Nutmeg Free Whole30 Dill Pickles
Crunchy, garlicky, and packed with fresh dill flavor, these refrigerator pickles are the kind of snack you'll find yourself reaching for straight out of the jar. The brine is built from apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and water — clean, simple ingredients that keep things compliant without sacrificing any of that classic pickle punch. Smashed garlic, black peppercorns, mustard seeds, and optional red pepper flakes layer in serious depth, so these taste anything but plain or diet-food boring. The trick of trimming the blossom end of each cucumber is a small step that makes a real difference, keeping every spear satisfyingly crisp rather than soft and sad. Grape leaves or food-grade tannin powder are optional additions that take the crunch factor even further if you want to go the extra mile. There's no warming spice blend or hidden seasoning mix to worry about here — just whole, recognizable ingredients you can feel good about. After 48 hours in the fridge, you'll have two jars of bright, tangy pickles ready to go alongside burgers, grain bowls, or honestly just eaten straight as a snack.
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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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