House Pickles Recipe

Wash and cut

Thoroughly wash all vegetables. Trim ends from beans, peel and cut carrots into 2–3 inch sticks, halve or slice cucumbers, halve or quarter radishes, and peel shallots or pearl onions. Pack prepared vegetables loosely into clean pint jars (or one 1-quart jar) leaving about 1/2 inch headspace.

Place one smashed garlic clove, one bay leaf, and one fresh dill sprig into each jar among the vegetables. Add a few peppercorns, a pinch of mustard seeds and coriander seeds to each jar for even flavor distribution.

In a medium saucepan combine water, white vinegar, and apple cider vinegar. Add granulated sugar and kosher salt and stir to dissolve over medium heat.

Add whole black peppercorns, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and red pepper flakes to the pan. Bring the mixture just to a simmer (do not boil aggressively) to extract spice flavors, about 3–5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Pour the hot brine immediately over the packed vegetables in the jars, fully submerging vegetables and leaving ~1/2 inch headspace. Tap the jars gently to release air bubbles; add more brine if needed.

Wipe jar rims clean and close with lids. Let jars cool to room temperature (about 30–60 minutes).

Place cooled jars in the refrigerator. Allow pickles to develop flavor at least 24 hours before sampling; best after 48 hours. They will keep refrigerated for 3–4 weeks.

If you want shelf-stable jars: place filled and lidded jars into a boiling water bath (jars covered by at least 1 inch of water). Process pint jars for 10 minutes (adjust for altitude as needed). Remove jars and let cool completely undisturbed for 12–24 hours. Check seals before storing in a cool dark place; unopened jars last several months.

For best texture, use a mix of firm seasonal vegetables. Adjust sugar and salt to taste; add more red pepper flakes for heat. Label jars with date and vegetable mix. Discard any jars with off smells or unsealed lids.