Donna’s Dill Pickles

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If you have ever enjoyed Bubbies Pickles, then you will like these pickles. You can even use these ingredients to make Dilly Green Beans. Fermented pickles have billions of probiotics and I have a pickle almost every day. It only takes three days to make them, and they will last up to nine months in your fridge. Give them a try!
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snacks
Servings: 1 gallon

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 packet Cutting Edge Cultures – or ½ cup kefir whey
  • 1 cup Water, spring or filtered with minerals – to mix starter culture
  • 3-4 pounds pickling cucumbers – 3- to 5-inch is ideal, but if all you have is large cucumbers, cut them into spears
  • 6 tablespoons Celtic Sea Salt
  • 2 cloves garlic – peeled and chopped
  • 3 tablespoons whole dill seed
  • 2 tablespoons whole coriander seed
  • 1 teaspoon whole mixed peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon juniper berries – Optional
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon dill weed
  • ½ teaspoon Mustard Seeds
  • 3-4 Bay leaves – tannins for crispness
  • filtered or spring water with minerals
  • ¼ teaspoon Calcium Chloride – optional see note*

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Instructions

  • If using the starter culture, stir together the culture and water. Let the mixture sit while you prepare the ingredients—around 10 minutes. If using kefir whey, add it when the recipe calls for culture.
  • If you’re wanting spears, chop cucumbers in half. Place flat side down and cut into spears. You can also use whole little cukes made for pickling.
  • Mix all seasonings and spices in a bowl with a spout for easy pouring.
  • Place cucumbers in jars. (Some of the seeds fall to the bottom.)
  • Add seasonings and spices and Cutting Edge Cultures (or kefir whey) to jars evenly. Cover with water, leaving an inch or two at the top.
  • Seal the containers and let them sit on your kitchen counter, out of direct sunlight, for three days. After three days, place the container in the refrigerator.
  • Check the vegetables every day to make sure they are fully submerged in the water. If they have risen above the water, simply push them down so they are fully covered by the water. If any white spots formed because the veggies rose above the water, do not worry. Remember, this isn’t harmful. Just scoop out the vegetables that have the white spots on them and push the rest back under the water.

Notes

Storage note: These pickles can be kept in a covered airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to nine months.
Calcium chloride is a helpful ingredient that helps pickles stay crunchy and preserve their texture. I love how it helps my pickles stay crisp and adds a salty taste to pickles and other foods without increasing their sodium content. I noticed it in many popular fermented pickles in stores and decided to research it and try it myself with great results.
 
Calcium chloride is an inorganic compound—a salt with the chemical formula CaCl2. It has a long history of safe use in food and is widely recognized as a safe food additive by major regulatory bodies worldwide. FDA Approval: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted calcium chloride Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status for its intended uses in food.