Sandwich/Burger Dills

2hot2handle's Note:

This is a delicious semi-spicy sandwich dill that comes from "The Joy of Pickling" by Linda Ziedrich.. If you want to reduce the spice, cut back on the crushed red pepper. Recipes like this are what make it worth all the work to make homemade pickles Prep time does not include overnight brining.

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 6 pints

• 5 lbs cucumbers, sliced
• 6 tablespoons pickling salt, divided
• 2 quarts water
• 3 cups water
• 12 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 24 black peppercorns
• 6 fresh dill, heads (or use a few sprigs of fresh dill in each jar instead)
• 2 3/4 cups cider vinegar

Directions:

1. Put cucumber slices in a bowl. Dissolve 3 tablespoons of salt in 2 quarts of water, and pour the brine over the cucumbers. Let them stand for 12 hours.
2. Drain the cucumbers. Divide the garlic, pepper flakes and peppercorns evenly among 6 clean, sterilized pint jars. Loosely pack the cucumber slices and dill into each jar.
3. In a nonreactive saucepan, bring to a boil the vinegar, the 3 cups water, and the remaining 3 tablespoons of salt, stirring to dissolve the salt. Pour the hot liquid over the cucumber slices, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Close the jars with sterilized, hot two-piece caps.
4. Process pint jars in a boiling-water bath for 10 minutes.
5. Store the cooled jars in a cool, dry, dark place for at least one month before eating.