How Long To Cook Pickles In a Water Bath?

How long to cook pickles in a water bath? It will take you 15 minutes to cook pickles in a water bath. The water should be boiling hot, and it should cover jars by 1 inch.

If you want to try canning dill pickles, this article is right for you. Here you can learn everything about making your own pickles using a water bath canning pot. Keep reading!

How Long To Cook Pickles In A Water Bath?

Cooking homemade pickles in a water bath is simple and fast.

1. Place closed jars with pickles in a canning pot and pour enough water to cover all of the jars by 1 inch at least.
2. Bring the water to a boil and let it boil for 15 minutes.
3. After 15 minutes, carefully remove jars from the canning pot.
4. Your pickle jars will be tightly sealed and preserved for future use.

Here is a quick video explaining the whole process!

How Long to Boil Pickles In A Water Bath?

Apart from boiling pickles in jars for 15 minutes in a water bath, it is advised that you also sterilize jars before filling them with pickles. You can sterilize them by placing them in boiling water for 10 minutes before adding cucumbers. Then, you need to place pickle cucumbers into the jars and pour pickling juice.

After you’ve done that, place the lid on the jar and seal it tightly. Place jars into the canning pot, cover with water and boil for 15 minutes. Remove them from the water. Let the jars cool before you use or store them.

So, the answer for how long to boil crunchy pickles in a water bath is 15 minutes, but you will also need to boil empty jars first for 10 minutes in order to sterilize them. You will also need to prepare the pickling juice that you will pour into the jars with cucumbers. We will cover that in one of the next paragraphs, so keep reading.

How Long Do You Process Pickles In A Water Bath?

Another factor that determines how long you should process pickles in a water bath is which variety of cucumbers you choose for pickling. 15 minutes is a general estimated time for how long you should boil pickles in a water bath, but that time may vary depending on the cucumber variety.

1. For a quick fresh pack of dill pickle variety, that time is 10-15 minutes.
2. For quick sweet pickles, the time is 15-20 minutes.
3. For sweet gherkin, 10-15 minutes.
4. Bread-and-butter pickles (sliced cucumbers) need to be processed for 10-15 minutes.
5. Pickle relish should be processed in a water bath for 10-15 minutes.

You can also use water bath canning for pickling other vegetables. For example, pickled beets will need to be processed for 30-40 minutes in a water bath, and pickled cauliflower or Brussels sprouts should be boiled in a water bath for 10-15 minutes.

Boiling Water Bath For Pickles?

Bath canning is a great canning method when pickling cucumbers because it destroys any possible pathogens in the food and helps seal the lid. Pickled cucumbers are rich in acid, and bath canning is enough to make them safe for eating, even after several months.

You just need to place closed pickle jars upright in a canning pot (or in another big enough pot) and then pour enough water into the pot to cover the jars for at least 1 inch. Slowly bring water to a boil, and let it boil for 15 minutes before removing the pot from the heat. Use thongs or a canning car lifter to take the jars out of the water. Let the jars cool before you put them away (or open them to eat).

Some recipes suggest that it is enough to gently simmer the jars in hot water for 10 minutes, but if you boil them for 15 minutes, you will be sure that you killed all of the food pathogens.

How Do You Can Pickles In Water Bath?

Let’s go over a very simple yet delicious dill pickle recipe:

1. First, sterilize jars and lids by washing them with soap and water and then placing them in boiling water for 10 minutes.
2. Remove the jars from the water, preferably with a jar lifter. Just be careful, it is hot!
3. In another pot, combine 8 cups of water, 1/3 cup of sugar, 6 cups of apple cider vinegar, and 6 tablespoons of canning salt*.
4. Bring it to a boil and set aside.
5. Pack cucumbers tightly in the jars.
6. Pour the hot pickling liquid into the jars and add fresh dill weed into each jar.
7. Close each jar with a lid and place them upright in a large canning pot.
8. Pour enough water into the canning pot to cover each jar by at least 1 inch.
9. Bring the water to a boil and let it boil for 15 minutes.
10. Remove the jars from the water bath and let them cool a bit before storing them.

*Also known as pickling salt, canning salt is different than regular salt because it doesn’t contain iodine or other additives. Regular table salt can make pickle brine cloudy or even change the color of the pickled vegetables, so you should always use canning salt for pickling cucumbers instead.

Apart from canning salt and sugar, you can add any other pickling spice that you like. You can even add red pepper flakes, black pepper, coriander, etc.

Do You Have To Process Pickles In A Hot Water Bath?

Canning jars in a hot water bath is the safest method, but you can process your pickles even without a water bath canner. Simply pour hot pickling liquid into the jar filled with cucumbers and close tightly with a lid.

Summary

Now you know how long to cook pickles in a water bath. You will need approximately 15 minutes for water bath canning pickles. The exact time may vary depending on the cucumber variety you are trying to pickle. Also, make sure that water covers each jar by at least 1 inch. This way, your pickle jars will be sealed, and any possible food pathogens will be obliterated.

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