We picked another 8+ pounds of cucumbers from our garden and needed to find another way to put up these, but wanted a different style than the sweet spears that I put up last week. I found the recipe for Dill Pickles on page 50 of the Ball Blue Book guide to preserving, which is in the pickled foods section. I chose the recipe variation for Kosher Style Dill Pickles which includes 1 bay leaf, 1 garlic glove, 1 whole red pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon mustard seed added to each jar.
My version of the Kosher pickle included 1 fresh bay leaf cut from my bay laurel tree, 2-3 cloves garlic, and 3/4 teaspoon dried dill. I already included pickling spice in the hot liquid which includes mustard seeds. I canned up 10 pint jars of these in my version of the recipe listed below:
Yield: 10 pints or 5 quarts
| 8 pounds | cucumbers, trimmed and cut into 4- to 6-inch spear quarters |
| 3/4 cup | granulated sugar |
| 1/2 cup | canning salt |
| 1 quart | white vinegar |
| 1 quart | cool water |
| 3 tablespoons | pickling spices |
| 10 teaspoons | dry dill weed |
| 10 each | fresh bay leaves |
| 24 cloves | fresh garlic |
- Prep cucumber spears then wash well and drain.
- In a medium sauce pan combine the sugar, salt, vinegar, water, and pickling spices over a medium heat, stir well to dissolve the sugar and salt, simmer for 15 minutes.
- Place cleaned jars in a large pot set for canning in a hot water bath with at least 2-inches of water covering the tops of the jars, and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low to sterilize jars. Place screw bands and lids in another small pot, cover with hot water and simmer over low heat to sterilize the lid s and screw bands.
- Pack cucumber spears in hot jars, with 1/4-inch headspace, add 1 bay leaf and 3 garlic cloves, then the 3/4 teaspoon dill weed, pour hot liquid over spears with 1/4-inch head space. Wipe the rim and seal with the lid and finger-tight the screw band, and place back in the not water bath. Continue this for the remaining jars.
- Turn up the heat to high and bring the water bath to a boil, process jars for 15-minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the canning pot lid and allow jars to rest in the water for 10 minutes. Remove jars to a towel lined counter top. Let jars cool completely for 24-hours. Remove screw bands and wipe the lids and inside screw bands, then replace the bands and finger tighten. Label the jars with the name of the ingredient and the date, then store jars in a cool dark location.
