Unfussy and savory Kitchen-made Sour & Spicy Dill Pickle Spears, or also known as refrigerator pickles. No canning required!

Are you an expert canner?

Every now-and-again I get a email or question regarding canning and I have not a clue what to respond with. My Mom canned a lot when I was a kid (maybe you could email her?) but back then I was too busy “cooking” in my Strawberry Shortcake particleboard kitchen that I never paid any attention. I was only truly interested when she was baking. Naturally.

I simply remember seeing rows up rows and jars upon jars of bread and butter pickles on the metal shelves in our basement.

Needless to say when I want kitchen-made pickled-anything I like a short and straightforward recipe. None of that boiling jars nonsense, give me the pickling for dummies version and I will so do it err make it.

To Make These Unfussy Kitchen-made Sour and Spicy Dill Pickle Spears Set out:

kirby cucumbers
fresh garlic
bay leaves
1 Jalapeno, halved lengthwise
Fresh Dill
2 cups Vinegar
3 tablespoons Sugar
4 teaspoons Kosher Salt
and 4 teaspoons Mustard Seed

THAT is exactly what I have for you today. Sure these need to sit in your fridge for a week or so before snacking… but these pickles are completely worth the wait.

Start by smashing and peeling 4 garlic cloves.

Into 2 jars, throw 2 smashed and peeled garlic cloves and 2 small bay leafs each.

Quickly wash and dry some fresh dill.

And pack, about a handful, it into the jars. I simply tore and stuffed, I didn’t measure AT ALL.

Now you can’t go using regular cucumbers that you would slice up for salads. You need “pickling” cucumbers or Kirby cucumbers. I found mine at a local farm-stand down the road. The moment I sliced into them they smelled ahhhhhmazing! Nothing beats a veggie from a local garden.

BTW you’ll want to half {lengthwise} and then cut 3-4 of them into thirds or spears.

Stuff them into large jars.

Cut a jalapeno in half…

And stuff them into each of the jars. These pickles aren’t crazy-blow-smoke-out-of-ya-ears hot… but only a smidgen. It’s good stuff, promise.

But first pour 2 cups white distilled vinegar into a sauce pan.

To that add 3 tablespoons sugar and 4 teaspoons kosher salt.

Add in 4 teaspoons of the mustard seed.

Bring it up to a small simmer, stirring simply until the sugar is dissolved.

Divide it evenly among the jars and top with filtered water to reach the top of the cucumbers.

Leave the jars on the counter until cool.

Finally, secure the lids on and pop into the fridge for 5 to 7 days.

And simply like that… boom.

Pickles.

Before I go, here are some words of warning. You might not want to talk directly into anyone’s face after eating these, unless they’re your enemy. #garlicbreath.

Enjoy! And if you give this From-scratch Sour and Spicy Dill Pickle Spears recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!