This is my second pickle post, because the first recipe was terrible — mushy pickles, yuck!
5 T. sea salt
2 quarts chlorine-free water
6 oak, grape, horseradish or sour cherry leaves (these contain tannins which make the pickles crisp)
8 cloves peeled garlic
2 large heads dill
1 T. black peppercorns
1 T. mustard seeds
Enough pickling cucumbers to fill a half-gallon mason jar
Boil water, add salt, and stir until thoroughly dissolved. Cool to room temperature. In a half-gallon mason jar, make layers with a couple of leaves, cucumbers, and spices, repeating until the jar is packed, leaving 2 inches of headspace. Pour cooled brine over, cap tightly and place in a safe place for 3 to 5 days, then transfer to the fridge. Properly fermented pickles will have a cloudy, bubbly brine, and the pickles will be sour and slightly bubbly.
