Oppy's dill pickles...

I got home tonight to find the following sitting on the kitchen counter...yes the shepherd had made good use of some of his cucumbers out of his garden...

I think they are beautiful...I love how things look when they are canned and love how they taste in the summer...I am not a big cucumber fan...but do like a pickle or two.   The shepherd has quite a few specialty items with the cucumber...besides dill pickles...he makes fresh creamy cucumbers (his mom's secret recipe) and also ones with vinegar and sugar and onions that are pretty popular.  He has made lime pickles as well as freezing the pickles with vinegar and sugar and a few other secret ingredients I am sure.

Anyway I had some asking for his recipe...and so Tim shared this one that he got from his mom that he thinks was LaVon Jones mom...   LaVon a long time friend and I am trying to think how she spells her name...but know she will be okay if I spell it wrong.   I smile and think of wondering if her and "Mom" Pfeiff may have canned a many a jars...maybe together...maybe apart...anyway here's the recipe...

Mom Allens Dill Pickle.

4 cups vinegar
15 cups water
1/4 cup salt (this is the shepherd's add because he thought the last were too salty)
1 teaspoon Alum Powder
1 teaspoon pickle spice

Let this come to a boil and cook together 15 minutes.

Fill jars with raw pickles and put a little dill on top and bottom of jar.

Then pour juice over pickle and seal.

Then set jars in kettle and let steam until pickles change to yellow. 

Take out and seal tight.

And there you have it...

Thankful for the shepherd...and we'll see how the pickles turn out...he is talking of maybe throwing a pepper or two in a few jars...

lyp