The Crunchiest Homemade Pickles: Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Batch

The Joy of Homemade Pickles: Tips for the Crunchiest Batch

There’s something special about giving or receiving a homemade gift, especially when it’s edible. A jar of jam, a frozen lasagna, or a loaf of bread are all welcome treats. But if you ask me, homemade pickles are the crème de la crème of offerings that will win the heart of any food-lover in your life, including yourself. And the best part? They can keep for a really long time.

Making pickles from scratch may seem daunting, but trust me, it’s easier than you think. And once you’ve made your own pickles, you’ll never go back to store-bought again. With that in mind, here are a few tips to make the best (read: crunchiest) batch of pickles.

Small and Crunchy

Fifth-generation homesteader Melissa K. Norris swears by picking cucumbers early in the morning, before the sun or heat of the day is on them. She puts on her gardening gloves around 8 am to get the freshest Chicago pickling cucumbers (though you can use any pickling variety of your choosing). “Most folks agree that small cucumbers equal crunchier pickles,” she says, adding that soft cucumbers are impossible to “crunch back up.”

Freshly picked cucumbers are the key to crunchy pickles

If you don’t have access to garden space, keep the smaller-is-crunchier tip in mind when you’re shopping for cucumbers.

Time is of the Essence

Once you have your haul, time is of the essence. Norris says it’s important to start pickling right away, lest your cucumbers lose their firmness. If that’s not an option, you can store them in your fridge’s vegetable crisper for a few days. After removing the blossoms from the ends of the cucumbers and letting them soak in a bath of salted ice water, you’re ready to get pickling.

The pickling process begins

Spice it Up

The most fun part of making your own pickles (not counting eating them, of course) is choosing your spices. You can always go the classic route with fresh dill, garlic cloves, mustard seeds, celery seeds, whole black peppercorns, and other spices. Or, you can stray from tradition and create your own signature pickle flavors.

The spice of life: experimenting with pickle flavors

With these tips, you’ll be well on your way to making the crunchiest, most delicious homemade pickles. And who knows, you might just start a new tradition in your household.