5 lb Cucumber, medium pickling -3-4" long 1 1/4" thick 1 Dill plant, bunch mature, -seeds included 2 oz Horesradish root 1 Head garlic 1/2 oz Hot red pepper, fresh seeded 3 Tarragon, fresh branches 6 tb Salt, non-iodized, per 2 qts -water Preparing Cucumbers: wash the cucumbers under running water and place in a bowl. Cover with ice water and enough ice to keep them cold for 10 hours. Drain the cucumbers and trim both ends so that the brine will more easily penetrate the flesh. Assembling: Rinse the dill and divide in half. Scrub and rinse the horseradish and slice thinly. Peel and halve the garlic. Fold half the dill into a ring to fit the bottom of the pickling jar. Strew horseradish, garlic, red pepper, and 1/3 of the tarragon on top. Arrange half the cucumbers upright in the jar, packing them tightly. Place the second third of the tarragon on top, then pack in the rest of the cucumbers in the same manner. Over them layer the remaining dill, horseradish, garlic, pepper and tarragon. Combine the salt and water, stirring until the salt dissolves. Percentage of salt in this brine is 5.5 to 6.5 percent. Pour the brine into the jar. The cucumbers and herbs should be fully submerged. Cover with a saucer and weight down with a jar or can filled with water. Cover the mouth of the jar with 2 layers of cheesecloth and tie in place with string. Fermentation and storage: For the first 2-3 days, keep the cucumbers on a well aired shaded patio or similar spot with a temperature of 64-68 degrees. Remove the scum as it appears and wash the mouth of the jar daily. After 3-4 days, when the most active fermentation has subsided a bit, remove the weight and lid. Check to see that the brine still covers the cucumbers. If not, add brine in the same proportions (1 1/4-1 3/4 Tbsp salt to 1 pint water). Cover the jar with its own lid and refrigerate at 32-38 degrees. During the next 10-14 days, see that the brine does not become too cloudy (there is always some degree of cloudiness due to fermentation process) and that there is no mold. If either does happen, replace the brine, rinse the upper layer of dill, wipe the mouth of the jar and close again. Store the pickles on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator. They will keep for up to 1 week.
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