In A Pickle... Sweet Dill Pickles

Sweet Dill Pickles

Found on Canning Only Recipes - Found on betterhomesandgardens

Makes 6 pints 

3 pounds 4-inch pickling cucumbers* 

4 cups water 

4 cups white vinegar 

3 cups sugar 

1/3 cup pickling salt 

6 tablespoons dill seeds 

Thoroughly scrub cucumbers. Remove stems and blossoms; slice off blossom ends. Cut cucumbers lengthwise into quarters. 

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

Pack cucumber spears loosely into six hot sterilized pint canning jars, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. Add 1 tablespoon dill seeds to each jar. Pour hot vinegar mixture over cucumbers, maintaining the 1/2-inch headspace. 

Wipe jar rims; adjust lids and screw bands. Process filled jars in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes. Let stand at room temperature for 1 week before serving. 

*Tip: If small pickling cucumbers are not available, cut regular garden cucumbers into 4-inch spears. If you purchase cucumbers for pickling, be sure they have not been coated in wax, which impedes the pickling process.