Start by soaking your cucumbers in very cold water for up to an hour while preparing your brine and jars.

Combine the water, vinegar, salt and sugar into a pot over medium high heat to make the brine.

Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar.

Bring the brine to a full boil, then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes.

Allow the brine to cool while you prepare your jars.

To each pint jar: add 1 head of dill (or ¼ tsp dried dill if using), 2 cloves of whole, peeled garlic, ¼ tsp whole peppercorns, ⅛ tsp dill seed, ⅛ tsp mustard seeds.

Slice the blossom end and stem end of your cucumber off.

Prepare the cucumbers for the jars by cutting them in your preferred shape.

Add the cucumbers to the jar.

After allowing your brine to cool, begin filling the jars with brine.

Fill the jars to ½ inch headspace.

Use a butter knife or chopstick to release the air bubbles from inside the jar.

Wipe the rims with a clean rag dipped in vinegar.

Place the lids on the jar and tighten to fingertip tightness.

Add the jars to your water bath canner.

Process the jars according to your canner's manufacturer instructions for 15 minutes.

Turn the canner off and allow jars to rest in the canner for 5 minutes before removing them.

Using a jar lifter, remove the jars from the canner and place them on a dish towel or drying mat on the counter.

Once jars have cooled, remove the rings, clean jars, and label them for storage.