Bucket Dill Pickles

Today's project--making a batch of bucket dills. Mom's cucumbers are starting to produce and the dill is taking over the garden so it's time to make pickles!

Here's the recipe:


8 cups water (I use Nursery water as our tap water makes the pickles mushy)
2 cups white vinegar (Heinz)
1/3 cup canning/pickling salt
About 30 medium sized cucumbers
1 bulb of garlic, peeled and separated into "toes"
2 dried red peppers
About 15 heads of dill
Wash cucumbers. In a 5 quart ice cream bucket put 1 layer of dill, 1 layer of quartered cucumbers and 2 "toes" of garlic; repeat layers ending with a layer of dill until bucket is full. Put the red peppers in along the side of the bucket.
In large kettle, mix water, vinegar and salt. Bring to a boil and boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool 10 minutes and then pour over cucumber mixture. Put lid on bucket and let stand 1 hour. I usually set the bucket on a couple of layers of paper towel before I pour on the brine, as it may run over when the lid is put on. After 1 hour, put in refrigerator for 5 days. Do not open the lid until the 5 days are up!
After the 5 days, they are ready to eat. At this point, I usually pack them into clean quart jars with the dill and garlic and then fill with brine from the bucket and put on the lids and rings. Must be stored in refrigerator. Makes about 5 quarts.