerged. If no weight is used, make sure everything is submerged and fill to about 3/4″ from the top. (If you don’t use all the brine, you can strain out any remaining hard spices and add them to the jar.)

9.) Apply a fermentation lid / airlock or alternately, you may simply use the lid which comes with the jar(s), but this needs to be “burped” (lid turned to release gas) every day for the duration of the ferment.

Notes:

Store in a cool place away from direct sunlight (like counter-top, cupboard or pantry) for 3-7 days. (Some suggest going for two weeks at room temp but I recommend that any continued fermentation beyond a week to take place in the fridge. This is specific to cucumbers, which are quite prone to going mushy. Vegetables will continue to ferment at fridge temps, but more slowly.) 

From left to right:

New pickles: This is a crispy, salty, aromatic delicacy. Ferment around 1-2 days room temp. Serve cold. 

Half sours: Ferment for 3-5 days for half sours. You can allow them to sit in the fridge for up to another week or two. They often continue to be effervescent during this time, which is generally considered a highly desirable feature. Continued time in the fridge will eventually lead to full sour pickles. 

Full sours. My method is to ferment for 6-7 days at room temp and then allow several weeks to months in the fridge. During this time, you will notice a continual dulling of the cucumber’s color to an olive color and an increase in the sour flavor.  This is the natural development of lactic acid during fermentation, which differs from the sour achieved from vinegar pickles. Although there’s many suggestions to ferment for two weeks at room temp, this comes from European traditions in which the ambient temps were typically quite a bit cooler than in the US. In Europe, pickles often would have continued to ferment more rapidly as well in an underground root cellar versus modern refrigeration. In other words, although my method takes longer to achieve full sours, there is a much better guarantee that you will end up with crunchy pickles by avoiding undesirable temps. 

Calcium chloride is a natural salt and can be added to the brine to further preserve crispness. 1/4 tsp per quart is recommended. Still use the same amount of pickling salt. 

Warmer temps result in a faster ferment. Also be careful of temperatures above 72F, or temperature fluctuation, both of which can lead to softening.

It is always recommended to avoid opening jars when fermenting at room temperature just to avoid potential contamination. However, beginners trying to decide what they like can sample with little risk, as long as everything is returned to being fully submerged under the brine. When they reach your desired sourness or flavor, remove and discard the glass weight (optionally remove the dill leaves) then refrigerate.

Cloudiness of liquid and bubbles forming are normal, as well as sediment falling to the bottom. This is due to the fermentation process. Keep an eye out for surface mold and discard if this develops (fuzzy material in colors such as blue, green, brown, black, etc.). A waxy material called Kahm yeast can form at the surface and is harmless, but usually not ideal due to its flavor.

Although there is always a slight risk for mold development if small seeds and seasonings like peppercorns and coriander rise to the surface, this is hard to completely avoid. Use of tools like foodgrade mesh bags or products like the Pickle Pusher will eliminate these situations, but they are rare enough that those products may not be necessary.

Here is my demonstration video for making these sour dills.

For many more ferment and vinegar-pickle tips & recipes not available anywhere else, please check out Insane in the Brine: The Official Cookbook!

ALSO CHECK OUT MY NEW VIDEO: TOP TEN WAYS TO MAKE THE CRUNCHIEST FERMENT PICKLES!!