Canned Spicy Pickles

canned pickles

Canned Spicy Pickles

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Your Key Ingredient:

NESCO Smart Canner

Grocery Ingredients:

  • 8 pounds pickling cucumbers (3- to 5-inch)
  • 32 cups water, for cucumber brine (2 gal)
  • 0.8 cups canning or pickling salt, for cucumber brine
  • 6 cups vinegar (5 percent), for pickling solution (1½ qt)
  • 0.5 cups canning or pickling salt, for pickling solution
  • 0.3 cups sugar
  • 8 cups water, for pickling solution (2 qt)
  • 2 tablespoons whole mixed pickling spice
  • 3 tablespoons whole mustard seed (2 tsp to 1 tsp per pint jar)
  • 14 fresh dill heads (1½ heads per pint jar; or 4½ tbsp dill seed, 1½ tsp per pint jar)

Directions:

  1. Prep cucumbers: Wash the 8 pounds pickling cucumbers (3- to 5-inch). Cut a 1/16-inch slice off the blossom end and discard, but leave 1/4 inch of stem attached.
  2. Brine soak: Dissolve 8 cups canning or pickling salt, for cucumber brinein 32 cups water, for cucumber brine (2 gal). Pour the brine over the cucumbers and let stand for 12 hours. Drain.
  3. Make pickling solution: Combine 6 cups vinegar (5 percent), for pickling solution (1½ qt), 5 cups canning or pickling salt, for pickling solution, 0.3 cups sugar, and 8 cups water, for pickling solution (2 qt)in a pot. Tie 2 tablespoons whole mixed pickling spice in a clean white cloth or spice bag and add to the pot. Heat to boiling.
  4. Pack the jars: Fill clean canning jars with the drained cucumbers. Add 3 tablespoons whole mustard seed (2 tsp to 1 tsp per pint jar)and 14 fresh dill heads (1½ heads per pint jar; or 4½ tbsp dill seed, 1½ tsp per pint jar) to each jar (about 1 tsp mustard seed and 1½ heads dill per pint).
  5. Add boiling solution: Cover the cucumbers with the boiling pickling solution, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Remove air bubbles and wipe jar rims. Place clean, unused lids and rings on the jars, adjusted to fingertip tight.
  6. Set up the Smart Canner: Place the liner pot in the NESCO Smart Canner, then place the canning rack in the bottom of the liner pot.
  7. Load jars and water: Load the sealed jars onto the rack. For the water bath setting, jars must be completely covered with water that is at least 1–2 inches above the tops of the jars.
  8. Select WB/Steam program: Press the WB/Steam button on the control panel. Press TIME (+) to set the process time per NCHFP Table 1: pints 10 min / quarts 15 min at 0-1,000 ft; pints 15 / quarts 20 min at 1,001-6,000 ft; pints 20 / quarts 25 min above 6,000 ft. Make sure the Pressure Limiting Valve is set to Exhaust.
  9. Start and reach a boil: Press Start (do not press Pressure Cook). The digital chase will begin rotating and the unit should reach a boil within 15–25 minutes. Watch for a constant, steady stream of steam coming from the Pressure Exhaust Valve.
  10. Begin processing timer: Once you see a constant stream of steam, press Start again — the processing timer will begin automatically and run for the time set in step 8. CAUTION: do not press Start a third time, as this will shut the unit down completely.
  11. Cool, remove, and rest jars: When the WB cycle finishes, let the unit rest 20–30 minutes before turning the lid to the open position. Carefully remove the jars. Lids will pop as they seal and cool. Cover jars with a towel and do not disturb for 24–48 hours.

Canning method (NESCO Smart Canner, water bath mode) \u2014 official NCHFP Table 1 times for raw pack: Pints 10 min / Quarts 15 min at 0-1,000 ft; Pints 15 / Quarts 20 min at 1,001-6,000 ft; Pints 20 / Quarts 25 min above 6,000 ft.

 

Recipe adapted from NCHFP (National Center for Home Food Preservation) — Pack Dill Pickles