Wash jars in hot, soapy water and sterilize in a water bath. I place them in a 215 degree oven for about 15-20 min. (or you can run them through a cycle in your dishwasher). Boil lids and rings.
Pack cucumber spears into hot, sterile jars.
Top cucumber spears with hot brine. I use approx. 5 cups of white vinegar to 12 cups of water. I ended up making 9 pints and 3 quarts of pickles and still had some leftover. I added a little salt, turmeric, 1 Tbsp. Alum (helps to keep them crisp), a fresh dill sprig in the middle of each jar. You can add hot chili peppers or garlic to make them spicy.
Wipe the jar rims clean with a damp cloth or paper towel.
Top each jar with a clean lid and ring.
Here's the trick for keeping the pickles crisp! Make sure the water in the canner doesn't go above 185. I kept the water at about 180...hot enough to kill bacteria, but not boiling. It will soften the pectin in the cucumbers and make the pickles mushy. I temped the water every 5-10 min. with a candy thermometer. Process for 30 min.
Remove hot jars with a jar lifter and allow them to cool for 24 hrs. Pickles are ready to eat in about 24 hrs., but taste best in about 2 weeks.
Enjoy!
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