Cucumber Pickles

[harleysilo]

Ingredient list:

• 1 glass gallon jar
• 20 pickling cucumbers cut into spears
• 1 clove of elephant garlic sliced thin, not the whole bulb just one large clove
• 1 tsp-tBp crushed red pepper flakes (1tsp=mild 1 tablespoon is zesty)
• 1 TBp mustard seed
• 1 TBp Pepperconrs
• 4 whole bay leaves
• 1 bunch fresh dill
• 1/3 cup non-iodized salt (canning slat or kosher salt, no iodine)
• 1 pint white vinegar
• 1 gallon distilled water (no spring or tap)
• Optional 1 Tsp of Allspice corns (whole allspice)

Instructions:

• Wash your hands they are filthy and could introduce bacteria into the jar thus spoiling your pickles. I don't know the level of acidity or if enought vinegar or salt is added to prevent the growth of something nasty over time.
• First buy pickling cucumbers. I bought a case at the local farmers market for $19.00, +- 180 cucumbers...I shared them with co-workers who wanted to make their own after tasting mine!
• Gather your ingredients
• Wash your cucumbers...i used soap, i don't know where the cucumber pickers hands have been.
• Slice them into spears
• Rinse them again
• measure your vinegar
• add crushed red pepper, mustard seed, allspice, peppercorns, and salt
• heat on stovetop till salt dissolves
• While it's heating wash your dill
• slice up your elephant garlic
• Layer cukes, dill, elephant garlic, and 4 bay leaves into 1 gallon jar
• add vinegar mixture, then add distilled water to within 1 inch of top.
• Let sit for 7 days then enjoy, they stay good for about 2 weeks, but you'll eat them before then