Canned Sour Pickles and Pickling Spice Recipe

Directions

• On the first day: Trim blossom ends from cucumbers and cut lengthwise into quarters or halves. Put in a bowl; add salt (A). Cover with cool water and mix to dissolve salt (B).
• Place a small plate inside bowl on top of cucumbers to keep them submerged. Let stand at cool room temperature or in refrigerator for 12 to 18 hours.
• On the second day: Prepare jars as described in General Rules. Drain cucumbers, rinse, and drain again. Bring vinegar, water, and 1 tsp. Kosher salt to a boil.
• Lift jars out of hot water one at a time, draining water. Fill with cucumbers (C). (It helps to lay jar on side and fill edges first, then center -- this keeps cucumbers from falling over.) If desired add 2 cloves garlic and 2 or 3 sprigs dill to each jar. Sprinkle 2 tsp. pickling spice into quart jars. (If you're going to store pickles for longer than a month, rather than adding spices directly, put them in a cheesecloth bag and simmer in pickling liquid for 5 minutes. Remove before filling jars.) Fill with boiling pickling liquid. Leave 1/2-inch headspace.
• Slide a nonmetallic spatula or chopstick between cucumbers and jar; release air bubbles by pressing gingerly on cucumbers. Repeat 2 or 3 times.
• Wipe rim and threads of jar with a clean, damp cloth. Remove lid from hot water and place on jar. Screw band down, just until resistance is met. As each jar is filled, set it onto rack in boilingwater canner. Keep canner water at a simmer.
• After all jars are filled and placed on rack, bring water to a boil. Lower rack into canner. Water level must cover caps on jars by 1 to 2 inches. If needed, add more boiling water.
• Put lid on canner. As soon as jars are lowered, start counting time. Return to a boil. Process quarts 15 minutes, at a gentle but steady boil.
• Remove jars from canner and set them upright on a dry towel or rack to cool. Do not retighten bands. Let jars cool for 12 hours minimum, 24 hours maximum. After jars have cooled, check lids for a good vacuum seal by pressing on center of each. If center is pulled down and does not flex, remove band and gently try to lift lid off with your fingertips. If lid does not flex and you cannot lift it off, seal is set. Wipe lid and jar surface with a damp cloth to remove food particles and residue. Label. Store jars in a cool, dry, dark place. Pickles will continue to absorb brine over time, deepening the intensity of both flavor and color.