Place water, salt, vinegar, and alum in a pan and bring to a boil. This is called “brine”. I like to pour the finished brine into a pitcher for easy pouring into the bottles.

Cucumbers – for best results select fresh, crisp cucumbers- not wilted, soft or overripe! The best cucumbers are the smaller underripe ones. Clean the dirt and prickles off of the cucumbers with a soft brush.

Fit the cleaned cucumbers into clean jars. Make sure to get the jars as full as you can without overfilling. It is important that the brine can flow freely around the cucumbers.

Add minced garlic and dill to the jars. Fill the brine to the neck of the bottle (about an inch from the top).

Make sure the top (or lip) of the bottle is clean and place a canning lid on the top, secure it tightly with a ring.

Boil in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Water must reach at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars.

Lift the jars out of the water bath and let them cool without touching or bumping them in a draft-free place (usually takes overnight). I like to use a jar lift to lift them out.

Once the jars are cool, check that they are sealed verifying that the lid has been sucked down. Just press in the center, gently, with your finger. If it pops up and down (often making a popping sound), it is not sealed. If you put the unsealed jars in the refrigerator right away, you can still use them.