How to Preserve 20 lbs of Cucumbers!

So I had a request to share my pickling recipes!  I am pretty excited that people are interested so I will go through the 3 recipes I have done so far.  But a little disclaimer: the fresh packed pickles we have made (Kosher Dills and Sweet Pickles) we haven't been able to taste because they need to cure for 8 weeks.  Therefore, I am not sure the recipes I am giving are really good, but I am assuming they will be.  Prepare at your own risk.  All of the recipes I processed in a boiling water bath.

We will start first with the hot pack, Sweet Cucumber Relish.  This I have tried, and it's officially good on hot dogs.  This is a "hot pack" because you actually cook the cucumber in the brine before you can it.

Sweet Cucumber Relish
Makes approximately 6, 1/2 pints
8 cups chopped cucumbers
4 cups chopped onion
4 medium sweet peppers, chopped
1/2 cup pickling salt
5 1/2 cups honey
2 Tbsp celery seed
2 Tbsp mustard seed

4 cups white vinegar

1) Combine all chopped veggies with salt in large pot and cover with cold water.  Let sit tin the refrigerator 2 hours.
2) Drain the veggies and rinse with cold water and drain again.

3) Prepare 1/2 pint jars for canning by boiling them for 10 minutes.  I use the same pot that I will process the finished relish in for doing this step, that way the water is all heated up for when I need to process the relish.
4) Add honey, spices and vinegar in a large pot (one that will hold all that liquid plus all the cucumbers). Bring brine to a boil.
5) Add drained vegetables to the brine and simmer 10 minutes.  While this is happening, put caps of jars in a small sauce pan and cover with water.  Heat but DO NOT BOIL.

6) Once cooked, and using a slotted spoon, scoop relish into sterilized jars.  Top off relish with brine so to leave 1/4 inch head space.  Remove air pockets and cap.
7) Process 1/2 pints for 10 minutes in boiling water canner.
*Save the extra brine in the fridge for use with the Fresh Pack Sweet Pickle recipe*

The next recipe is another experiment because I had so much of the sweet relish brine left over, I felt it was a shame to waste.  Therefore I came up with this recipe.  The best part is that it is really easy to process these when you have some spare time.  But, I haven't tried these yet, so make at your own risk!

Fresh Pack Sweet Pickles
makes approximately 6, 1/2 pints
Extra brine from Sweet Relish Recipe
8 cups cucumbers, sliced
1/2 cup canning salt
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp mustard seed
2 cups white vinegar

1) Put sliced cucumbers in large pot with salt.  Cover with cold water and let sit in the refrigerator 2 hours.
2) Drain the veggies and rinse with cold water and drain again.
3) Prepare 1/2 pint jars for canning by boiling them for 10 minutes.
4) In a large pot add the vinegar, left-over brine and extra spices.  Bring to a boil.  While this is happening, put caps of jars in a small sauce pan and cover with water.  Heat but DO NOT BOIL.
5) Pack cucumbers into sterilized jars.  Pour brine over top leaving 1/4 inch head space.  Remove air pockets and cap.  Repeat until you have no more cucumbers or brine.
6) Process 1/2 pints for 10 minutes in boiling water bath.
7) Once processed let cure for 8 weeks before trying.  (That is the step I am currently on)

And finally the Kosher Dills and Spicy Dills.  This is a fresh pack recipe which I find to be easiest.  Once again, they are yet to be tried.  So if you aren't a fan of spicy pickles, I would just stick to the regular recipe.  But, if you want to experiment, which is what my husband did, you can try adding the Jalapeno or hot pepper or any hot pepper for that matter!

Kosher Dill Recipe
makes approximately 6 quarts

8 lbs-10 lbs or 1 sink full of pickling cucumbers
4 cups white vinegar
12 cups water
2/3 cup pickling salt
6 heads fresh dill
12 sprigs fresh dill
12 cloves garlic or 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic per quart

1) Soak pickles in ice water for 3 hours.  Change out ice packs every 1/2 hour to ensure their cold.  (This is important for the crispness of the finished pickle.)
2) Prepare quart jars for canning by boiling them for 10 minutes.

3) In large stock pot, combine water, salt and vinegar.  Bring brine to a boil.
4) Chop cucumbers into quarters ensuring they will fit into the quart jars.  If necessary, cut off tops and bottoms of cucumbers.  Leave quartered cucumbers in ice water until they are packed.  While this is happening, put caps of jars in a small sauce pan and cover with water.  Heat but DO NOT BOIL.
5) Once brine is boiling, place 2 cloves garlic and 1 head of dill in bottom of sterilized quart.  Pack quarter cucumbers tightly in jar, add 2 sprigs fresh dill and cover with brine leaving 1/2 inch head space. Repeat process until you have used all your cucumbers or brine.
6) Process quarts in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
7) Let cure 8 weeks before opening.

For Spicy Dills add 1/4 tsp hot pepper or 1 Jalapeno cut lengthwise to the bottom of the quart jars along with the garlic and dill head.  Pack and process the same as above.

I hope this helped everyone with their abundance of cucumbers!  Happy Canning!