Fermented Dill Pickles — NCHFP
A tested fermented dill pickle recipe with an explicitly authorized 180–185°F, 30-minute low-temperature pasteurization option after fermentation.
Ingredients
- 4 lb pickling cucumbers about 4 inches long
- 2 Tbsp dill seed or 4–5 heads fresh or dry dill weed
- 1/2 cup canning or pickling salt
- 1/4 cup vinegar 5% acidity
- 8 cups water
- 2 cloves garlic optional
- 2 dried red peppers optional
- 2 tsp whole mixed pickling spices optional
Equipment
- 1 Fermentation container Food-safe, 1-gallon capacity
- Fermentation weight and cover Keep cucumbers 1–2 inches under brine
- Canning jars and two-piece lids Pints or quarts
- 1 Water-bath canner or suitable vessel Use a rack; water must cover jars by 1 inch
- 1 Accurate thermometer Independently verify 180–185°F throughout
Directions
Ferment
- Wash cucumbers. Remove a 1/16-inch slice from each blossom end; leave about 1/4 inch of stem.
- Put half the dill and optional spices in a clean, suitable fermentation container. Add cucumbers, then remaining dill and spices.
- Dissolve the salt in the 5% vinegar and water. Pour over cucumbers. Apply a suitable cover and weight so cucumbers remain submerged.
- Ferment at 70–75°F for about 3–4 weeks. At 55–65°F, allow 5–6 weeks. Avoid temperatures above 80°F. Check several times weekly and promptly remove surface scum or mold. Discard the batch if pickles become soft, slimy, or develop a disagreeable odor.
Can after full fermentation
- Pour the brine into a pan, heat slowly to a boil, and simmer 5 minutes. Filter through paper coffee filters if desired.
- Pack fully fermented pickles into jars and cover with hot brine, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Apply lids.
- Validated low-temperature option for this recipe only: place jars on a rack in a canner half filled with 120–140°F water. Add hot water to 1 inch above jar tops. Maintain 180–185°F for 30 minutes, verifying that the water stays at least 180°F for the full 30 minutes. Temperatures above 185°F may soften pickles.
- Alternatively, use the recipe’s altitude-adjusted boiling-water process: pints 10/15/20 minutes and quarts 15/20/25 minutes at 0–1,000 ft / 1,001–6,000 ft / above 6,000 ft.
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Recipe Notes
Tested shelf-stable recipe. Follow the ingredient proportions, fermentation conditions, jar sizes, headspace, and processing method exactly. A sous vide circulator is not itself a validated canner; if used as a water-temperature controller, independently verify the whole bath remains 180–185°F for the full 30 minutes.
Exact source: https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/pickle/fermented-pickles/dill-pickles/