Homemade Dill Pickles

Ingredients

1 lb. Persian or Kirby cucumbers
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1/3 cup packed fresh dill.  You don't need to chop it.
1 1/2 cup water
1 cup white vinegar
2 Tbsp. kosher salt
2 Tbsp sugar

Directions

• Trim ends from cucumbers and slice into spears or rounds. Use a mandolin if you have one to create even rounds. Cut them at an angle so they end up longer than the small circumference of an average Persian cucumber.
• Make brine: in a small saucepan, combine water, vinegar, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil, stir until salt and sugar are just dissolved, and remove from heat and let cool completely.
• Place the dill and the smashed garlic at the bottom of your Mason jar or deli container. (You want an air tight container). Add in your cut cucumbers. Pour the cooled brine over cucumbers, seal jar, and shake. Let cool completely on the counter, then refrigerate until cold.
• Wait at least 2 hours to eat the pickles, but the longer you wait, the more flavorful they’ll be. If you can, try waiting 24 hours.

• Kosher Salt: Make sure you’re using kosher salt here—if you’re using another kind of salt, the amount will vary.
• Additions: I kept it simple by adding a few crushed garlic cloves and fresh dill, but feel free to get creative. Add mustard seeds, whole black peppercorns, crushed red pepper flakes, or even fresh chiles for a kick!
• Dill pickle chips will be ready in 24 hours, while spears will take at least 48. They’ll keep in the fridge for several weeks, and they get better as time goes on. For the best flavor, wait about 5 days.