If I were faced with that problem, I would buy the best cukes I could find...even those burpless wonders....fewer seeds.
And slice thin, or cut into spears, sprinkle well with sugar, cover with good cider vinegar ( I like Braggs organic....with the mother in the bottle) add some grated garlic, a goodly amount of fresh dill....let it sit for 30 minutes and see what he thinks.
If he likes it.....then repeat and always keep some in the refrig.
Linda C

There are several types of cucumbers. The two most common ones are slicers and picklers. Be sure to get the right ones. In the food business, pickling cucumbers are often called Kirbys.

As to how to process, my preference is strongly in favor of fermented dills. What type does your husband like? That will help to determine which recipe to use. In the past I have had some success fermenting quite large cucumbers, but in a crock, not in jars.

Jim

Like Jim, I love fermented pickles. However, you aren't going to be able to do that safely without salt.

Here's a low salt recipe from the National Center for Home Food Preservation. You can omit the salt, but the pickles are going to be soft. If you don't want to can them, they could be refrigerated instead.

Deanna

shambo, I don't even try to can dill pickles, I only make refrigerator dills. My homemade dill pickles are always softer than I like, it's the heat from the boiling water batch that makes them softer and I haven't found a way around that. I make these instead and everyone loves them. with this 50/50 water and vinegar brine I think you could cut down on the salt, and they'd probably be crunch enough since they are kept in the fridge. They're fast and easy enough, though, that it's simple enough to make a new batch.

I do agree with Jim, be sure to use pickling cucumbers, not slicers. You can use slicers for pickles and it's perfectly safe but the quality is not the same.

Refrigerator Dill Pickles

100 Servings
Prep: 40 min. + chilling

6 to 8 pounds pickling cucumbers
40 fresh dill sprigs
2 large onions, thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves, sliced
1 quart water
1 quart white vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup canning salt

Cut each cucumber lengthwise into four spears. In a large bowl, combine the cucumbers, dill, onions and garlic; set aside. In a Dutch oven, combine the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; cook and stir just until salt is dissolved. Pour over cucumber mixture; cool.

Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Yield: 100 pickle spears.

1 pickle spear equals 6 calories, trace fat (trace saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 103 mg sodium, 1 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, trace protein.

Annie

http://nchfp.uga.edu/questions/FAQ_pickle.html

http://extension.usu.edu/htm/faq/faq_q=220

Links to info about adding a grape leaf to your jar of pickles to preserve crispness.

It is also pretty.

Deanna, that's the recipe I was planning to use if I was going to can pickles. Annie, I may just try your recipe but reduce the salt content. I know there are recipes out there for freezer pickles because I looked them up years ago. I even made some but never got to freezing them -- we ate them up before they could get frozen. Maybe I could give them another try, just to see how they hold up after freezing. I think, though, freezer pickles must be in slices or chips. My husband prefers either whole or spears.

I'll be looking for pickling cucumbers now that the farmers markets are open again in my neck of the woods. Thanks for your help.

I taught a pickling class, and here is what I told my students: there are different types of pickles for different types of cucumbers. "Picklers" are great for whole or quartered pickles. Slicers make good slices (oddly enough, lol) and chunk pickles and relishes. Slicers have a tough skin which was bred into them to survive shipping and sitting around. You might be able to find good large cucumbers without the tough skin though, at a fresh farm market. Or you can peel the cukes, which is acceptable in slices or chunks. Big ripe pickles can be peeled and seeded and cut into bite sized chunks and made into toungue pickles, tumerics or golden glows, which are autumn specialty recipes (well, here in the NE where we have Autumn!). Cornichons are a special type of cucumber, which has a special recipe. I've always wanted to try cornichons but have not managed to grow the cukes sucessfully!

I can find pickling cucumbers almost year round at my local greengrocer and I imagine they come from your neck of the woods or a darn site closer to you than from me! But don't bother buying from the average grocery store, they are counting on you to only buy a few, the price matches that expectation, and the quality is no better.

Here's the rest of the info. I don't brine, but you can try the recipe from the National Home Preservation site for low salt pickles. Unfortunately, if they aren't low enough, you are going to have a tough time! I have made tolerable dill chips with the fresh pack method, and good bread and butter style pickles, and good relish. My fresh pack dills are good too, but just NOT the crunchy type, so you have to change your expectations to enjoy them.

Here's the recipe from the HFP site:
Preparing and Canning Pickles for Special Diets
Reduced-Sodium Sliced Dill Pickles
4 lbs (3- to 5-inch) pickling cucumbers
6 cups vinegar (5 percent)
6 cups sugar
2 tbsp canning or pickling salt
1-1/2 tsp celery seed
1-1/2 tsp mustard seed
2 large onions, thinly sliced
8 heads fresh dill
Yield: About 8 pints

Please read Using Boiling Water Canners before beginning. If this is your first time canning, it is recommended that you read Principles of Home Canning.

Procedure: Wash cucumbers. Cut 1/16-inch slice off blossom end and discard. Cut cucumbers in 1/4-inch slices. Combine vinegar, sugar, salt, celery, and mustard seeds in large saucepan. Bring mixture to boiling. Place 2 slices of onion and 1/2 dill head on bottom of each pint jar. Fill jars with cucumber slices, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Add 1 slice of onion and 1/2 dill head on top. Pour hot pickling solution over cucumbers, leaving 1/4-inch headspace.

Adjust lids and process according to the recommendations in Table 1.

Table 1. Recommended process time for Reduced-Sodium Sliced Dill Pickles in a boiling-water canner.
Process Time at Altitudes of
Style of Pack Jar Size 0 - 1,000 ft 1,001 - 6,000 ft Above 6,000 ft
Raw Pints 15 min 20 25

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

This document was adapted from the "Complete Guide to Home Canning," Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539, USDA, revised 2009.

Here's some of my compiled stuff:

General Information
The many varieties of pickled and fermented foods are classified by ingredients and method of preparation.
� Regular dill pickles and sauerkraut are fermented and cured for about 3 weeks.
� Refrigerator dills are fermented for about 1 week. During curing, colors and flavors change and acidity increases.
� Fresh-pack or quick-process pickles are not fermented; some are brined several hours or overnight, then drained and covered with vinegar and seasonings.
� Fruit pickles usually are prepared by heating fruit in a seasoned syrup acidified with either lemon juice or vinegar.
Be sure to remove and discard a 1/16-inch slice from the blossom end of fresh cucumbers. Blossoms may contain an enzyme which causes excessive softening of pickles.
Caution: The level of acidity in a pickled product is as important to its safety as it is to taste and texture.
� Do not alter vinegar, food, or water proportions in a recipe or use a vinegar with unknown acidity.
� Use only recipes with tested proportions of ingredients.
� There must be a minimum, uniform level of acid throughout the mixed product to prevent the growth of botulinum bacteria.

Ingredients
Select fresh, firm fruits or vegetables free of spoilage. Measure or weigh amounts carefully, because the proportion of fresh food to other ingredients will affect flavor and, in many instances, safety.

Use canning or pickling salt. Noncaking material added to other salts may make the brine cloudy. Since flake salt varies in density, it is not recommended for making pickled and fermented foods. Reduced-sodium salts, for example, "Lite Salt," may be used in quick pickle recipes, as indicated in this guide. The pickles may, however, have a slightly different taste than expected.

White granulated and brown sugars are most often used. Corn syrup and honey, unless called for in reliable recipes, may produce undesirable flavors.

White distilled and cider vinegars of 5 percent acidity (50 grain) are recommended. White vinegar is usually preferred when light color is desirable, as is the case with fruits and cauliflower.

Pickles with reduced salt content
Recipes for pickles with reduced sodium content are provided in Guide 6 of the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning.
In the making of fresh-pack pickles, cucumbers are acidified quickly with vinegar. Use only tested recipes formulated to produce the proper acidity. While these pickles may be prepared safely with reduced or no salt, their quality may be noticeably lower. Both texture and flavor may be slightly, but noticeably, different than expected. You may wish to make small quantities first to determine if you like them.

However, the salt used in making fermented sauerkraut and brined pickles not only provides characteristic flavor but also is vital to safety and texture. In fermented foods, salt favors the growth of desirable bacteria while inhibiting the growth of others. Caution: Do not attempt to make sauerkraut or fermented pickles by cutting back on the salt required.

Firming agents
Alum may be safely used to firm fermented pickles. However, it is unnecessary and is not included in the recipes in this publication. Alum does not improve the firmness of quick-process pickles. The calcium in lime definitely improves pickle firmness. Food-grade lime may be used as a lime-water solution for soaking fresh cucumbers 12 to 24 hours before pickling them. Excess lime absorbed by the cucumbers must be removed to make safe pickles. To remove excess lime, drain the lime-water solution, rinse, and then resoak the cucumbers in fresh water for 1 hour. Repeat the rinsing and soaking steps two more times. To further improve pickle firmness, you may process cucumber pickles for 30 minutes in water at 180�F. This process also prevents spoilage, but the water temperature should not fall below 180�F. Use a candy or jelly thermometer to check the water temperature.

Preventing spoilage
Pickle products are subject to spoilage from microorganisms, particularly yeasts and molds, as well as enzymes that may affect flavor, color, and texture. Processing the pickles in a boiling-water canner will prevent both of these problems. Standard canning jars and self-sealing lids are recommended. Processing times and procedures will vary according to food acidity and the size of food pieces.

Selection of Fresh Cucumbers
Select firm cucumbers of the appropriate size: about 1-1/2 inches for gherkins and 4 inches for dills. Use odd-shaped and more mature cucumbers for relishes and bread-and-butter style pickles.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pickles for special diets (NCHFP)

Sorry about the weird symbols. That's the way my bullet points copied and pasted!

L, mine do that too, I always delete the bullet points, it's the only way I've found to correct it.

Shambo, if you do decide to can pickles, definitely look for some Pickle Crisp. It does help, and be sure to cut off the blossom end of the cucumber, it has an enzyme that can soften pickles. I also use bottled water, as minerals in tap water cna also cause some softness.

Good luck!

Annie

I second the suggestion for refrigerator pickles in a 50/50-ish brine. I think the most important thing in cucumber selection is crunchiness. I've had some giant cucs that made pretty good refrigerator pickles, but other cucs will be soft or bitter. I'm not loyal to any particular kind; I go on a cuc-by-cuc basis

I caution against long refrigeration of low salt "pickles." I'm in the middle of a microbiology test right now, the salt levels in crock pickles are set at what they are for a reason. Sure, a couple of days no problem, no different than a cuke salad, but how long I can't say. You won't get botulism from that kind of situation because it's too acid, but you might get Listeria, they thrive in cooler temps of a fridge. (Sorry, I'm not sure of the acid requriements of Listeria, I have SO MANY of those little bugs to keep track of!) At what point your pickles go from a good fresh cuke salad to food poisoning I can't say, but I'd say not more than a week or so in the fridge.

"However, the salt used in making fermented sauerkraut and brined pickles not only provides characteristic flavor but also is vital to safety and texture. In fermented foods, salt favors the growth of desirable bacteria while inhibiting the growth of others. Caution: Do not attempt to make sauerkraut or fermented pickles by cutting back on the salt required."

Bear in mind that they are not talking about what Linda mentioned, something akin to a marinated cucumber salad. That would be fine, fresh or a day or two old. You see that kind of salad in the delis all the time.

Ah, dang, I didn't think of that. And since they're dills, there won't be a bunch of sugar to compensate.

But is vinegar not an adequate preservative? We aren't talking about making fermented pickles.

Lpink, thanks for all the info. You actually answered one of my questions in your last post. I was wondering how long a refrigerator pickle is safe to eat. I've seen recipes that say no more than a week, and that's what I was guessing. I'm assuming that the very short time they're safe is what prompted people to go one step further and freeze them. That way you could make a bunch of pickles when the cucumbers are in season, freeze them, and use just one container at a time. Not as efficient as canning but at least you'd have some sort of pickley thing available all year round.

I have another question, this time about seasoning. About the same time as the pickling cukes are on sale at farmers markets, dill heads are also on sale. But sometimes they look pretty run-down. If I can't find good looking dill heads, could I substitute some dill seed? I realize the pickles would not be exactly the same, but would they be awful?

Oh yes, cukes in a vinegar dressing will definately keep, the question is how long? That I can't say, and I don't even know if the science is absolutely clear on it either. The only experience I have is that ancient jar of pickles in the back of my fridge. It has some salt. It's been in the fridge probaby a year. It sorta looks OK. Should I toss it or have a few slices on my veggie burger? I think I'll just shove it to the back again so I don't have to deal with figuring out the answer!! :)

shambo, my dill never seems to be ready when cucumbers are, so I often use dried dill weed or dried dill seed in my pickles. it's not as pretty and the dill weed/seed tends to eventually migrate to the bottom of the jar, but it tastes fine.

Annie

Annie, thanks for the info. That relieves my poor addled brain from worrying about the freshness of dill heads.

LPink, I don't have a pickle jar in the back of my fridge, but I have other things. Every once in a while, I can't get the motivation to check to see if they're still good. So I ignore them until I see visible signs of mold growth. Then I simply toss them -- no thinking or checking or sniffing or tasting involved. Talk about lazy!

Yes that's my strategy Shambo, keep it in the fridge until you see something growing in it, then you DEFINATELY know it is safe to throw it out! :)

I am totally unqualified to talk about old pickles. I don't think I've ever not eaten the whole jar within 2 or 3 days.

Here is a good refrigerator recipe on got from Farmers almanac. Mine turned out pretty nice for my 1st time ever. The skins a a bit tougher than I'd like but not bad. Very tasty. I used pickling cuccmbers and cut into spears and processed as per the recipe. Good luck

How to make refrigerator pickles http://www.almanac.com/video/how-make-refrigerator-dill-pickles

Here is a bread & butter pickle recipe I treid and they turned out wonderful. I love them and have no complaints. I followed the recipe and it was my 1st time making these. Enjoy

http://www.bhg.com/recipe/canning/bread-and-butter-pickles/