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Recipe: How to Make Dill Pickles

I cold pack my dill pickles. I cut my cucumbers up and try to remove the softest parts. Then I soak the pieces in pickling lime for at least 24 hours. The lime will make the cucumbers crisp, and they will stay crisp for a very long time. On removal from the lime I rinse the pieces thoroughly. Then I pack the pieces into jars I have washed carefully in very soapy water and rinsed in very hot water. The cucumber pieces go into the jars cold. I then pour into the jars a pickling brine that literally is boiling. Here is my recipe for the brine:

5 cups water
2 cups white vinegar
1/4 cup salt

To add flavor, I include fresh dill from the garden, a quarter of a small onion, and minced garlic to each jar before I add the brine.

Once the brine is in the jar, put a lid on it and a rim. Tighten down the rim. When the lid 'pops' inward, the jar is sealed and will keep safely for years.