1 1/2 quarts water
2 cups white vinegar
1/2 cup canning salt
1/3 cup instant (dehydrated)
minced onion
1/2 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
flakes
Small cucumbers
Garlic cloves, peeled and quartered,
to taste
Heads of fresh dill or if using
seeds, about 2 tablespoons
Start by sterilizing your jars by immersing them in boiling water or running them through dishwasher on sanitizing cycle. In a large, nonreactive pan, place the water, vinegar, salt, minced onion, mustard seeds and crushed red pepper flakes. If using dill seed rather than fresh heads, add the seeds too.
Bring to a boil to dissolve the salt, then allow to cool. If using fresh dill, add it to the sterilized jars along with the garlic cloves. If using bigger cucumbers, slice lengthwise into quarters. If they are small, pack whole into the sterilized jars along with the dill and garlic cloves. Pour the cooled brine over pickles. Distribute spices from the bottom of brine evenly among the jars. Put the lid on the jar, and turn the pickles a few times to distribute the seasoning throughout the pickles. Loosen the lid and allow jars to sit on the counter for three days, shaking occasionally. On the fourth day, tighten the lid and refrigerate the pickles. If you do it when cucumbers are in season, they will keep in the fridge through the winter months.
