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Reduced-sodium sliced dill pickles — NCHFP
Ingredients
- 4 lbs (3- to 5-inch) pickling cucumbers
- 6 cups vinegar (5 percent)
- 6 cups sugar
- 2 tbsp canning or pickling salt
- 1-1/2 tsp celery seed
- 1-1/2 tsp mustard seed
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 8 heads fresh dill
Equipment
- 1 Boiling-water bath canner with rack
- 1 Large stainless or enamel preserving pot
- 1 Canning jars with two-piece lids
- 1 Headspace and bubble tool
Directions
- Wash the cucumbers. Cut a 1/16-inch slice from each blossom end and discard it. Cut the cucumbers into 1/4-inch slices.
- Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, celery seed and mustard seed in a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Place 2 onion slices and 1/2 dill head in the bottom of each clean pint jar. Fill with cucumber slices, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Add 1 onion slice and 1/2 dill head on top.
- Pour the hot pickling solution over the cucumbers, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Apply the lids.
- Process pint jars in a boiling-water canner for 15 minutes at 0–1,000 feet, 20 minutes at 1,001–6,000 feet, or 25 minutes above 6,000 feet.
Recipe Notes
Private Notes
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Share your results how it turned out.Safety classification
Tested NCHFP home-canning recipe.
Processing details
Method: Boiling water bath. Raw pack; pint jars; separate 1/2-inch food and 1/4-inch liquid headspaces; about 8 pints.
Tested source
Preparation timeline
Slice cucumbers and onions; place onion and dill in jars; raw-pack cucumber slices; add hot pickling liquid to its separate headspace; process; cool.
Equipment
Boiling-water canner, pint jars, jar lifter, funnel, bubble remover, saucepan, and slicing tools.
Visual method guide
- Prepare and accurately measure the ingredients.
- Fill the approved jars at the stated headspace.
- Process by elevation and cool upright, undisturbed.
Safety essentials
Use vinegar labeled 5% acidity and do not reduce or dilute it. Follow both headspace measurements exactly.
About this recipe
A tested special-diet dill pickle with sliced cucumber, onion, and fresh dill.
Before you begin
Remove 1/16 inch from each blossom end and slice cucumbers 1/4 inch thick. This is a raw-pack recipe.
Altitude/pressure schedule
| Elevation | Pints |
|---|---|
| 0–1,000 ft | 15 min |
| 1,001–6,000 ft | 20 min |
| Above 6,000 ft | 25 min |
Serving suggestions
Chill and serve with sandwiches, burgers, or snack boards.
FAQ
Why are there two headspaces? Leave 1/2 inch above cucumber slices, then add hot liquid to 1/4 inch from the rim.
Recipe context and comparison
This reduced-sodium formula has distinct packing instructions and is not interchangeable with standard dill pickles.
Troubleshooting
Soft pickles often trace to overmature cucumbers or retained blossom ends; never correct texture by changing the acid.
Source and provenance
Safety-critical values remain tied to the original NCHFP source.
Garden planning for this recipe
Plant, space, variety, zone, and timing estimates live on dedicated ingredient pages:
How much of the main ingredient should I grow?
12–25 lb of Pickling cucumbers per person per year
The source-cited calculator below can convert your pantry goal into planting plug (2 seeds) estimates where compatible yield data exists.
Garden yields vary by cultivar, climate, soil, pests, and care. Always measure the exact prepared ingredient amount required by the tested canning recipe.