I have been experimenting with pickles lately too. If you want more dill flavor you need WAY more dill, both fresh and seed. Inpack in as much as I can and still have room for cucumbers and I still think it’s not enough for my taste.
You can use coffee filters or several layered cheese cloth placed over the jar opening and them screw down only the band. This keeps ‘stuff’ out but keeps you from having to burp the jars all the time.
The last batch I made was probably my best. The straight lactofermented pickle is considered a sour pickle. After it’s done fermenting I add a few tablespoons of white vinegar for the flavor.
Also, the longer you can ferment, which means keeping temp as close to 60 but not below, as you can, the crisper your pickles will stay.
Thanks for your tips! We love good pickles, and will try again.
We don’t have space to grow dill, and we can’t find the fresh stuff in the stores; but that’s one of the things I want an ‘Aerogarden’ for, and would like go grow chives and cilantro the year around, as well.
I think what we didn’t like about our first pickles may have been the mustard seed, and the hot pepper. They were crunchy enough, and nicely sour; but something about the flavor was wrong.
Will try again, and thanks so much!
-JT