Basic Counter Pickles Recipe

Counter Pickles are super crunchy and tasty, but they don’t last as long as traditionally canned and processed pickles so eat, enjoy and share.

They have become my new favorite thing to make out of my garden because cucumbers grow abundantly here. Next year I am going to grow an entire row of dill to keep up with the cucumbers.

Basic Counter Pickles
Brine
3 cups white vinegar
3 tbsp. pickling salt
6 cups water
6 quart jars or 12 pint jars and lids

Additives
12 lbs. Pickling Cucumbers
1-2 heads of garlic
12 springs of fresh dill
¼ cup Peppercorns
2 tbsp. Hot Pepper Flakes (optional)
1 fresh jalapeno (optional)

Directions

1. Sterilize your jars in a water bath, even if they are brand new. Place empty jars right side up on the rack of your canner. Next fill the canner and jars with hot, but not boiling, water to about one inch above the tops of the jars. Bring to a boil and boil 10 minutes.
2. In the meantime, wash cucumbers well.
3. Trim both ends off the cucumbers. You can either cut them in spears or discs and set them aside in a large bowl.
4. Put the vinegar, water and salt in a pot and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer while you work.
5. Peel garlic and gently crush each clove.
6. Divide the garlic, peppercorns, fresh dill and hot flakes into equal piles. For pint jars use 1-2 garlic cloves per jar or 3-4 for quart jars.
7. Once the jars are sterilized carefully remove each one from the boiling water
8. Pack raw cucumber, dill, garlic, peppercorns, fresh dill along with the optional fresh jalapeno and hot flakes into jars.
9. Fill each jar with the vinegar mixture up ¼ inch from the top.
10. Allow bubbles to rise and adjust headspace.
11. Wipe jar rims and put lids on.
12. Counter pickles are not processed in a water bath. That is why they stay so crunchy and fresh, but don’t last as long. Simply set them on the counter until they jars are cool to the touch. Place them in the fridge to cure for 4-7 days and then enjoy. Unopened jars should last for up to one month.

Once you get familiar with making counter pickles you can try the same brining liquid with other vegetables.

My favorite is with yellow squash and carrots. You will need roughly 1 pound of vegetables per 16 ounce jar if you want to increase or decrease this recipe or change it up. The the carrot, cucumber, squash mix pictured above I added sliced ginger, 1 tsp. of rice vinegar, and 1 tsp. of soy sauce to the jar before adding the same brine, spices and dill to the jar. Yum!