Speedy Dill Pickles

Speedy Dill Pickles 

4 Lbs pickling cucumbers 

6 tablespoons kosher or pickling salt 

2 cups distilled white vinegar 

3 cups water 

1 tablespoon whole mixed pickling spices 

18 black peppercorns 

2 tablespoons dill seed 

1. wash your cucumbers, leave them whole if the are smaller than 4 inches in diameter, cut larger cucumbers into slices or lengthwise in halves or quarters. 

2. Combine the salt, vinegar and water in a 3 to 4 quart sauce pan. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat stirring occasionally to dissolve the salt. Keep the liquid hot over medium heat. 

3. Snugly pack the cucumbers into your prepared jars. To each pint jar, add 1/2 teaspoon pickling spices, 3 peppercorns and 1 1/2 teaspoons dill seed. To each quart jar add 1 teaspoon pickling spices, 6 peppercorns and 1 tablespoon dill seed. 

4. Ladle the hot liquid into your filled jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace in pint jars and 1/2 inch headspace in the quart jars. Completely submerge the cucumbers in the liquid. If they protrude from the jar adjust them until you have the proper headspace, because the lids may not properly seal from the internal pressure. 

5. Process your filled jars in a water bath canner for 10 minutes for pints or 15 minutes for quarts from the point of boiling. Use any unsealed jars within 2 months, keep the pickles on the pantry shelf for at least 2 weeks for the taste to develop. 

Vary It! For Kosher style dill pickles, add 2 cloves peeled, halved garlic to each jar of pickles.