This recipe also works for carrot sticks, green beans, or a medley of vegetables. Red and green pepper pickles look wonderful on a relish tray at Christmastime. If you don’t like dill, you can use pickling spice instead. You can multiply this recipe to make as many quart jars of pickles as you want.
MAKES: ONE 1-QUART JAR
INGREDIENTS:
- 5 to 7 pickling cucumbers, depending on size
- 1⁄2 cup 10% acidity white vinegar (for less tart pickles, use 5% vinegar)
- 1 or 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 jalapeño or cayenne pepper (optional)
- A few fresh dill leaves or flower heads, or 1 scant teaspoon dill seed
- 1 tablespoon canning or pickling salt
- 1 teaspoon crab boil seasoning (for spicier pickles; optional)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- Boiling water
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Using a soft scrub brush, gently scrub the cucumbers, then rinse well and dry. If the cucumbers are large, cut them into spears or sticks.
- Pack the cucumbers into a hot quart jar, leaving ½-inch headspace. Add the vinegar, garlic, jalapeño or cayenne pepper, dill leaves, salt, crab boil seasoning, and sugar to the jar.
- Ladle the boiling water into the jar, covering the cucumbers and maintaining the ½-inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles. Wipe the jar rims and threads with a clean, damp paper towel. Apply hot lids and screw bands.
- Process quart jars in a water bath canner for 20 minutes. Remove from the water bath canner and let cool for 12 to 24 hours. Check the seals and remove the screw bands. Store jars in a cool, dry, dark place for up to 1 year.
