Dill or Kosher-Style Pickles
Created by Ball® Blue Book Guide to Preserving• Course: Condiments & Sauces • Season(s): Summer, Fall
Ingredients
- 8 pounds 4 to 6” cucumbers, halved lengthwise
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup canning salt
- 1 quart vinegar
- 1 quart water
- 3 tablespoons mixed pickling spices
- green or dry dill (1 head per jar)
- 7 pint jars or 3 quart jars with rings and new lids
Instructions
Wash cucumbers and drain. Combine sugar, salt, vinegar and water in a large saucepot. Tie spices in a spice bag, add to the vinegar mixture and simmer for 15 minutes. Pack cucumbers into hot jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Put one head of dill in each jar. Ladle hot liquid over cucumbers, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Adjust lids and rings. Do not over tighten rings. Process pints and quarts 15 minutes in a boiling-water canner.
Variation: For Kosher-Style Pickles, add 1 bay leaf, 1 clove garlic, 1 piece hot red pepper and ½ teaspoon mustard seed to each jar. Process as recommended. NOTE: when cutting or seeding hot peppers, wear rubber gloves to prevent hands from being burned.
Yields 7 pints or 3 quarts