Rod Zeitler’s Blue Ribbon Kosher Dill Pickles
Rod Zeitler, Iowa City, IA, wins first place in the Mrs. Wages Canning Competition at the Iowa State Fair, 2011, for using Mrs. Wages Kosher Dill Pickle Mix. Rod is a veteran pickeler and past blue-ribbon winner.
“I’ve been pickling for about 10 years. Mrs. Wages makes it a lot easier than the old way. I grow my own pickling cucumbers and look for the perfect length of about 4 inches.“
10 pounds of pickling cucumbers 4 inches long
3 1/3 cups white vinegar (5% acidity)
7 1/3 cup water
1 pouch Mrs. Wages Kosher Dill Pickles Mix®
4 garlic cloves sliced
Wash cucumber and trim blossom ends; drain. Leave whole, cut into spears or slice. In a large stainless steel pot, combine Kosher Dill Mix, vinegar and water. Bring mixture just to boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally until mixture dissolves.
Pack pickles into hot, sterilized pint jars leaving ½ inch headspace. Add one sliced clove of garlic per jar. Ladle pickling solution into each jar maintaining ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe the rims with a clean damp cloth. Place hot lids and rings. Pickles were processed in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Pickles were processed in Johnson County, IA, altitude 660 ft on 7/17/11. Pickles canned in compliance with current USDA guidelines.