A case of quart jars will do probably 10 lbs of cucumbers. Get the wide mouth jars so it is easier to put the cucumbers in. Basically, the idea is wash the cucumbers, take off the flower bit and the tiny thorns, put dill seed, garlic, and cucumbers in the jars up to the shoulder, and fill the jars with a hot vinegar and brine solution.

I vary this by putting a teaspsoon of salt in the jars and then do a 1/2 1/2 solution of vinegar and water, boiled, I prefer cider vinegar for the taste.

Wipe off the rims, put on the lids, and boiling water bath for 20 minutes. Wait at least 6 weeks.

Have fun, its a great way to start.

Here's a easy refrigerator Bread and Butter pickle recipe.

Lindas Bread and Butter Pickles

3 white onions sliced thin
4 qts pickling cukes - approx 24 cut into 1/4" slices
Mix and pour over cukes and onions the following:
4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 tbsp turmeric
1/2 tbsp celery seed
1/2 tbsp mustard seed
1/4 cup pickling salt (this salt doesn't make solution cloudy)
4 cups white vinegar
Divided into 2 1 qt jars.
DO NOT COOK..
Put into refrigerator
Let stand for two (2) weeks before using. Shake the jars two to three times a day for the two weeks. Enjoy. They are crisp and tasty!!!

I make these all the time.

Linda

Hey, I am Linda Lou !
This is what I use.

Kosher Dill

4 lbs pickling cukes
14 cloves garlic, peeled & split
1/4 cup salt
2 3/4 cups distilled or apple cider vinegar 5% acidity
2 3/4 cups water
12 to 14 sprigs fresh dill weed
28 peppercorns

Wash cucumbers; remove 1/16 inch from blossom end, cut in half lengthwise. Combine garlic and next 3 ingredients; heat to boiling. Remove garlic and place 4 halves into each clean jar, then pack cucumbers, adding 2 sprigs of dill and 4 peppercorns. Pour hot vinegar solution over cucumbers to within 1/2 inch of top. Immediately adjust covers as jar manufacturer directs. Process 10 minutes in BWB. Makes 6-7 pints.

I'm really Linda Sue but everyone including my dad calls me Linda Luu LOL

Linda

My daughter is Linda.........Nicole.
I call her Punkin.

Aw, nevermind........ :+)

Deanna

Deanna,
You can call me Punkin, too ! I won't mind, LOL !

This is my grandmothers recipe for dill pickles. She did it this way for 50 years, and learned it from her mother. I have added comments for my own benefit to the original instructions.

I scale this recipe as needed. If I have just 3-4 cucumbers in the morning, I can just one quart. Smaller amounts take shorter times.

I grow my own cucumbers, garlic and dill. As the other poster noted, use wide-mouth quart jars if possible. My grandma called it pickling salt, but it is canning salt at the grocery store.

Once you jump in and do a practice jar or two you will get the hang of this in nothing flat. Just like falling out of bed in the morning.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Garlic Dill Pickles

Recipe By : Hazel Berens
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :1:00
Categories : Canning

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
24 pickling cucumbers -- * see note
12 cups water
6 cups white vinegar
1 cup pickling salt -- rounded
12 heads fresh dill
12 cloves garlic -- cut in half

This recipe will make 6-8 quarts, depending upon size of cucumbers. If more than 6 quarts, increase amount of dill and garlic required.

Wash cucumbers and remove 1/16-inch from blossom end. Place in a 5-gallon bucket with cold water and lots of ice cubes. Soak in ice water for at least 4 hours but no more than 8 hours. Refresh ice as required.

Fill enamel canner with water and bring to a gentle boil; this will take at least an hour. Boil canning jars in canner. Process lids in simmering water for at least 10 minutes. Do not boil lids, as this will compromise the rubber seal. All we want to do is soften the seal.

Combine water, vinegar and pickling salt in a large stock pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. This will take 20-30 minutes. Make sure pot is covered so that solution does not evaporate.

When mixture has come to a boil, remove a jar from the boiling water, making sure all water has drained from the jar. Place 2 half-cloves of garlic and 1 head of dill in the jar. Add 3-4 cucumbers, leaving 1-inch headspace. Top with an additional 2 half-cloves of garlic and another head
of dill.

Using a canning funnel, fill the jar with hot vinegar mixture, leaving ½-inch headspace. If necessary, wipe jar top and threads clean. Place hot lid on jar and screw on ring a little more than finger tight.

Place jar on rack to cool. You should hear the "tink" of the seal within a couple minutes. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

After jars have cooled, test seals. Write date of canning on lid using Sharpie. Store in cool, dark place for at least 6-8 weeks. Refrigerate after opening. Pickles will keep for up to 2 years if stored in a cool dry place.

This recipe will give a much crisper pickle than those processed with a hot water bath for 15-30 minutes.

[Scale recipe as needed. 1/6 cup canning salt = 8 tsp]

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

NOTES : *about 4 inches long

In a 2000-2001 survey by the NCHFP, 21% reported they still use the open-kettle canning method.

For the benefit of those new to canning (especially since the original poster self-identified as a newbie) open-kettle canning is NOT recommended by the USDA and has not been for some time.

This recipe is also low in vinegar in proportion to the water. Salt can bind up water, presenting an inhospitable environment for microorganisms, but without testing it's impossible for the home-canner to know if that's the case.

Risks of contamination and/or spoilage are much higher with open-kettle canning. Crispy pickles can come at a high price. Use if you choose, but be aware. It's your call.

Carol

I'm new to canning too. What is "open-kettle canning"?

I am about to make pickles tomorrow - bread and butter! I actually make 4 kinds, plus salsa and preserves. I wanted to give you a little secret that I learned: to keep your pickles firm, pick grape leaves, wash them off, tear them in halves or quarters, depending on the size of the leaf, and put them on the top of the jars once they are filled. This keeps them crisp and works the same as alum does. Also, My sweet/dill recipe calls for well water - I have found that the rustier, the better! It really brings out the taste - go figure! A friend tried the recipe in the city and found that he couldn't match mine - another benefit to living in the country! LOL Good luck and enjoy yourself - its a lost passtime that is a great gift to give! And once you master the pickles, you will be on your way to other goodies!

Jodi

Too funny about the grape leaves. I had just asked about them since I found them mentioned in a canning book I have. I'm not sure how much they help but I have several grape vines and they look cool in the jars!

Lora

Open kettle canning is one with no cover on the pot. Because of this, the surface temperature of the boiling water can cool quite quickly. Because its not recommended by todays standards, it should not be used anymore for any home canning. Recipes are many, and because of this, many can also be considered unsafe. When your using a boiling water bath canner (BWB) you must adhere to some basics. These include a very hot jar contents prior to placing a NEW lid on the jar and snugging down on a ring. Processing in the canner must also be timed. High acidic foods are the easiest to can, and these include most pickles, fruit based jellies and tomatoes. Most tomatoes are borderline howver, so added acid must be added to each jar. Beyond that, start with the latest version of the Ball Blue book for many of safest recipes. After you master the basics, and have adjusted recipes to your liking as far as flavor, you can proceed with more options. Pickle mixes ensure you have the right flavor combinations, pectins are very useful for most basic jellies, and a good set of canning tooks is essential.

I made both Dill and Bread/Butter pickles for the first time this year. The only problems I had were with the dills and packing the hot jars.

The dills are so good and we've already eaten 3 qts. Next year I will be more careful with getting smaller sized cukes so the packing is not so difficult.

Michelle

LOLOLOL LindaLou! aka Punkin!

Thanks for all the advice on pickles! I think I'm going to make some pickles this weekend. I was inspired last week to make the pickles because one of the vendors at our farmers market had bags and bags of pickling cukes. I hope he has as many this Thursday! Before I make the pickles though, I have 8 cups of huckleberries waiting to be made into 2 batches of huckleberry jam. Yum! I already used 4 cups in a pie.