There are various methods for pickling. Some are brined and canned and others are simply brined and fermented and must be kept refrigerated. I suppose the method you want depends on how many cucumbers you plan to pickle. Most of us don't have room in the fridge for quarts and quarts of pickles, so if you're planning on making a lot, I suggest canning.
In this case, I advise you to find a good canning book (there are lots of creative ones out there, but a good one to start with is the Ball canning guide--they ought to know, right?) and pick a very basic recipe to start with.
When canning acidified foods (a.k.a. foods that you have to add acid to in order to prevent spoilage--this includes most vegetables; most fruits are acidic enough on their own) or non-acidified foods (say, if you were to can green beans with no added vinegar) you should follow a recipe. This is not the time to get creative with cooking. Unless you're a canning veteran and have some litmus strips handy to check acidity, I would advise you to just find and follow a recipe.
There are very few cases of diagnosed botulism in the US every year, but that's no reason to be lax about canning practices. Since it is potentially hazardous, finding a tried and true recipe is ideal.
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In this case, I advise you to find a good canning book (there are lots of creative ones out there, but a good one to start with is the Ball canning guide--they ought to know, right?) and pick a very basic recipe to start with.
When canning acidified foods (a.k.a. foods that you have to add acid to in order to prevent spoilage--this includes most vegetables; most fruits are acidic enough on their own) or non-acidified foods (say, if you were to can green beans with no added vinegar) you should follow a recipe. This is not the time to get creative with cooking. Unless you're a canning veteran and have some litmus strips handy to check acidity, I would advise you to just find and follow a recipe.
There are very few cases of diagnosed botulism in the US every year, but that's no reason to be lax about canning practices. Since it is potentially hazardous, finding a tried and true recipe is ideal.