Dill Pickle Recipe

Rachel with our first jar of pickles ... 2 months before we could eat them seemed like an eternity.

INGREDIENTS

* 8 pounds 3 to 4 inch long pickling cucumbers
* 4 cups white vinegar
* 12 cups water
* 2/3 cup pickling salt
* 16 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
* 8 sprigs fresh dill weed
* 8 heads fresh dill weed

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash cucumbers, and place in the sink (I use the bathtub!) with cold water and lots of ice cubes. Soak in ice water for at least 2 hours but no more than 8 hours. Refresh ice as required. Sterilize 8 (1 quart) canning jars and lids in boiling water for at least 10 minutes.
2. In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine the vinegar, water, and pickling salt. Bring the brine to a rapid boil.
3. In each jar, place 2 half-cloves of garlic, one head of dill, then enough cucumbers to fill the jar (about 1 pound). Then add 2 more garlic halves, and 1 sprig of dill. Fill jars with hot brine. Seal jars, making sure you have cleaned the jar's rims of any residue.
4. Process sealed jars in a boiling water bath. Process quart jars for 30 minutes (this is due to the altitude in Colorado ... in lower elevation climates you could process for a mere 15 minutes).
5. Store pickles for a minimum of 8 weeks before eating. Refrigerate after opening. Pickles will keep for up to 2 years if stored in a cool dry place.

Notes:

*I canned my pickles as my cukes became ripe. Usually no more than 5 jars a day because that's how many I could fit in my huge pan to process.

*I made a 1/4 of a recipe of brine at a time and saved what was left for the next batch.

*I like using whole cloves of garlic better than minced because it's so yummy to eat at the end of the jar. Plant LOTS of garlic.

*Fresh dill is best so plant LOTS.

*Really pack the cukes into the jars as they'll shrink a bit as they process.