I recently went to visit one of my Amish aunts who had some recipes to share with me. I asked her about a sweet dill pickle recipe to can, and she was excited to share her new favorite with me. I came home and tried this recipe a few days later and am excited about it too! The pickles are nice and crisp, and the sweet dill brine has just the right balance of sweetness.
If you are also a fan of canning pickles during the summer, you may also enjoy my recipes for Amish pickled red beets, pickled jalapenos and pickled banana “pepperoncini”.
As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases. Follow along for Amish recipes (and more) and feel free to leave a rating and comment in the comment section below!
Amish Sweet Dill Pickles
Ingredients
- enough sliced cucumbers to fill 13 pint jars roughly 1/4 bushel
- fresh dill enough for several sprigs per jar.
- Crunch preserver (calcium chloride granules) optional
Sweet Dill Brine:
- 1/2 tablespoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 cup kosher dill mix I used Mrs. Wages
- 4 1/2 cups granulated sugar leveled
- 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
- 1 1/2 cups distilled white vinegar
- 4 1/2 cups water
Instructions
- Place fresh sprigs of dill into the bottom of sanitized jars, then pack in the cucumber slices (or spears) with ends removed. Allow for an inch of headspace in each jar.
- Place all the ingredients for the brine into a 6-quart stockpot. Bring to a boil while stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar and salt. While heating up the brine, fill a canner with enough water to come up to the lip of the pint jars. Heat to a boil.
- Working quickly, divide the hot brine into the jars packed with pickles, leaving an inch of headspace. Add 1/8 teaspoon crunch preserver to each jar (optional), then clean the rims of the jars and fit lids and rings on top. Place jars into the hot water bath and can for 5-10 minutes *see note. Remove the jars from the canner and place onto a tea towel. Allow to rest for 24 hours at room temperature to seal. If any jars are not sealed after 24 hours, they will need to be refrigerated.
Notes
Subscribe today and get free meal inspirations delivered to your doorstep!
Step 1-2: Pack sliced or speared cucumbers into pint jars along with several sprigs of fresh dill. Bring the ingredients for the brine to a boil while stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar and salt. For canning: fill a canner with enough water to come up to the lip of the pint jars (leaving an inch of head space on the jars). Bring the water in the canner to a full boil.
Step 3: Working quickly, divide the brine between the pint jars packed with cucumbers. Allow an inch of headspace on the top of each jar. Ensure the rims of the jars are clean and crack free, then place the lids on top and tighten with the rings.
Step 3 continued: Place the jars with hot brine into a canner (you may need to work in batches), then process for 5-10 minutes. Remove the jars from the canner and allow them to rest on a tea towel for at least 24 hours to seal. Do not move the jars or tap on unsealed lids during this “resting” period. If any of the jars do not seal, they will need to be kept refrigerated.
Refrigerator pickles:
This recipe certainly caters to canned pickles (after all, who wants 13 jars of pickles in their refrigerator?), but this recipe can be halved or quartered if you wish to do a smaller batch for refrigerating instead of canning. It might also be easier to store refrigerator pickles in quart jars to use up less space and dishes.
Canning tips and tools:
- To prep for canning, be sure to sanitize the jars with hot soapy water ahead of time. I often do this the night before and let the jars air dry overnight.
- You will want to use lids and rings that are in good condition. Most people recommend only using new lids (which is most likely your safest option), but I usually re-use lids if they are dent and blemish free. It is also important to use good quality lids (like Ball brand). I made the mistake of buying cheap lids online and have had trouble with canned goods unsealing ever since.
- Use a jar lifter to place jars in the boiling hot water and to remove them once canned.
- To find out the proper canning times for your area, I would recommend calling your county’s extension office. The Amish 5-minute rule for crispy pickles may not work properly in every altitude/area.
- I recommend using crunch preserver if you like the pickles to stay crisp for longer. Calcium chloride prevents the pickles from turning mushy during the canning process.
I hope you have great canning success and would love to hear from you in the comments! Have a blessed summer with bountiful harvest. -Marilyn Stoltzfus Peight
Can I use less sugar???
Yes, you can add sugar to taste.