Canned Dill Pickle Slices

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Diana Rattray
Updated 04/03/21
Canned Homemade Dill Pickle Slices

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Marinate and Rest: 36 hrs
Total: 36 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 24 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
23 Calories
0g Fat
4g Carbs
1g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories 23
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1330mg 58%
Total Carbohydrate 4g 2%
Dietary Fiber 0g 2%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 2mg 11%
Calcium 20mg 2%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 136mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Pickle slices are a great pantry staple always to have at hand. A versatile ingredient, they can be added to burgers, sandwiches, and wraps, chopped into deviled egg filling, or included in potato salads or sauces like ​​Remoulade. If you're a fan of the combination of sweet and salty flavors, our recipe for dill pickle slices has that in spades, plus the perfect balance of vinegar and herby dill. Enjoyed as a snack, they're simply delicious.

Although the recipe takes a little time, it's not hands-on. The brine will do the work on its own, providing the cucumber with the flavor you'd expect in pickle slices. Take advantage of your garden's overabundance of cucumber, a sale at the store or farmers' market, or just make this recipe to have pickles at hand all year round. When canned appropriately, the slices can keep in your pantry for many months—if you don't eat them first! Choose smaller cucumbers that are thin skinned, and always go for organic produce, as it is less likely to have a waxed exterior. Kirby, English, and of course the pickling cucumber variety are the best choices.

Before you start, be sure to have appropriate canning jars and tongs to safely remove the finished jars from the hot bath. Also, use pickling salt or kosher salt, because regular table salt is filled with anti-caking agents and additives and won't yield the same results, making your brine cloudy and giving the cucumber a funny color.

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds pickling cucumbers

  • 13 cups water; divided

  • 5 tablespoons pickling salt, or kosher; divided

  • 3 cups apple cider vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

  • 6 teaspoons dill seeds; divided

  • 3 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds; divided

  • 6 medium bay leaves; divided

  • 18 to 24 black peppercorns; divided

  • 1 teaspoon garlic, chopped; divided

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Canned Homemade Dill Pickle Slices ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Chop off the ends of the cucumbers and slice them in 1/4-inch rounds.

    slice cucumbers on a cutting board

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Place the cucumber slices in a large nonreactive bowl or pot and cover them with 10 cups of water. Add 3 tablespoons of the salt and stir until it is dissolved. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for 12 hours.

    cucumber slices in a pot with salted water

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Drain the cucumber slices.

    cucumber slices in a colander

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Prepare the jars for canning. Fill a boiling water canner half-full with water; add jars and bring to a boil.

    prepare cans in a water canner

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Cover and reduce heat to low to keep jars hot.

    cans in a water canner

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  7. In a nonreactive stainless steel or enamel-lined pot, combine the vinegar and the remaining 3 cups of water. Stir in the sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons of salt until all is well dissolved. Bring to a boil.

    water, vinegar, sugar and salt in a pot

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Carefully remove the hot jars and divide the dill seeds, mustard seeds, bay leaves, peppercorns, and chopped garlic equally into each of the six 1-pint jars. Pack with the cucumber slices.

    dill seeds, mustard seeds, bay leaf, peppercorns, and chopped garlic added to the cans along with the cucumber slices

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  9. Add the hot vinegar mixture into each jar, leaving at least 1/2-inch of headspace. Wipe spills off of the rims and threads of the jars with a damp paper towel. Fit with the lids and screw on jar rings tightly.

    hot vinegar mixture added to the cans with cucumbers

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  10. Add more water to the pot and bring to a slow boil. Place the jars on a rack and lower them carefully into the hot water. If necessary, add more boiling or near-boiling water so the water level is at least 1 to 2 inches above the jars. Bring the water to a boil. Cover and boil gently for 10 minutes.

    cans with cucumbers in the a water canner

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  11. Carefully remove the jars to a rack to cool completely. Allow them to rest for a full 24 hours undisturbed on your kitchen counter.

    Canned Homemade Dill Pickle Slices in jars, on a wire cooling rack

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  12. Check all of the jars for proper sealing. If you have a jar that didn't seal properly, refrigerate it and use it right away. The seal should look and feel concave to the touch.

    Canned Homemade Dill Pickle Slices in a jar

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  13. Enjoy in your favorite recipes!

How to Store

For the best flavor, store the finished pickles in a cool dark place for a few weeks before using them. After opening, refrigerate the pickles and consume them within 2 months.