As Promised

Here's a couple recipes for pickles. I love pickles and relishes. Guess it's the German in me:)

Just an FYI, my recipes are minimal, if you are unfamiliar with canning, please, please find a good canning book. Don't mess around with canning, be sure your family will be safe. But don't forget to have fun. It's not hard once you know "the rules"

Pickled Beets

Cut the leaves off the beets, leaving about an inch of stem. Boil for about 30 minutes, until fork tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. If they are fully cooked, the skins will slip right off in your hand (I wear plastic gloves). Cut off root and stem ends. Slice or cube beets (your choice) into freshly washed Mason jars. Fill jars with hot brine, leaving 1/4-1/2 inch head space. Wipe rim and place on snap lids/rings. Process 30 min for pints and 35 min for quarts

Brine

Heat and combine completely: 1 cup vinegar, 1 cup sugar and 2 cups water
Make up as much as needed depending on how many beets you have on hand.



Spicy Dill Pickles

Brine

Heat and combine completely: 5 qts water, 2 qts vinegar and 1 3/4 cup pickling salt

In clean Mason jars, place 1-2 cloves of garlic, a head of dill, and 1 tsp pickling spice in the bottom of each jar. Scrub up a pile of cucumbers. I use small ones but use the size you want. Cut off the blossom ends. Put cucumbers in jar, slicing if necessary. Pack in fairly tightly (will prevent floating). Make sure cucumbers will be covered by brine. Fill jars with hot brine, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Put on lids and process 15 min for pints, 20 min. for quarts.

Dill Pickles

Use recipe as above, leaving out the pickling spices.