How to Make Crunchy Pickled Cucumber Salad: A Step-by-Step Guide

Welcome to Outdoors and Country Living! I'm Leanne, and today I'm excited to show you how to make a crunchy pickled cucumber salad that's shelf-stable and perfect for enjoying year-round. Let's dive into this delicious recipe and make the most of your garden cucumbers!

Ingredients and Supplies
Cucumbers (6 pounds)
Bell peppers, carrots, and other vegetables of your choice
1/4 cup non-iodized salt (e.g., pink Himalayan salt, real salt, or pickling salt)
3 cups white vinegar
3 cups water
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 cup sugar
Pickle Crisp (calcium chloride)
Dried dill (1/2 teaspoon per jar)
Large bowl, container with a lid, and water bath canner
Pint jars with lids and bands
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preparing the Vegetables
Slice the Cucumbers: Start by cutting off the ends of the cucumbers. Slice them into rounds, halves, or quarters, depending on your preference. If your cucumbers have many seeds, you can remove them, but it's not necessary.
Add Other Vegetables: Along with cucumbers, add bell peppers, shredded carrots, or any other vegetables you like. Mix everything together in a large bowl.
Salt the Vegetables: Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of non-iodized salt over the vegetables. Toss to ensure all pieces are coated with salt. This will help pull out excess water, retaining the crunchiness of the cucumbers.
Refrigerating the Vegetables
Transfer to a Container: Move the salted vegetables to a container with a lid. Refrigerate for 24 hours. The salt will draw out a lot of liquid, so make sure the container can handle it.

Discard Excess Liquid: After 24 hours, discard the liquid that has accumulated. This helps keep the vegetables crunchy.
Making the Brine

Mix the Brine Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine 3 cups of white vinegar, 3 cups of water, 1/2 cup of lemon juice, and 1 cup of sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. There’s no need to heat the brine.

Preparing the Jars
Rinse the Vegetables: Rinse the salted vegetables under cold water to remove excess salt. Drain well.

Fill the Jars: Pack the vegetables firmly but not too tightly into clean pint jars, leaving some space at the top.

Add Pickle Crisp and Dill: Add 1/4 teaspoon of Pickle Crisp and 1/2 teaspoon of dried dill to each jar.
Adding the Brine and Processing
Pour the Brine: Fill each jar with the brine, leaving about 1/4 inch of headspace. Ensure all vegetables are submerged.

Remove Air Bubbles: Use a skewer or your fingers to press the vegetables down, releasing any trapped air bubbles. Top off with more brine if necessary.

Clean the Rims: Wipe the rims of the jars with a damp paper towel to ensure a clean seal.
Seal the Jars: Place the lids and bands on the jars, tightening them to fingertip tightness.