They would be except for the dill. If you look at all the Pickled Peppers recipes for the ones like you refer to you'll see they are normally made with some sugar, mustard and celery seed rather than dill. Dill tends to give hot peppers a bitter after-taste. But it's your choice. Dave

The nice thing about the commercial mixes they are cheap, easy and tasty. You need to know how to but crisp in pickles. If you grow your own it's hard , if your like me you want to do 28 quarts at a time, that means 30 lbs of cucumbers. I go to the farmers market early buy the cukes I want take them home but them in ice water them the frig over night. I have my jars ready, and fresh dill weed, just for looks, Mrs Wages polish are a family favorite, as well as a simple recipe of dill weed, garlic , vinegar, salt, and water. An other recipe add red pepper flakes. You know how to pack the cukes add the mix. The next step is important. But the filled jars in the canner, bring the water to a boil remove the jars. Crisp pickles, wait a month before eating. Then with all canned food if its dis colored, looks funny, smells funny, don't taste it , discard it! Wrs wages makes a great bread & butter mix zesty. Ball also makes a great bread& butter mix.

Citric acid, yes. Calcium chloride, no. Dave

Have never used it so don't know all the ingredients but if it is at least a 50/50 mix then it would be safe. Taste is unknown. But I sure wouldn't cut the cukes in thin spears unless you don't plant to process them. They will just turn to mush. Cukes have much more water in them than beans do. I'd probably cut them into thick slices or halves instead. Dave