Before you prepare your jars get the canner ready by filling it with water and turn on high as it takes a while to boil.

Prepare and Sterilize the Jars

• Sterilize your canning jars by washing them in hot soapy water. Use brand new lids, rings can be reused if they are not rusty and in good working condition.
• Fill large saucepan ¾ full of water and place on the stove top. You'll place your clean canning jars upside down in the water, along with rings and lids. You may only be able to do 2-4 at a time. Watch the water can suck up inside the jars and you may need to refill the saucepan as you go. You want to keep your jars hot during this process.

Wash and Cut the Cucumbers

• Thoroughly wash the cucumbers to remove all dirt and debris from them and drain.
• Cut 1/16” slice off blossom end of cucumbers and discard. Cut off both ends and any bad spots on the cucumbers. You can use a mandoline slicer for this process if you want.
• Cut cucumbers into pickles, you can do either spears or slices. Set aside.

Make the Brine

• In a large cooking pot, mix together Mrs. Wages pickling mix, water, sugar, and vinegar according to package directions and bring to a boil.
• Stir constantly until the brining mixture dissolves. Remove from heat. 

Can the Pickles

• Using tongs, bring your hot jars and lids to your workspace. Fill the jars with cucumbers, leaving ½” head space. Place funnel on top of canning jar and fill with brining liquid up to ½” from the top.
• Add the Xtra Crunch granules. For quart jars, add ¼ teaspoon and for pint jars, add ⅛ teaspoon.  Wipe the rim and jar threads with paper towel to make sure there isn't any liquid or particles that would prevent a proper seal. Wipe the lids and bands so they are dry.
• Place the lid and band on the jar and tighten. Not too tight. You'll be removing the bands in 24 hours.
• When the water in the canner is at a rolling boil. Use the tongs to place the sealed jars inside. It's important to do this process with the same size jars, do pints together, and quarts together. When the water comes to a rolling boil again, after placing the jars in the water, set the timer; 10 minutes for pints and 20 minutes for quarts.
• Have a towel handy when you are ready to remove the jars so the water doesn't drip all over. Use the canning tongs to remove the jars. Place them on a cooling rack or countertop and listen for them to pop and ting...that's when you know they've sealed.
• After 24 hours, double check the top lid has sealed by lightly pressing. There shouldn't be any give. Remove the band and store the jars in your pantry or cupboard for up to one year.