Spicy Pickled Cucumbers

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 0.25 cups honey
• 7 cloves garlic
• 0.5 teaspoons peppercorns
• 0.13 teaspoons pickling spice
• 0.13 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 0.13 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 0.13 teaspoons salt
• fresh dill to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse cucumbers and pat dry. Trim off the ends, then slice in half. Slice each half into spears. Place spears in a clean, wide mouth mason-type canning jar.

2. 2

   Add water, vinegar, and honey to a saucepan. Add about half the garlic pieces, then drop the remaining garlic into the jar with cucumber spears.

3. 3

   Using a mortar and pestle, grind peppercorns, pickling spice, mustard seeds, and pepper flakes together. Sprinkle about half the mixture into the saucepan, then add remaining mixture to cucumber spears. Add as much fresh dill fronds as desired to the saucepan and also drop some into the pickle jar.

4. 4

   Add salt to the saucepan. Heat on low, stirring constantly, until the honey has melted. Pour over cucumber spears, filling jar to within 1/8-inch of rim, then close the lid on tightly. Refrigerate for 1 week before using.