Learn How To Make Kosher Dill Pickles with the Ball Blue Book of Preserving. Hot water bath canned homemade dill pickles are a great way to use up your garden surplus of pickling cucumbers.
Wash and prepare jars and lids following safe canning practices. Boil jars in hot water and keep hot until use. Rinse cucumbers and peppers in cold water, drain, trim ends, and slice or quarter cucumbers as desired for pickles.
Tie Ball Pickling Spices in a cheesecloth square and secure with a rubber band. In a saucepan, combine sugar, salt, vinegar, and water. Add spice bag, bring to a boil, stir until sugar dissolves, then simmer 15 minutes. Remove spice bag.
Working with 2 hot jars at a time, place ½ teaspoon mustard seed, one dill head, 1 bay leaf, 1 garlic clove, and one pepper in each jar. Pack cucumbers tightly, leaving ½-inch headspace. Add ⅛ teaspoon Pickle Fresh if desired.
Ladle hot pickling liquid into jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust liquid if needed. Wipe rims, place lids and bands finger-tight. Process jars in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.