SWEET DILL PICKLES

SWEET DILL PICKLES (from Better Homes and Gardens Complete Canning Guide)


PREP: 30 MINUTES PROCESS: 10 MINUTES STAND: 1 WEEK MAKES: 6 PINTS

3 to 3¼ pounds 4-inch pickling cucumbers (about 36)
4 cups water
3 cups white vinegar
3 cups sugar
⅓ cup pickling salt
6 tablespoons dill seeds
(we added a pinch (1/8 teaspoon of pickle crisp "calcium chloride" to each jar) 
1. Thoroughly scrub cucumbers with a soft vegetable brush in plenty of cold running water. Remove stems and blossom ends; slice off blossom ends. Cut cucumbers lengthwise into quarters.

2. In a 4- to 5-quart stainless-steel, enamel, or nonstick heavy pot combine the water, the vinegar, sugar, and pickling salt. Bring to boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar.

3. Pack cucumber spears loosely into six hot sterilized pint canning jars, leaving a ½-inch headspace. Add 1 tablespoon dill seeds to each jar. Pour hot vinegar mixture into jars maintaining the ½-inch headspace. Discard any remaining hot vinegar mixture. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids and screw bands.

4. Process filled jars in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes (start timing when water returns to boiling). Remove jars from canner; cool on wire racks. Let stand at room temperature for 1 week before serving.