Hot & Spicy Pickles

30 -40 medium pickling cucumbers
4 cups vinegar
3 quarts water
2 tablespoons sugar
fresh dill alum 1 garlic, bulb whole cloves and some chopped
3/4 cup kosher salt or 3/4 cup sea salt
1 1/2 tablespoons peppercorns
red dried hot chili peppers
1 tablespoon pickling spices
optional

crushed red pepper flakes Directions:
1
Clean cucumbers in cold water.
2
Place water, vinegar, sugar, salt in large pot.
3
Place sprigs of dill (stems and all) and pickling spices in cheesecloth. Knot the cheesecloth and place in pot with the rest of ingredients.
4
Bring to a boil to make a brine solution.
5
Place a few peppercorns, few garlic cloves or chopped garlic, 1/8 teaspoons Alum, a couple dried whole chile peppers in each empty canning jar that is going to be used. If you desire hotter pickles, add optional 1 - 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes to each jar.
6
Then place pickles in jar and fill with brine solution.
7
Wipe rims of jars with clean cloth, place lids and screw on bands fingertip-tight.
8
Process for 8 minutes in water bath.
9
Remove to cloth-protected counter and let rest undisturbed for 24 hours to cool.
10