Eosinophilic Esophagitis Friendly Whole30 Dill Pickles
Crunchy, garlicky, and bright with fresh dill, these refrigerator pickles are the kind of snack you'll find yourself reaching for straight out of the jar. For anyone managing eosinophilic esophagitis, store-bought pickles can be a minefield of hidden additives, preservatives, and potential trigger ingredients — making a clean homemade version genuinely worth the effort. The brine here is beautifully simple: apple cider vinegar, water, and sea salt, with no mystery fillers or artificial anything. Smashed garlic, black peppercorns, mustard seeds, and fresh dill do all the flavor heavy lifting, so you know exactly what's going into every bite. Trimming the blossom end of each cucumber and packing the jars tightly are the small tricks that keep these pickles satisfyingly crisp rather than soft and sad. After just 48 hours in the fridge, you've got two jars of bold, tangy spears that are as snackable as they are safe to enjoy.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 2 lbs pickling cucumbers (about 8 small)
- 1 ½ cups apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 tbsp fine sea salt
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 8 sprigs fresh dill
- 4 large grape leaves or ½ tsp food-grade tannin powder (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Trim 1/8 inch off the blossom end (the end opposite the stem) of each cucumber — this removes enzymes that can soften the pickles. Cut the cucumbers into spears by halving lengthwise, then halving again, or slice into 1/4-inch rounds if you prefer chips.
- 2
Combine the apple cider vinegar, water, and sea salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the salt is fully dissolved, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and let the brine cool for 5 minutes.
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