Refrigerator Pickles

Last year we made refrigerator pickles but they didn't have quick the "kick" to them that I had hoped.  They were good, but something was lacking.  The way the garden was going this summer I was hoping that all the produce would wait to ripen after our vacation. 

Well of course a bunch of pickling cucumbers ripened while we were in the midst of 4-H judging and packing for vacation.  

Hubby, the awesome hubby that he is, decided to help out. 

He bought a pickling concoction from Ball and had a few kiddos help us out.  

For every 2 quarts of pickles you need:
3 1/2 pounds of pickling cucumbers
2 cups water
1 cup vinegar
1/4 cup Ball Kosher Dill Pickle Mix
2 quart canning jars with new lids and bands  (I reuse my bands)

You can use a boiling water canner and the instruction are on the bottle, but we did the refrigerator method. 

Either way prepare your pickles by cutting the ends of the cucumbers and cut into spears.  Combine water, vinegar, and the mix in a medium saucepan.  Heat to boil.

1. Pour hot pickling liquid over cucumber spears in a large bowl.  Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
2. Pack cucumbers spears into jars.  Ladle pickling liquid over cucumbers.  Place lids and bands on jars. 
3. Refrigerate pickles.  For best flavor, allow pickles to stand in refrigerator for 3 weeks.

They have to sit in the refrigerator for three weeks to soak up the flavor so yesterday (the first full day home from our camping vacation) was the first day we could eat them.  They were dilly and had a good kick to them.  Crunchy, too!  Perfect! 

We have more pickles coming on the vine and we hope to do the boiling canner method so we can store them for a year on the shelves.