You may wonder what is the difference between kosher dill pickles and ordinary dill pickles. Most people know that the term “kosher” describes foods that are permitted for individuals who are Jewish.

While, yes, these pickles are allowed under Jewish dietary laws, that actually isn’t the reason that these pickles are labeled as kosher. Many New York delis that served the Jewish population also served pickles that they made in a unique way.

Of course, pickling on the North American continent was not necessarily a new thing in the late 1800s and early 1900s. At the establishment of the first European colonies, pickling recipes were common.

However, many of the English, German, and French colonists pickled things like sauerkraut and sweet pickles. However, around the turn of the century, Jewish immigrants from places like Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania entered many big cities like New York City.

These Jewish people brought with them recipes from their homelands. They also opened delis. At these places, a complimentary plate of kosher dill pickles were offered along with every meal. The pickles were “kosher” only in that they were of Jewish origin.

In reality, what makes the kosher dill pickle what it is is simply the addition of garlic to the pickling liquid. Plain ordinary dill pickles might have plenty of seasonings, but when you add garlic, the pickles suddenly become kosher dill pickles.

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Kosher Dill Pickles Recipe

April Freeman

Crunchy, salty, and a little sour, kosher dill pickles are great to add that perfect touch to a hamburger or a sub sandwich. Alternately, when you make whole pickles, kosher dills are perfect for an afternoon snack. Many people just buy a jar of these delicious condiments when they are out at the local grocery store. However, did you know that making homemade kosher dill pickles isn’t all that complicated? With our easy-to-follow recipe, you can whip up a batch in your own kitchen.

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Cuisine American

Servings Jars

Equipment

Sharp knife
Quart Jars
Dish Towel
Large Pot
Small bowl
Canner or Stock Pot

Ingredients

Ingredients for Each Quart of Pickles

½ pound 4-Inch Pickling Cucumbers you can leave these whole, slice them into quarters, or cut them in slices
4 heads Fresh Dill or 2 tablespoons dill seed
½ teaspoon Minced Garlic or 1 clove, peeled
2¼ cups Water
¾ cup Vinegar
1 tbsp Pickling Salt

Instructions

To prepare your cucumbers for pickling, wash them thoroughly, removing every trace of soil. Cut away any spoiled parts, the stems, and the blossom end.
The blossom end is the end of the cucumber opposite of the stem end. If you leave the blossom end on the cucumber, your pickles will end up soft.
Heat clean quart jars in a large canner or in a big stock pot full of steaming hot water. You want the water to be able to cover the jars by an inch or so after they are filled. You may end up needing to remove some of the water after you add the full jars to the canner.
Put a clean dishtowel out on the counter and use a jar lifter to remove the jars from the hot water, draining them well. Fill the jars with the clean, prepared cucumbers. Leave a half inch at the top of the jars. Add the dill and garlic.
In a pot, combine the vinegar, water, and salt. Bring this brine mixture to a boil.
As you are waiting for the brine to boil, pour very hot, almost simmering water over the jar lids in a small bowl. Leave the jar lids under the hot water to soften the sealing compound on the lids.
When the brine has boiled, pour it over the cucumbers in the hot jars, leaving about a half inch at the top of the jar for headspace. Wipe the rims of the jars.
Put the jar lids on the jars and tighten them onto the jars with the rings. You don’t have to tighten them a lot, just have them fit snugly.
Put the jars into your canner or stock pot, covering them by about an inch with hot water. Bring the water to a boil, starting a timer for 15 minutes when they are boiling. Remove the pickles from the water and put them on a clean towel to cool. The jar lids should seal, but you should test them by pressing in the center of the jar lid when they’re cool. The lids should not flex at all.
Let the pickles sit for about a week before eating them. The jars of pickles should be refrigerated after they are opened, but can be stored at room temperature as long as the jars are sealed.

Notes

If you have never made pickles before, you may not realize that the typical cucumbers that you might slice for snacking will not work for making kosher dill pickles. The slicing version of cucumbers will not hold up to the heat of processing and will get soft. Of course, we all know that soft pickles are unappealing because some of the fun of eating a pickle is that satisfying crunch as you bite into it.

To make pickles, you can buy special “pickling cucumbers.” These cukes keep their firmness throughout the heat of processing. You might find these at your local grocery store, but more likely, you will find them at a local farmer’s market in the summer.

If you are into gardening, growing two or three pickling cucumber plants is an easy and inexpensive way of getting cucumbers for your homemade kosher dill pickles. While you are at it, you may want to grow some dill as well, and you can use this for seasoning the brine.

If you have never canned any kind of vegetable before, there are a few things that you must remember. First, cleanliness is a big deal in canning. Your jars, your lids, and your jar rings need to be scrupulously clean. Second, only use jars and lids that are labeled for home canning.

Recycling jars from manufactured products may not work very well, since canning jars are specifically designed to hold up to the home canning process. You can re-use canning jars and the rings that hold the lids on the jars, but you should always buy new lids. The sealing compound may not hold up for another round of canning, so to be safe, discard the lids after you open your jars.

Keyword Dinner Recipe, Kosher Dill Pickles, Side Dish