Garlic Dills (Betty Crocker)

Note - the outside jars contain the garlic dills, the center jar contains Nana's pickles.

36 to 40 pickling cucumbers (3 - 3 1/2 inches)
7 1/2 cups water
5 cups vinegar (5 - 6% acidity)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons pickling or non iodized salt
12 cloves garlic
6 heads fresh dill
6 slices onion, 1/2 inch thick

Wash and scrub cucumbers carefully. Cut 1/4 inch slice from blossom end of each cucumber. Heat water, vinegar and salt to boiling in Dutch oven. Place 2 cloves garlic, 1 dill head and 1 onion slice in each of 6 hot jars. Pack cucumbers in jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Covering with boiling brine, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe rim of jars. Seal and process in boiling water bath 10 minutes.

For regular dills, omit the garlic.

Nana's pickles

Note: Nana's pickles are the ones in the center jar.

Ingredients listed are per quart jar.

1 level Tablespoon non-iodized salt
1 level teaspoon pickling spices
1 whole dried red pepper
1 handful dill
2 whole cloves garlic cut up/smashed
1/2 teaspoon alum

Wash and sterilize jars. Wash unused lids in hot soapy water, rinse and keep hot.

Fill each jar with above ingredients and washed cucumbers, pack tightly, fill jar to neck.

Add cold tap water to top of jar.

Wipe moisture off top of jar then add hot lid, seal with ring and tighten as much as possible.

Turn upside down on brown paper overnight. In the morning, turn over and re-tighten any jars that leaked.

Store in a cool place.

Pickles are 1/2 done in 10 days and if you like them crispy, put them in the fridge to keep at this stage.

The longer they stand the stronger they get.

Note - Heidi Weinsoft gave me the same recipe the only difference is that hers did not call for the alum.

Enjoy!