1 gallon of cucumbers, sliced thin
Brine:
1/2 cup salt
1 quart of water
Soak sliced cucumbers 1 hour in brine
Syrup:
5 cups sugar
3 cups vinegar
1 Tablespoon celery seed
1 Tablespoon mustard seed
Bring syrup to boil. While waiting, drain cucumbers and rinse under cold water; drain.
Put cucumbers in boiling syrup for 7 minutes, keep below boil.
Stir occasionally; do not boil. Color changes from bright green to olive green.
cold pack and seal:
Pour 1/2 cup boiling water in each jar to sterilize.
Pour boiling water over screw lids. Boil caps in small pan.
Add pickles to jars, ensuring a clean screw lid before closing. Screw caps tightly.
Allow to cool overnight (lids will pop if sealed correctly).
Tools:
small pan of water for lids, filled with boiling water
medium pan of water for sanitizing jars
large pan for pickles and syrup
cooling area where jars will not be disturbed
Have twice as many jars as you think you need. "Yields 5 pints" but sometimes more.