Smoky Chipotle Dill Pickles

Name: Smoky Chipotle Dill Pickles
Total time: 15 minutes (plus 24–48 hr chill)
Yield: Approximately one 32-ounce jar
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 12 ounces small pickling cucumbers, such as Kirby; 1 cup distilled white vinegar, labeled 5% acidity; 1 cup water; 1 tablespoon pickling salt; 2 teaspoons granulated sugar; 3 garlic cloves, lightly smashed; 4 fresh dill sprigs, rinsed; ½ small dried chipotle pepper, broken into 2–3 pieces; ½ teaspoon mustard seeds; ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns; Clean, heat-safe 32-ounce canning jar with lid; Small saucepan; Clean utensil for releasing air bubbles

Sauces

15 minutes (plus 24–48 hr chill)

Approximately one 32-ounce jar

Ingredients

12 ounces small pickling cucumbers, such as Kirby
1 cup distilled white vinegar, labeled 5% acidity
1 cup water
1 tablespoon pickling salt
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
3 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
4 fresh dill sprigs, rinsed
½ small dried chipotle pepper, broken into 2–3 pieces
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Equipment Needed

Clean, heat-safe 32-ounce canning jar with lid
Small saucepan
Clean utensil for releasing air bubbles

Instructions

Cut the cucumbers and pack the jar. Wash the cucumbers and trim a thin slice from the blossom ends—the ends opposite the stems. Cut into spears or ¼-inch-thick chips. I like crinkle-cut chips for sandwiches because even my pickles gotta show up dressed. Place the garlic, dill, dried chipotle, mustard seeds, and peppercorns in a clean, heat-safe 32-ounce canning jar. Pack the cucumbers snugly inside, leaving room for the brine to flow between them.
Make the brine. Combine the vinegar, water, pickling salt, and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve. Boil for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat. That little bit of sugar balances the sharpness. We’re making smoky dill pickles, not cucumber candy.
Pour, cover, and refrigerate. Carefully pour the hot brine over the cucumbers until they’re covered, leaving about ½ inch of space below the rim. You may have a little brine left over. Gently release trapped air bubbles with a clean utensil, then add more brine if needed. Put the lid on and refrigerate promptly.
Let them pickle, then taste. Refrigerate for 24–48 hours before serving. Start tasting at 24 hours; thicker spears may need more time for the flavor to develop. If the smoky heat is where you want it, remove the chipotle pieces with a clean utensil. That won’t remove the heat already in the brine, but it limits further infusion. Serve cold on a fried chicken sandwich, tuck them into a burger, or eat one straight from the jar while pretending you’re checking the seasoning.

Chef Ken's Notes & Storage

Chef Ken’s Notes • Use dried chipotle: This version uses dried chipotle, not canned chipotle in adobo. • Start with half: Chipotle size and heat vary. Try the first batch before committing to a whole pepper. • Keep the vinegar strength: Use 5% acidity vinegar and keep the vinegar-to-water amounts as written. • Refrigerator only: These aren’t shelf-stable canned pickles. Keep refrigerated and use within 2 weeks, following University of Maine Extension’s refrigerator-pickle guidance. This is my smoky flavor variation on that brine method.

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