Dill Pickles

When my daughter Tonia was a teen her friends Erica, Sarah & Dawn would come over to spend the night and it was a must to have dill pickles for them. The hardest part of making these dill pickles is waiting the 8 weeks to eat them.

DILL PICKLES  

(makes 8 quarts)

Ingredients:

*8 pounds 3-4 inch long pickling cucumbers

*4 cups white vinegar

*12 cups water

*2/3 cup pickling salt

*16 cloves garlic, peeled and halved

*8 springs fresh dill weed

*8 heads fresh dill weed

*2 bags ice

Directions:

~Wash cucumbers, and place int the sink with cold water and lots of ice cubes.

~Soak at least 2 hours but no more than 8. Refresh ice as needed.

~Sterilize 8 (1 quart) canning jars and lids in boiling water for at least 10 minutes.

~In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine the vinegar, water, and pickling salt.

~Bring the brine to a rapid boil.

~In each jar, place 2 half-cloves of garlic, one head of dill, one sprig of dill.

~Slice cucumber either length wise or in hamburger dill style, whatever you like best.

~Fill jar with pickles, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.

~Fill jars with brine, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.

~Wipe top of jars with a clean cloth of any residue.

~Seal jars with lids, and rings.

~Process sealed jars in a boiling water bath.

~Process jars for 15 minutes.

~Remove jars from hot water bath and let sit for 24 hours before storing in a cool place (fruit cellar).

~Store pickles for a minimum of 8 weeks before eating.