Sour pickles usually have no herbs, but maybe a few peppercorns only. They use mostly white vinegar and pickling salt and have some alum added to give them that 'pucker'. Today, alum is stil used in small quantities in some mixes from Mrs Wages and Ball. The old recipes also used a bit of tumeric for the yellow color.

Okay...so I guess they're not a sour pickle (truly, I don't know anything about pickles as I eat them seldom) but the Heinz recipe doesn't call for sugar (which I wanted to avoid).

Regardless, I'm wondering about the amount of dried dill in the recipe. I don't have fresh dill and I'd like to make these pickles tomorrow as I've waited too long as it is.

Thanks.
Astrid

I think Annie was quoting Linda Lou, who has posted the Heinz-style pickle recipe many times. The comments are Linda Lou's and she was referring to amounts per jar.

Linda Lou also gave this information from the NCHFP re using dried dill for fresh:

National Center for Home Food Preservation:
I don't have the type of dill my recipe calls for. How can I substitute what I have?
For each quart try 3 heads of fresh dill or 1 to 2 tablespoons dill seed (dill weed = 2T).

So Linda Lou chose to go a little lighter than the recommended amount. You might try different amounts in different jars, note on the lid which is which and see what you prefer.

Carol

Thank you!
Astrid

I use 2 or 3 tsp. of dried dill weed in each jar of the pickles. I also have done the same with dried dill seeds.
They are tart enough for me. I add a pinch of sugar to each jar, so without it the pickles should be tart for you. I like cider vinegar better than white.
I hope you like the pickles. I also use Pickle Crisp in each jar.

What is the difference between cider and white vinegar when pickling for sour pickles? I have had a hard time finding a really sour pickle recipe. (I am not experienced in canning or pickling)
I would appreciate your help.

Cider vinegar has a slightly softer finish (i.e. taste on the tongue) while distilled has more bite. Cider also darkens the pickle brine slightly. It sounds like you want distilled.

But in terms of pickling, any 5% vinegar (or more) is fine.

Carol

Cider vinegar is made from apples (apple cider), and is just filtered, compared to white vinegar which is made from fermented vegetables like potatoes and others. The distilling removes all traces of taste and color. For really sour pickles, a higher than 5% acidity is very necessary. To help raise it a bit higher, you can add a little citric acid to the all vinegar and salt brine, or try using some of the driy vinegar powder sold by Spices Etc.. The true sour pickles you remember also used some alum, tumeric and at least 7% vinegar, which is hard to find, unless its bought by the 55 gallon drum from Heinz (20% strength). Trust me, I have not had any success finding any of the higher types, except one from from Marshall Grain in Texas, and that one is used as weed killer, and may not be suitable for consumption

Here is a link that might be useful: Vinegar powder