Pickles

Pickles are one of the easiest and most forgiving things to can. Pickles start with fresh cucumbers that are sliced any way you prefer them: thin, thick, ridged, or straight. If you grow your own, you can pick them when they’re tiny and can little gherkin-sized pickles. Most pickle recipes ask for a hot brine to be poured over sliced cucumbers and then processed immediately, so I usually mix the brine and start heating that while I wash and slice the cucumbers. I try to have the brine as hot as possible, not quite boiling, before I pour it into the jars, and also try to have the water in my canner at a full rolling boil before I put the jars into it. Use a jar lifter and be very cautious—I have burned my forearm often!