I had to substitute dried dill weed for dill seed in a recent batch of refrigerator pickles because I'd run out of the latter. They came out fine and I like the slightly different flavor. However I find the dill weed particles floating in the brine and clinging to the pickles rather unappealing.
Is there any technique for avoiding this? I am thinking of trying a sachet "tea bag" sort of thing, perhaps made from a coffee filter but am wondering if it would allow the flavor to get distributed sufficiently.
Best Answer
The tea filter idea works well and is exactly what I would propose.
You can buy ready-made paper or fabric tea filters that are smaller than coffee filters and more porous. If you want to use metal filters, make sure they are not reactive (like stainless steel) or they can influence the taste of the finished product.
Put your herbs in a filter bag, tie off the opening and put it into the container of your pickles. If you need a lot of herbs, you should use several tea filters, each filled with 2 teaspoons of herbs.