Tantalise Your Taste Buds with Miami’s Pickled Dill Products
A staple of the Miami Canner’s range since we first founded the company, our delicious pickled dill cucumbers are still iconic favourites, beloved by South Africans from all walks of life. Curious to know more about these crunchy treats? Here’s the story of the humble pickled dill and the many ways it can delight your taste buds.
What’s in a Pickle?
Folks often fail to realise that our dill pickles, or gherkins, are actually pickled mini cucumbers! Take a look through the grocery section of your supermarket, and you’ll probably find some fresh versions of these slim and crunchy treats. They’re sometimes called ‘Kirby cucumbers’, but most often are just referred to as pickling cucumbers.
To turn these fresh and crispy treats into the gherkins you love, they’re immersed in a vinegar brine with a little salt and plenty of flavourful spices before being safely and hygienically canned.
So where does the dill come from? Dill weed and dill seeds are essential components of dill pickles, lending them their distinctive herbaceous and slightly tangy flavour. Fresh dill is a cornerstone of the pickling process and helps to give them their unique (and moreish) taste.
How Are Dill Pickles Made?
Home canning, or the art of pickling fresh produce, has become a popular pastime once again. Cucumbers are a surprisingly forgiving veggie in the pickling world, and they are easy to prepare and delicious to sample when they’re ready.
To begin their journey from the bush or vine to that jar on your table, the cucumbers are washed and then soaked in an ice water bath to help maintain their crispness. Fresh dill, dill seeds, and sometimes garlic cloves are added to the pickling jars for tons of flavour. Some recipes even add other spices, like black peppercorns, red pepper flakes, mustard seeds, or cloves to add complexity and depth to the flavour. The pickling brine is then boiled, cooled, and poured over the goodies as they’re packed into sterilised jars. You will find plenty of variants, from crunchy whole pickles to spears and even chips, so whatever works for you!
Nature then does the rest, through the process of fermentation, giving dill pickles their beloved tangy flavour.
Using Dill Pickles
With this versatile food, there’s almost nothing you can’t do. Except stop yourself nibbling from the jar as you make a tasty treat, of course! They can be enjoyed on their own or used to add flavour and crunch to sandwiches, burgers, salads, and relishes. They can also be used in a variety of dishes, from pasta and potato salad to tuna salad, or even as a garnish for a delicious Bloody Mary.
Dill pickles are one of the most popular condiments (and snacks) in the world. With tang, herbaceous taste notes, and plenty of crunch, they’re a classic addition to a range of dishes and a must-have pantry staple. Make sure you add your Miami favourites to your cart the next time you go shopping!