Quick Fresh-Pack Dill Pickles

Ingredients

• 8 pounds cucumbers pickling (3 to 5inch size)
• 2 gallons water
• 1 1/4 cups pickling salt
• 1 1/2 quarts vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 quarts water
• 2 tablespoons pickling spices whole
• 3 tablespoons mustard seeds whole
• 14 each dill weed fresh heads or 4 1/2 tb dried

Instructions

1. Wash cucumbers.
2. Cut 1/16-inch slice off blossom end and discard, but leave 1/4 inch of stem attached.
3. Dissolve 3/4 cup salt in 2 gals water.
4. Pour over cucumbers and let stand 12 hours.
5. Drain.
6. Combine vinegar, 1/2 cup salt, sugar and 2 quarts water.
7. Add mixed pickling spices tied in a clean white cloth.
8. Heat to boiling.
9. Fill jars with cucumbers.
10. Add 1 teaspoon mustard seed and 1 1/2 heads fresh dill per pint.
11. Cover with boiling pickling solution, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
12. Adjust lids and process according to the recommendations