Spicy Garlic Pickles

My sister Maria has always loved (been obsessed) with pickles, so I thought it would be a great homemade gift to add to her Christmas present.... and of course I made an extra couple jars for myself! These pickles are bursting with flavor and pack some decent heat. I asked my sister if she liked things moderately spicy or super hot and she said "burn my face off" so her wish was my command! Just kidding, these aren't that spicy, but they do have a serious kick which is delicious as a pickle snack or to make relish.

Here's a picture of my adorable sister about to enjoy her Christmas pickle!

Making pickles is much easier than you might think and it's great to be able to store the jars for later use. My pickling spice is a mixture of dill, cumin, mustard and coriander seeds, peppercorns, allspice berries, bay leaves, red pepper flakes and cloves. If you don't want them spicy and are looking for a classic pickle taste, just omit the red pepper.

The only downfall to making your own pickling spice mixture is that these ingredients, specifically the seeds, can be very expensive. This is the only time I'll recommend this as a money saving trick, so soak it in..... Go to Whole Foods. They have this AMAZING bulk spice section where you can take just what you need and it's cheaper per pound than buying already in the jar. If this is too much work, you can just buy some pickling spice at your grocery store and use that instead.

The jars look beautiful with the medley of different colored spices and they smell so good. It's a perfect acidic bite between mouthfuls of sandwich or a quick snack with a handful of potato chips! 

When making pickles, it's important that the jars are sterilized well and the lid suctions when the jars have completely cooled. This means the center of the jar lid no longer pushes inward if you press your finger on it, you'll know it's sealed completely and safe to leave on the counter unrefrigerated. 

The recipe makes approximately 4 pint jars of pickles.

Spicy Garlic Pickles

Ingredients:

2 tbsp whole mustard seeds

2 tbsp coriander seeds

2 tbsp dill seeds

1 tbsp allspice berries

2 tsp black peppercorns

1 tsp crushed red pepper

5 crushed bay leaves

1 tsp ground ginger

Approximately 7 pickling cucumbers

12 cloves garlic (3 per jar)

4 thai red peppers (1 per jar) - optional for additional heat, and I mean HEAT

1 1/2 cups cider vinegar

1 1/2 cups white vinegar

3 cups water

4 tbsp kosher salt

Directions:

• Mix together spice ingredients, from mustard seeds to ground ginger. Set aside.
• Ensure jars are ready for canning. You can put them through the dishwasher or soak them in hot soapy water to sterilize and keep warm. 
• Place 2 tbsp of the pickling spice in each of the jars, then add in the garlic and optional Thai chilis.
• Wash and scrub cucumbers. Slice into your preferred width for pickle spears/chips. Fill jars as much as you can without smashing the cucumbers - leave about 1' from the top of the jar. 
• In a medium saucepan, bring the cider and white vinegar, water and salt to a simmer. 
• Pour brine into the jars and fill, leaving about 1/2 inch from the top. 
• Place lids on the jars - use tongs to avoid contamination or thoroughly wash hands just before. 
• Process the jars by setting them in simmering (not boiling) water - the water should rest no more than 2 inches up the sides of the jar. Let them sit in simmering water for 10 minutes, then remove the jars and set them on the counter to rest. 
• When the jars have completely cooled, the tops should have sealed tight so the lids don't press in like a button. 
• Let them sit to pickle for at least ten days and enjoy! Store in the fridge after opening and eat within a couple weeks.