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With the right supplies, you can make your own pickles at home

Clean Start

All supplies that you use must be very clean when you make pickles at home. A dirty jar or spoon can make all the pickles go bad.

The Cucumber Is King

*Fill jars with freshly picked and firm cucumbers.

*Put a heated mixture of salt, vinegar, and spices into the jars.

*Seal the jars with clean lids. Allow the pickles to cool, and put the jars in the fridge. Write the date on the jars.

Leave your homemade pickles in the fridge. Pay attention to the date on the jars. If you haven't eaten the pickles after six months, throw them away.

You can also try other vegetables. Pickled carrots, cauliflower, and garlic cloves make delicious snacks and give salad some extra flavor.

Tips

Kirby cucumbers are the classical pickling cucumbers-they hold up better than English cucumbers during pickling, remaining firm and crunchy instead of becoming overly soft. Persian cucumbers make very nice pickles, too-they have thinner skin and are the perfect size for packing into jars.