THE STRUB'S FAMILY HOMESTYLE BRINE RECIPE

Utensils Needed:
12 quart pot
1qt mason jars (clean well, use new lids)
1qt measuring cup and measuring spoons
Ingredients Needed:
Salt, Garlic, Dill, (Hot Banana Peppers),
White Distilled Vinegar (6% acid),
Fresh Pickling Cucumbers (length to diameter ratio of 3:1)
Pickle Brine
Add 1/4 cup of salt + 1 cup of vinegar to 1qt of water.
Mix until the salt is dissolved.
Packing Instructions
Add 4 cloves of peeled or chopped garlic to each jar
Add 1 T chopped dill weed, plus 1 T dill seeds
Add 1/4 cup sliced Hot Banana Peppers (optional)
Pack cucumbers tightly into the jar. (whole or sliced)
Add brine mixture to jars and fill to 1/4 inch from the rim of the jar.
Close cap tightly and place jars upright into the pot.
(Do not stack jars).
Fill pot with tap water to cover bottles and bring to a slow boil.
Continue boiling for 5 minutes then remove pot from burner.
Begin adding tap water slowly so the pot overflows slowly.
Adding water too quickly may crack the jars!
Continue until the jars are cool enough to hold against your face.
Store in a dark cool place.
Your pickles will be ready to eat the next day.
Tips
Choose the freshest pickling cucumbers for pickle making, or better yet, grow your own.
The perfect size for a pickling cucumber has a length to diameter ratio of 3:1.
Two to four inch cucumbers are best for home pickling because you can maximize the number in a typical canning jar.
Wash cucumbers thoroughly and check for blemishes prior to pickling.
Prick the skin of each cucumber once or twice lightly with a fork to allow the flavors to penetrate the cucumbers.

If you are storing them in the cupboard then you need a safe brine. It must be at least half vinegar that is at least 5% acidity to water ratio. Cucumbers are low acid vegetables and need that much vinegar to safely preserve them.
Never heard of putting water over them after processing. Usually processing time is 10 min. for pickles, sometimes 15 for quarts, depending upon the recipe.

With a 6% vinegar, you can get away with slightly more water or other no acid ingredient, but 1% isn't very much stonger. Here, I use a 20% vinegar sometimes when I want a very thick mixture like chopped cukes and onions for a relish. I think the cold water aded after processing is meant to help quickly cool down the contents. Yes, it can cause the glass to break and is a bit risky, like placing the hot jars next to a blowing fan.

The Strubb's Kosher Dill, needs to be constantly refridgerated. Not stored in a cupboard.

I made these kosher dills for years, and had an over-sized fridge (Pepsi Cooler) just to be able to store them.

My husband loves "New" Kosher Dills, but they are only half sour for about 2-4 wks. After that they are regular dills.

Bonnie, in Oakville

If this recipe is the one we use to buy at the grocery store its fantastic and can hardly wait to try it out.