Dill Pickles

Mission accomplished! At dinner last night, with the company of extended family, we enjoyed a feast of meats cooked on the grill and garden goodness a plenty. In the line-up were the dill pickles canned early last week. The jar was opened with hesitation for fear that the flavor would be better if left untouched for a few more weeks. That very well may be the case, but the flavor was most excellent already.

Dill Pickle Spears

4 lbs. of pickling cucumbers

2 tsp. turmeric ground

2 1/2 quarts of boiling water

3 tablespoons Dill seed, divided

3 tablespoons Dill weed, divided
1 1/2 tsps minced garlic, divided

2 1/4 cups distilled white vinegar

2 1/4 cups water

3 tablespoons of canning salt

Wash cucumbers well. Trim ends and quarter lengthwise. Place in huge bowl with turmeric and boling water. Let stand at room temp. for one hour. Drain, Rinse and drain again.

Place 1/2 tablespoon each of dill seed and dill weed and 1/2 tsp. of minced garlic in each of 6 hot sterlized wide mouth pint canning jars.** I used three quart jars and just doubled the spices in each one.

Mix vinegar, water and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve salt.

Meanwhile pack the cucumber wedges vertically into jars. Ladle hot liquid over cucumbers, leaving 1/4" head space. Run thin non-metallic utensil down inside of jar to remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims clean. cover with metal lids and screw on bands.

Process in boiling water canner simmering for 15 minutes. Cool at room temperature and make sure each jar has sealed. By processing in simmering water instead of boiling water the end result is a crunchier pickle.

This was so much easier than pickle extravaganza #1 posted a few weeks ago. Delicious and crunchy this recipe is a keeper. I found the recipe on the McCormick website.