Dill Pickles 2
It is ESSENTIAL that the would-be pickle-maker looks up the ins and outs of pickle-making, in a pickle cookbook, or reputable online cooking site. Detailed instructions for properly steriizing and sealing jars are not included in this recipe.
Really. No kidding.
Wash cucumbers thoroughly in cold water.
To crisp, leave overnight in a large bowl in the refrigerator, with plenty of ice.
Sterilize quart canning jars. In each jar place:
one or more whole cloves garlic
1 small red chile (the hot kind)
sprig of fresh dill
one grape leaf
pinch of alum
Pack cucumbers into jars.
Make a boiling brine of:
3 quarts water
1 cup canning salt
1 quart white vinegar
Pour the boiling brine over the cucumbers, seal, and process five minutes.
This recipe was given to me some time in the early 1980's by Pauline Carey, who owned a fruit stand on the NE corner of West Lane and Armstrong Road, Lodi, CA. I bought my cucumbers from her.