Ingredients:
1 T Pickling Spice, try Penzey's Pickling Spice
1 Quart White Vinegar
Handful of dried dill (for dill pickles)
1-2 Shallots per pint jar
pickling cucumbers
Materials:
Pint jars and matching lids/rings (exact number dependent on how many cucumbers)
Ladle
Sauce pan
Add 1 T of the pickling spice to 1 qt. of regular white vinegar and a handful of the dill I'd saved and dried from earlier this season. Bring to a boil until the flavors meld, about 10-15 min, then allow to cool. Do not strain. Be sure to have your vent on high- vinegar gets very pungent. (Makes enough to fill 4-6 pint jars.)
Meanwhile, thinly slice pickling cucumbers to no more than 1/4." Thinly slice shallots from earlier in the season, using about 1-2 per pint jar.
Layer about 1/3 of a small mason jar, add shallots. Continue layering until you are 1/2" from the top of each pint jar.
Carefully ladle in the vinegar and spice mixture into each jar to 1/8" from the top. Tighten lids and place in refrigerator.
After a few hours, shake it gently, tipping upside down. Every few days, tip and shake gently. You can eat after 4 hours, but are really best the next day. Note that there will be less liquid in the jar as it is absorbed into the cucumbers so you will likely see bubbles and the liquid appear to be reduced over time. Eat within a few weeks or consider canning for longer shelf life.
Variations- Garlic- swap garlic cloves instead of shallots or use both. Spicy pickles- add 1/8 t red pepper flakes to the vinegar and spice mix before you boil. Sweet pickles- skip the dill and sweeten with sugar. Last year we added garlic shallot tops to the jars, which were tasty early on, but got too tangy after a few weeks in the fridge so eat up quickly. Consider the same method for pickled beats, cucumbers, beans, or other vegetables.
Pickling spice:
https://www.penzeys.com/online-catalog/pickling-spice/c-24/p-246/pd-s
Also good reference: