- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 6 cups lukewarm water
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 3 large flowering dill heads (4 inches across)
- 3 pounds Kirby pickling cucumbers
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 cups white-wine vinegar
- Dissolve the salt in the water, and add the coriander, fennel, and dill. Set aside.
- Scrub the cucumbers well, rubbing off any spines. Cut away a thin round from the stem and blossom ends, and slice lengthwise into quarters. Put the spears in a large bowl, and cover with the brine. Weight the cucumbers with a plate, cover the bowl with a kitchen towel, and set aside for 24 hours. If the bowl won't fit in your refrigerator, it's fine to leave it out at room temperature.
- The next day, pack the cucumber spears into two scalded quart jars, saving the brine. Measure out 2 cups of the brine and reserve. Strain the remaining brine through a fine sieve to capture the aromatics, and divide them between the jars. Tuck a dill head and two cloves of garlic into each jar.
- Mix the vinegar and the 2 cups reserved brine, and bring to a boil. Pour it over the pickles to cover. Seal the jars, and store in the refrigerator for a week before using. For long-term shelf storage, leave 1/2 inch headspace when filling the jars, then seal. Process in a boiling-water bath for 10 minutes, or in a hot-water bath, between 180 and 185 degrees, for 30 minutes.