highalttransplant - we aren't going to be able to make you happy today and I understand why but please don't go looking for problems where none exist either. The real problem is that you jumped into a recipe you didn't understand upfront and then, rather than postponing it, you went ahead. And then when msdonnie and annie gave you the proper instructions within just a few minutes, you disputed their advice and went ahead and did it your way rather than follow their advice. We have all been there and done that and yes, it is frustrating, but it serves no purpose to blame or question the validity of the recipe or the assistance offered by the other posters. For future reference, understand that needing to make extra brine for a recipe has absolutely nothing to do with the safety of the recipe or whether or not it should be trusted. Extra brine may be needed for any number of reasons beyond the recipe author's control - the size of your cukes, the size of the slices, the way you fill the jars, the way you measure, etc. etc. etc. And making an additional batch of brine, as it is called for in the recipe in use, does not alter the safety of the product in any way. It is just more of the same stuff. This need has been discussed here often and is discussed at NCHFP and last I looked in the front section of BBB etc. books. And unless it is a recipe you have made before and so know that extra brine will be needed and made a note to yourself about that, it is not a batch you make ahead to have on hand. You fill the numbers of jars that you can, seal and process them, keep the rest of the pickles hot in the pan and whip up a second batch of brine in another pan then fill and process those jars. These are all things that are learned with experience and patience but we learn best when we own up to our own screw ups and move on. Dave

I would prefer more vinegar - double it. Granted the ratio of water to vinegar is a little better than the 50/50 minimum allowed but it doesn't take into account all the water in the cukes themselves plus the onions. I would also cook the seasoned brine first rather than just using it raw. That way the brine has less of a chance of turning cloudy on you and they would keep longer in the fridge - couple of weeks. Dave

Is the above mentioned recipe the one posted on May 25? My mom and dad have fond memories of their grandmothers making pickles on the farm in an old 5 lb.crock. We recently got one for Mom and she would love to make them. Could you please post the recipe? Thanks!

There was a dill pickle recipe posted here long ago. The pickles tasted like Claussen's. It was for a small patch of home grown cucs and you added them as you got them. Anyone out there remember that one? Opps....Guess I posted in the wrong place. This post was edited by beebonnet on Sat, Jul 26, 14 at 18:50