Canned Homemade Dill Pickle Slices

Gather the ingredients.

Slice ends off cucumbers then slice in 1/4-inch rounds.

Put the cucumber slices in a large nonreactive bowl or pot and cover with the 2 1/2 quarts of water. Add 3 tablespoons salt and stir until salt is dissolved. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for 12 hours.

Drain cucumber slices.

Prepare jars for canning and boiling water processing. Fill a boiling water canner half-full with water; add jars and bring to a boil.

Cover and reduce heat to low to keep jars hot.

In a nonreactive stainless steel or enamel-lined pot, combine the 3 cups vinegar and 3 cups water. Stir in 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons of salt until dissolved. Bring to a boil.

Into each of six 1-pint jars, add 1 teaspoon dill seeds, 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds, 1 bay leaf, 3 or 4 peppercorns, and about 1 teaspoon of chopped garlic. Pack with cucumbers.

Add hot vinegar mixture to each jar, leaving 1/2-inch of headspace. Wipe and spills off of the rims and threads of the jars with a damp paper towel. Fit with the lids and screw on jar rings tightly.

Put the jars in a rack and lower them carefully into the hot water. If necessary, add more boiling of near-boiling water so the water level is at least 1 to 2 inches above the jars. Bring the water to a boil. Cover and boil gently for 10 minutes.

Remove the jars to a rack to cool completely. 

About 24 hours later, check all of the jars for proper sealing. If you have a jar that didn't seal properly, refrigerate it and use it right away.