I started using this recipe when I saw it in the Dinosaur BBQ cookbook. Since then I've found it in a couple of old pickling books, so it's been around for a while. I'm not a huge pickle fan, but I'll eat these, and my God daughter actually drinks the juice in the morning with breakfast, so either it's pretty good or she's a little strange.
·10# cucumbers, either peeled or scrubbed to remove wax
·10 jalapeno peppers- mix of red and green, coarsely chopped into ~6 pieces each
·1 cup fresh dill- or to taste
·1 cup chopped garlic, or to taste
·1 cup pickling spice blend- order from online distributor for best price
·¼ cup black peppercorns
·½ cup mustard seed
·2 cups Kosher salt
·1 cup sugar
·1 gal white vinegar
·½ gal water- bottled water is best if your water has high chlorine content
Peel (or don't) cucumbers and cut across into 3/8"-3/4" thick slices. Place into non-reactive container, i.e., glass, Tupperware, stainless. I use a medium sized clear Cambro container. Chop peppers as directed and throw in on top of cucumber slices(including seeds). Toss in chopped fresh dill and chopped garlic. Toss to coat.
Mix the vinegar, water, salt, sugar, pickling spice, mustard seed, and peppercorns in a stock pot and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat. Let cool to room temperature. When cool, pour over cucumbers and submerge the cucumbers using a couple of dinner plates or other non-reactive weight. Cover container and place in fridge. Let sit for 5 days, then eat. These will keep for several weeks in fridge without problem. If you have too many cucumbers to cover with vinegar, add a little more vinegar. If you have too much vinegar, add more cucumbers to maximize yield.
You may also pickle asparagus, okra, small green tomatoes, or cauliflower with this same recipe. Change dill to another herb if it suits you, and/or add crushed red pepper for more heat.