1. Rinse the cucumbers under cool running water to remove any dirt or impurities.
2. Fill a large bowl or basin with cold water, ice cubes, and the cucumbers. The ice water bath helps to cool down the cucumbers quickly and maintain their crispness.
3. After soaking, remove the cucumbers from the ice water bath and drain them well.
4. Use a sharp knife to trim off both ends of the cucumber (the blossom end and the stem end) and slice it lengthwise into halves or quarters, depending on the desired thickness of the spears.
5. Insert the spears into the jar, leaving a half-inch headspace. Trim any cucumbers that encroach on the headspace.
6. Prepare your boiling water canner, filling it half full of water and placing a jar rack inside.
7. Wash all of the canning equipment in hot, soapy water and rinse well, including the lids, wide-mouth canning jars, and screw bands.
8. Heat four single-pint jars in simmering water until ready to use.
9. Combine the water, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small stainless saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat before lowering the heat to a simmer.
10. Grab one of the canning jars using a jar lifter, and add one garlic clove, three dill sprigs, half a teaspoon of mustard seed, one bay leaf, one hot pepper, and ¾ tsp of Ball® Pickle Crisp (if desired) to the liquid.
11. Ladle the hot brine into the hot jar of cucumber spears, maintaining a half-inch headspace. Fill the remaining jars with the cucumber spears and canning liquid.
12. Remove any air bubbles by running a soft kitchen instrument around the inside of the jar, wipe the jar rim, and center the lid.
13. Apply the band and adjust it to fingertip tightness.
14. Using jar tongs or a jar lifter, carefully lower the filled jars into the canner, ensuring they are upright and not touching the sides of the canner or each other.
15. Provide enough space between the jars to allow for adequate water circulation during processing. Typically, the jars should be spaced at least 1 inch apart from one another and from the sides of the canner.
16. Once the jars are in the canner, check the water level. It should be at least 1 to 2 inches above the tops of the jars. If needed, add more boiling water to maintain the proper water level during processing.
17. Place the lid on the canner and ensure it is securely locked or fastened according to your specific canner’s design.
18. Wait for the water in the canner to reach the boiling point of 212°F and then process the jars for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude:

Processing times for pint jars:

• 0-1,000 ft altitude: process for 15 minutes
• 1,001-6,000 ft altitude: process for 20 minutes
• Above 6,000 ft altitude: process for 25 minutes

Processing times for quart jars:

• 0-1,000 ft altitude: process for 20 minutes
• 1,001-6,000 ft altitude: process for 25 minutes
• Above 6,000 ft altitude: process for 30 minutes

Post Processing

1. Switch off the heat, remove the canner lid, and allow the jars to remain in the water for 15 minutes.
2. Lift the jars from the canner using lifting jar tongs or a jar lifter and place them on a heat-resistant surface with a cushioned surface for the next 12 to 24 hours.
3. Check the seals on your jars by pressing down on the center of the lid. If it doesn’t flex or pop, the seal is good, and your pickles are shelf-stable and ready to eat.
4. Store sealed jars of dill pickles in a cool, dry, and dark place. The ideal storage temperature is between 50°F and 70°F.