Pickling Cucumbers
Picking out Cucumber to Can and Preparing Cucumber to Can
People have canned pickles for decades because they taste great, but also because it's very easy to do. I am going to focus on canning dill pickles in this article. You want to have your jars ready by boiling them or put them through the dishwasher and boil your lids and keep them in the water.
If you're growing your own cucumbers it's best to grow ones that say pickling cucumbers, they are firmer and less watery. If you're buying them from a farmer's market or store you want them to be about 4-5 inches long, with a dark green skin with what a "warty" appearance. Do not use cucumber that have white or yellow on them. If they do they are over ripe and will have seeds, you do not want seeds when pickling cucumbers.
Wash your cucumbers, cut off the ends, and slice either long ways or into slices - whatever you prefer. You want to buy a gallon of vinegar and a store bought pickling mix. Bring your vinegar and pickling mix to almost a boil. Make sure to use a non-metal or coated pan, if you do it will make your solution cloudy. Put your cucumbers into the jars, add your vinegar mixture leaving a 1/4 of an inch at the top for expansion. Put on your lids and bands.
Cheap Canning Kit
Canned Pickles
How to Can Pickles Using Water Bath
Now your ready to seal your jars of cucumbers. Fill up your pan with enough water so that it will go about an inch over the top of your jars. Put your jars in the pan and boil for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, pull out the jars and let them sit and cool off. Make sure not to handle them at all. It is best to leave them alone until the next day.
Make sure the lids are sealed by pushing on the top of the lid. It should not go up and down, if it does your jar is not sealed and put it into the fridge right away.
