Ingredients:
4 lbs. pickling cucumbers,
3 to 6 inches long
4 to 5 heads fresh or dry dill weed, or 2 tbsp. dill seed
1⁄2 cup canning and pickling salt
1⁄4 cup vinegar (5% acetic acid)
8 cups water

One or more of the following

2 tsp. whole mixed pickling spice (optional)
2 garlic cloves, peeled (optional)
2 dried red peppers (optional)

Method:
Wash cucumbers, and drain on a rack or wipe dry.

Handle gently to avoid bruising.

Trim 1⁄16 inch from the blossom end and discard.

But leave 1⁄4-inch stem attached.

Place half of dill and spices on the bottom of a clean crock or a container of glass or food-grade plastic.

Add cucumbers, remaining dill, and spices.

Mix the vinegar and water together.

Add salt and stir to dissolve.

Pour the vinegar and salt mixture over cucumbers.

Cover with a heavy plate or lid that fits inside the crock or container.

Use a weight to hold the plate down and keep the cucumbers under the brine.

Cover the crock loosely with a clean cloth.

Keep pickles at room temperature (70° to 75° F).

Temperatures of 55° to 65° F are acceptable, but then fermentation will take 5 to 6 weeks.

Avoid temperatures above 80° F, or pickles will become too soft during fermentation.

Do not stir pickles around in the container, but be sure they are completely covered with
brine.

If necessary, make more brine using the original proportions.

Remove scum daily.

Most scum can be avoided if you use a brine-filled bag to seal the crock.

In about 3 weeks, the cucumbers will have become olive green and should have a desirable flavor.

Once the fermentation is complete, heat process pickles for storage.

To process fermented dill pickles, drain the pickles, collecting the fermentation brine.

Strain the fermentation brine through a double layer of cheesecloth or paper coffee filters
into a large pan.

Heat to boiling, and simmer for 5 minutes.

To make fresh brine

Add 1⁄2 cup salt and 1 quart vinegar (5% acetic acid) to 1 gallon water.

Heat to boiling, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Pack the fermented pickles and some of the dill into clean, hot quart jars.

Do not pack too tightly.

Add a fresh garlic clove to each jar, if desired.

Cover with hot brine, leaving 1⁄2-inch head space.

Remove bubbles with a rubber spatula.

Wipe jar rims with a clean, damp cloth.

Cap jars with pretreated lids.

Adjust lids.

Process in a boiling water canner

15 minutes for pints, 20 minutes for quarts.