Wicked Good Pickles

Ingredients

Courtesy of Tammy Thompson

Start-to-finish: 1 week, 2 hours

(1 hour active) 

Makes 7 pint-sized jars 

1-gallon jar Vlasic hamburger dill slices

10 cups sugar

7 pint-sized canning jars with rings and lids

14 tablespoons minced garlic (adjust to taste)

70 whole, dried, red chili peppers (adjust to taste)

Preparation

Drain the pickles, reserving 3 cups of juice. Place pickles and reserved juice in a large, covered container. Add sugar, stirring well. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for one week, stirring daily so the sugar dissolves and the pickles soak up the brine.

Place pickles and juice into a large pot. Bring to a boil; then reduce to a simmer. Boil seven pint-sized canning jars and lids for 5 minutes to sterilize. Remove jars one at a time, just as you are ready to fill.

In the bottom of each sterilized jar, spoon 2 tablespoons minced garlic. Add the pickle slices, packing tightly, until the jar is half full. Slide five of the dried chili peppers into the interior of the jar in front of the pickles so they show. Fill the jar to within 1/2 an inch of the top with pickles; then add five more dried chilies around the top half. Adjust the amount of peppers to your liking: more peppers make spicier pickles.

Cover pickles with hot brine, leaving about ½ inch of air space at the top. Run a knife around the insides of the jars after filling to remove air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove food residue. Top with lids and screw on rings. Process in a boiling water canner for 45 minutes.

Store in a cool, dark place