Over the Weekend Recipe: 24 hour pickles

I've never pickled or canned anything before, so when I read in RealSimple that you can make pickles without a pressure cooker, pectin or special jars, I got so excited!  

I can't tell you how much I love pickles.  Crunchy, zesty, dill pickles, to be exact.

{Photo by Christopher Baker}

This recipe is fast, easy and really works! If you're a pickle lover but don't have experience canning, give this recipe a try.

24 Hour Pickles

(adapted from RealSimple)

4 Kirby cucumbers, quartered lengthwise

3/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 small sweet onion (such as Vidalia or Walla Walla), thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon dill seed
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
Sea salt

Directions:

Place the quartered cucumbers in a 1-quart jar (a used pasta sauce jar worked great for me).

In a bowl, combine the vinegar, onion, garlic, sugar, dill seed, peppercorns, bay leaf, 2 teaspoons salt, and ¾ cup hot tap water. Whisk well until the sugar dissolves.

Pour the vinegar mixture into the jar with the cucumbers, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 day before serving. The pickles should last up to 1 week and taste best on day two or three. Enjoy!